(HBO) - The entire political system and people of Hoa Binh province have joined hands in carrying out synchronous and long-term solutions to help Mo Muong win the UNESCO’s recognition as an Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding. Mo Muong is a rite of reciting Mo (poetry) during rituals of the Muong people, in which the Thay mo (shaman) plays the main role.
Mo Muong recitations are part of 23 Muong rituals, including funerals, in which
tens of thousands of Mo lines are recited throughout 12 days and nights, which
demonstrates the essence and core values of the Mo tradition. Currently, there
are many collections of Mo versions, of which three main ones have been
published.
Mo Muong ritual is enacted at the art performance "Hoa Binh – Thanh am
xu Muong” in 2022.
The provincial authorities received the sponsorship of the Vietnam Federation
of UNESCO Associations to preserve and promote Mo Muong in 2015.
Since 2016, special heed has been paid to protecting and promoting the cultural
heritage. The provincial People's Committee established a Steering Committee
for Mo Muong Hoa Binh and thanks to the province's efforts, the heritage was
listed among the national intangible cultural heritage.
Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Bui Thi
Niem said a series of specific measure have been taken to preserve and uphold
the value of the intangible cultural heritage.
Accordingly, the locality is actively conducting a project on preserving and
promoting the unique cultural values of the Mo Muong Hoa Binh cultural heritage
in 2019 - 2025 period and the following years, focusing on building a dossier
to seek the UNESCO’s recognition for Mo Muong to be included in the UNESCO List
of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.
This aims to raise awareness and responsibility of the local community and
people nationwide about the value of intangible cultural heritage, and
encourage the community to join in the preservation work.
Nguyen Van Toan, Vice Chairman of the provincial People's Committee, head of
the Steering Committee for Mo Muong Hoa Binh, said every year, the committee
issued a plan of tasks to be implemented to preserve the Mo Muong cultural
heritage value.
In 2022, the committee has mobilised all resources and participation of all
sectors to well perform the tasks, he stressed./.
Hoa Binh province has carried out multiple programmes and initiatives to revive its cultural heritage which has gradually fallen into oblivion through the ebbs and flows of history.
The most prominent and defining feature in the prehistoric era of Hoa Binh is the Hoa Binh Culture. The Culture was first discovered in Hoa Binh. The significant prehistoric culture represents not only Vietnam but also Southeast Asia and southern China. Through excavations of cave sites in the limestone regions of Hoa Binh, French archaeologist M. Colani introduced the world to a "Stone Age in Hoa Binh province – Northern Vietnam" in 1927. On January 30, 1932, the First Congress of Far Eastern Prehistorians, held in Hanoi, officially recognised the Hoa Binh Culture.
Known as the "Land of Epic History”, Hoa Binh province, the gateway to Vietnam’s northwest, boasts a strategic location and a unique cultural tapestry woven by its ethnic minority communities.
The People's Committee of Luong Son District recently held a ceremony to receive the certificate recognizing Sau Communal House in Thanh Cao Commune as a provincial-level historical and cultural site.
Recognising the importance of cultural heritage preservation in protecting and promoting the value system of Vietnamese culture, and serving socio-economic development in the new period, Party committees and local administrations in Hoa Binh province have identified it as a key task in the cultural development strategy. The province has been making efforts in mobilising resources, creating consensus among people and engaging ethnic communities in preserving and promoting cultural identity.
Hoa Binh province has captured growing attention both domestically and internationally for its distinctive cultural heritage and rich history. Most notably, it has been renowned for its famous Hoa Binh culture, considered the cradle of ancient Vietnamese civilisation. Looking ahead to significant milestones in 2025 and the 140th anniversary of province establishment in 2026, Hoa Binh Newspaper presents a comprehensive overview of the province's development across economic, social, cultural, tourism, and security domains.
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