(HBO)- On the occasion of the 85th anniversary of the world recognition of the "Hoa Binh Culture”, Hoa Binh province will organise numerous activities to popularise and honour the unique archaeological values of the world-renowned Stone Age culture in the province. Hoa Binh Online reporters had a talk with Buil Ngoc Lam, Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and head of the organising board for commemoration activities.
Provincial museum staff arrange artefacts for an exhibition on the
occasion of the 85th anniversary of world recognition of "Hoa Binh
Culture”
Reporter: Could you give a general introduction about the "Hoa Binh
Culture”?
Mr. Bui Ngoc Lam: The term "Hoa Binh Culture” is used with two
meanings, one of which is the culture of all ethnic groups in Hoa Binh, and the
other is the archaeological culture.
Here we are talking
about the archaeological culture which dates back to the Stone Age, from
3,500-7,000 years ago.
The Hoa Binh Culture
was first discovered and studied by French woman archaeologist Madeleine Colani
in the years from 1926-1931. She also coined the term Hoa Binh Culture. In
1932, at the first conference on the prehistory in the Far East held in Hanoi,
world archaeologists agreed to adopt this term.
However, the Hoa Binh
Culture existed not only in Vietnam. In fact, it covered a large area in
Southeast Asia, but Vietnam was the place with the most relics of the culture,
so many foreign scientists considered the country as the birthplace of Hoa Binh
Culture. In Vietnam, Hoa Binh province is the place where the first relic of
Hoa Binh Culture was found, and it is also home to the most relics discovered
so far, that is why the province’s name was used to call the culture.
Reporter: On the 85th anniversary of world recognition of "Hoa Binh
Culture”, the province will organise many commemorative activities. Could you
please tell us about the meaning and significance of the anniversary?
Mr. Bui Ngoc Lam: Among commemorative events there will be an
exhibition on the Hoa Binh Culture, which will last through December. The
provincial library will host a display of books on the Hoa Binh archaeological
culture and the cultures of ethnic groups in Hoa Binh province. At the
provincial cultural palace, there will be a display of photos selected during
the Hoa Binh tourism photo contest in
2017. A scientific seminar on Hoa Binh Culture
will also be held here, along with an art performance and a demonstration of Mo
Muong.
Activities to celebrate
the 85th anniversary of world recognition of "Hoa Binh Culture” are
intended to popularise and honour the unique archaeological values of the
world-renowned Stone Age culture in Hoa Binh; honour the great contributions of
the French archaeologist Madeleine Colani who discovered and named the culture.
The activities also aim to foster the pride about the ethnic groups in the
province – the cradle of the Hoa Binh Culture and one of the cradles of human
kinds’ civilisation, and teach young generations about the local traditions.
Reporter: Thank you very much.
The Bac Son pre-school in Hung Son commune, Kim Boi district is effectively implementing a model of preserving and promoting cultural identity of the Muong ethnic group.
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).
