(HBO) – The Muong Culture Space Museum is located in a small limestone valley in Hoa Binh city, about 70km from Hanoi. Forgetting the busy daily life, we went to this place to see why many people leave noisy urban areas to come here at weekends or holidays to live in a peaceful environment close to the life of Muong people. Not at all dry as the image that the name "museum” often suggests, visitors to the place will find themselves in a lively space close to the nature.
The 5ha
Muong
Culture
Space
Museum, established in 2007, is covered by the
green of Wedelia chinensis plants. The plant’s small yellow flowers, which are
in blossom the whole year, especially in spring, line the small paths, creating
a poetic scenery. The museum’s staff also use these flowers to decorate
reception desks and the lounge, giving visitors a fresh and relax atmosphere.
A corner of Muong Culture Space Museum
Welcoming us were the museum’s staff
and guides who looked graceful in Muong women’s traditional costumes, along
with painter Vu Duc Hieu who devoted his youth and assets to study and
establish the
Muong
Culture
Space
Museum. Hieu gave us the first impression of a man
of few words with melancholy eyes. Though he is called Hieu "Muong”, Hieu is
actually of the majority Kinh ethnic group and born in
Hanoi. In 2000, he graduated the
Hanoi
Industry
University in the glass
technology major. He has a strong attachment to Hoa Binh as he grew up in the
province and is engulfed by the unique Muong culture.
The
Muong
Culture
Space
Museum is divided into two areas: one for
reproductions and the other for display. Currently, the museum is preserving
about 3,000 objects and many valuable books on Muong culture. Hieu spent 10
years collecting these exhibits.
The museum is built as a miniature of
the Muong society with four stilt houses corresponding to four different social
strata. The first place to visit is the Lang house, demonstrating the life of the
landlord class. After the Lang house is the Au house of the Lang’s servants,
the Noc house of the commoners, and then the Noc Troi house of the lowest class
in the Muong society.
The
Muong
Culture
Space
Museum attracts a lot of domestic and foreign
visitors
Our journey through both the
reproduction and display areas at the museum ended at sunset. A dinner with
typical dishes of the Muong was ready for us to enjoy.
This was also an attraction for
tourists when visiting the museum, where they can not only learn about the Muong
culture but also enjoy Muong dishes and sleep in stilt houses, which makes the
place ideal for a short holiday or on weekends. Visitors, especially those
coming here for the first time, are sure to be impressed by such dishes as
steamed forest vegetables, grilled fish, hot steamed glutinous rice and Muong
wine. If you are lucky to come in the right season, there are some unique
specialties such as ant egg or bee larvae.
We will definitely come back to the
museum to enjoy the environment and cuisine of the Muong people again.
Hai
Yen
Through ups and downs, many unique cultural features of the Muong ethnic minority group are facing risks of falling into oblivion. However, with a strong determination, Lac Son district of Hoa Binh province has deployed synchronous solutions to preserve and promote the locality's cultural heritage values.
If Tan Lac is considered the core of the cradle of Muong culture in Hoa Binh, Phong Phu commune is the cultural centre of Muong culture in Tan Lac district. Luy Ai hamlet in Phong Phu commune is where customs and traditions of Muong Bi are preserved. Luy Ai hamlet was chosen to build a space to preserve Muong ethnic culture. The district is seeking support from the province and coordinating with relevant agencies to devise a plan on preservation of Muong cultural spaces associated with developing tourism products and improving the lives of local residents.
Nguyen Manh Tuan, a Muong ethnic man in Ba Hang Doi town, Lac Thuy district, is known as a young, dedicated, and outstanding artisan who has made significant contributions in collecting, restoring, and preserving national cultural values.
The Government Office with Document No. 2082/VPCP-KGVX, dated March 29, 2024, sent out the opinion of Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha regarding the submission of the "Mo Muong" and "Cheo art" dossiers to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
In the evening of March 28th, in Hoa Binh, the Department of Grassroots Culture (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) coordinated with the provincial Departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the city to organize a mobile propaganda contest to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Dien Bien Phu Victory (May 7th, 1954 - May 7th, 2024) with the theme "Returning to Dien Bien”. There ứa the attendance of Mr. Nguyen Van Toan, the Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; the representatives of the leaders from a number of departments, branches and numerous veterans and Hoa Binh people.
