(HBO) - Over their long history, the Muong ethnic group in Hoa Binh has created and preserved a rich and diverse folk culture, in which the Mo Muong is a prominent and unique one that has profound human values. Generations of Muong people have passed down Mo Muong verbally, giving vitality and popularity to this special intangible cultural heritage.
Shaman Bui Hong Bao in Tan
Lac district’s Phong Phu commune performs a Mo ritual.
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. The shaman knows by
heart not only tens of thousands of lines of Mo but also traditional
rituals and customs. In Muong society, the shaman is an intellectual and a
reputable person in the community.
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.
In order to well preserve and promote the intangible cultural heritage, the
provincial Party Committee has issued many important documents in the field of
culture, which identify Mo Muong as one of the heritages that need to be
preserved and promoted.
The provincial People's Committee has established a Steering Committee for Mo
Muong Hoa Binh and built a plan to make a scientific dossier on Mo Muong which
will be submitted to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to seek
recognition of Mo as part of the national heritage, looking toward seeking
recognition as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
In 2018, the provincial People's Committee approved two projects on preserving
and promoting the typical intangible cultural values of the Muong ethnic group
in the 2018 - 2030 period and preserving and promoting the values of Mo Muong
Hoa Binh cultural heritages in 2019 - 2025 periods and the following years.
Party committees, authorities and relevant agencies have carried out
synchronously solutions to protect and promote the value of cultural heritage
in general and Mo Muong heritage in particular in a scientific manner. They
have also popularized the value of heritage, thereby raising awareness and
responsibility in jointly protecting cultural heritages among local residents.
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.
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.