(HBO) – Preparations are being made to submit documents relating to "Mo Muong" to the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation to be added to the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.
The late
sorcerer Bui Van Cu, residing in Bung village of Lac Son district’s Huong
Nhuong commune, performs a Mo ritual.
"Mo Muong" is a sacred ritual that has been used in funerals and some
rituals to pray for the good health of the Muong ethnic minority people.
"Mo Muong" is a job and also a performance practiced at funerals,
religious festivals, and life cycle rituals by the ethnic Muongsorcerers.
It consists of three main components namely Mo words, performing environment
and people who practice mo singing.
Mo words are divided into ‘cat Mo’ and ‘roong Mo’, similar to chapters in
literature. Each Mo chapter has its own theme and purposein a funeral
ritual.
Through the generations, "Mo Muong" has been passed down verbally in
the community.
Each person's life in different ethnic groups has rituals associated with the
human life cycle: birth, adulthood and marriage. For the Muong people,
thefuneral is the final ritual of each person's life which he/she only
enjoys when they die.
Funeral and "Mo Muong" will help deal with problems relating to
"procedures" for the dead before they are buried.
The Muong people also provide knowledge for the dead through storytelling which
includes stories about the birth of the universe, the birth of people, the
struggle for survival in the wild and knowledge of folk geography.
There are many collections of Mo,of which three main ones have been
published. The existence of various versions of Mo has helped expand the
heritage and spiritual life of the Muong people.
According to folk cultural specialists, "Mo Muong" is classified into
three categories:Mo Nghi Le(Ceremonial Mo), Mo Ke Chuyen (Story
Telling Mo) andMo Nhom(Observe Mo), in which ashaman plays an
important role.
The shaman knowstens of thousands of lines of Moby heart, as well
as many traditional rituals and customs.
In Muong society, the shaman is an intellectual and reputable person. The role
of the shaman is associated with the human life cycle: birth, old age, sickness
and death. Prayers are given for people’s health, good luck, peace,
happinessand prosperity./.
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.
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