(HBO) – Hang Kia-Pa Co communes in Mai Chau district have 90 percent of their population being Mong ethnic minority people. Each year, local residents celebrate their Independence Festival from August 25 with colourful costumes and flowers decorated along streets. However, this year, due to COVID-19 pandemic, Mong people in Mai Chau have not gathered in traditional markets but celebrated the special event right at home. Amid the complicated development of the pandemic, they have been encouraged to enjoy the festival with strict implementation of pandemic prevention and control measures.
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Visitors are enjoying
Independence Festival in a Mong village in Hang Kia commune (Mai Chau).
Sung A Mang, a local in Pa Co Lon hamlet of Pa Co commune said that every year
on the National Day (September 2) occasion and major events of the year, local
families often kill pigs, buffaloes and chickens to offer to their ancestors.
Prior to the main festival day, people in hamlets and villages opened joint
parties by contributing chickens, pigs, rice andenjoyed the festival
together.
However, this year, due to COVID-19, the festive atmosphere
is not the same as the previous years with massive gatherings being cancelled.
But still, Mong people are still enjoying their traditional festival with
simple but cozy family meals, while maintaining their regular production
activities.
Sung A Chua, Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Pa Co said that this
year, the Independence Festival does not include entertainment and festive
activities. However, through communications, all local residents understand
that to protect the health of themselves, their families and the community,
they should join hands to prevent the pandemic from entering the locality and
maintain socio-economic development.
Currently, per capita income of Hang Kia and Pa Co has reached 13 million VND
and 15 million VND each year, respectively. As of the end of June 2021, the
ratio of poor households was brought down to 24.7 percent in Hang Kia and 22.5
percent in Pa Co. Both communes have completed 13 out of 19 criteria of a
new-style rural area. Cultural and education infrastructure in the localities
have been improved to meet new-style rural area standards, while
defence-security situation has been ensured, with reinforced political
system./.
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.
In responding to the movement of "All people stay united to build cultural lifestyle”, over the years, Kim Boi district has conducted many practical and effective activities to promote solidarity and mutual support among the local community in sustainable poverty reduction and building cultural lifestyle and a healthy cultural environment, and maintaining national cultural identity.
Hoa Binh Pedagogical College has just held the closing ceremony of the training class and issued the certificate of the language of Muong ethnic people to the oficials, civil servants and public employees of courses I and II in 2023.
Hoa Binh is an ancient land home to limestone mountains running along the southeast direction and in parallel with Truong Son Mountain Range in the West, forming many basins and valleys with a rich diversity of fauna and flora. Humans came to reside here in the pre-historic period, creating the world-famous Hoa Binh Civilisation.
The Dao ethnic minority group in Hoa Binh province has preserved many unique cultural identities, especially rituals and belief. In particular, Nhay (dance) festival is the most important ritual with a long history, vividly reflecting the religious life of the local Dao people.
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