(HBO) - Gong of Muong ethnic people has been present for a long time in the daily life and activities of Muong Thang area - Cao Phong. In the past years, the Party committees, the authorities and the local people have been paying great attention to conserving and preserving gong of Muong ethnic people.
The team of gong of Muong ethnic people in Yen Thuong commune (Cao Phong) has been established and performed in cultural activities, sports and major events in the area.
Mr. Bui Yen Minh, the staff from Cao Phong Center for Culture, Sports and Information says that Muong Thang is one of the four big Muong areas of the province. It is the land which is rich in cultural traditions, still holding many precious gongs. Gongs of Muong ethnic have existed for a long time in the cultural life of Muong ethnic people. Gongs have witnessed the birth cry of a child. They have been used to pray for a good harvest, bringing happiness and peace. When returning to the sky of Muong, the sound of gongs has followed the soul of the deceased. Every commune has a gong performance team. After hard working hours, people often converge on the culture house of the village or commune to practice the traditional gongs. The elderly people teach their young children how to beat the gongs. Just like that, the previous generation has passed on to the next generation, the gong echoes over time.
Cao Phong district has paid attention to preserving and preserving the beauty of gongs of Muong ethnic people. Many communes have built resolutions and plans to preserve gongs of Muong ethnic people such as Xuan Phong, Dung Phong, Dong Phong and so on. Many artists have devoted themselves to preserving the culture of gongs of Muong ethnic people. Among them, Mr. Bui Ngoc Thuan, Bung 1 hamlet, Thu Phong commune has set up a folk culture club, wishing to gather those who are passionate for the traditional instruments and singing to practice, compose and perform. Thereby, they can contribute to preserving and promoting the traditional cultural capital imbued with the local ethnic identity. Mr. Bui Van Meo in Dung Phong commune has spent a lot of enthusiasm collecting and teaching people how to beat the melody of gongs of Muong ethnic people.
In Muong Thang area, gongs of Muong ethnic people are performed in all important events taking place in the villages and communes. In particular, it is indispensable for the melody of gongs for opening the traditional festivals of Muong Thang people. Gongs of Muong ethnic people are present at all major festivals in Cao Phong such as the Muong Thang season opening festival, Bo temple festival, Khanh pagoda festival and so on. Cao Phong is also one of the main districts participating in the great cultural festivals and events of the province as the 130th anniversary of the foundation, 25 years of provincial re-establishment, the street gong festival, Gymnastics and sports congress ... There have been about 20 gong teams with about 3,000 gongs and 20 artists who can beat the ancient melody of gongs. In particular, Xuan Phong and Dung Phong are the two communes with the largest number of gongs.
Phong Phu commune, Tan Lac district of Hoa Binh province, is widely regarded as the cultural heartland of the Muong ethnic group. Among its many traditional communities, Luy Ai hamlet (formerly Ai hamlet) stands out as a rare location where the customs and way of life of the Muong Bi people remain largely intact.
The Truong Kha temple festival, a distinctive cultural event held every three years in Vu Ban township, Lac Son district, returned recently with vibrant rituals and folk traditions of the Muong people. Located next to the Buoi River in the Muong Trao fields, the Truong Kha Temple is dedicated to the three Kun Dol deities, revered for teaching farming techniques, irrigation, weaving, and protecting the harvest.
The demand for spaces serving community activities of residents in various areas across Hoa Binh city has been satisfied as local cultural houses now feature modern, spacious facilities thanks to the effective implementation of Resolution No. 49/NQ-HDND issued on December 28, 2021 by the city People's Council, which approved the plan for reorganising, converting, and allocating land for the construction, repair, and expansion of cultural houses in Hoa Binh’s villages and residential areas until 2025.
At the end of May, the Hoa Binh Provincial Ethnic Arts Troupe organized a series of performances for residents in Region 2 and Region 3 communes across the province. Bringing art to ethnic communities in remote, isolated, and especially disadvantaged areas has become a meaningful activity. These are not merely artistic performances but also journeys to disseminate cultural values, enrich spiritual life, and contribute to preserving the cultural identity of ethnic minorities.