(HBO) – An interesting cultural relic of the Mong ethnic group in the northwestern region of Vietnam is that of the "ném pao” or ball throwing. It is not merely a folk game but represents much more to the ethnic traditions of the Mong. Nem Pao is a unique form of partnership and happiness that can lead to much more for ethnic Mong couples.
Mong ethnic women in Hang Kia commune,
Mai Chau district are throwing the ball (Nem Pao) on a spring day.
Images of Mong women busily sewing the last stiches on clothes and colourful
pao flow into the spotlight as visitors drop by the Hang Kia and Pa Co communes
in Mai Chau district. Colourful pao is made from linen cloth, stuffed with
flaxseed. According to Mong ethnic beliefs, the linen and flax balls are
colorful symbols of happiness and represent fertility and future partnership
within the community.
Pao making has been passed down through generations. Trumpet and khen (pan-pipe)
dances help men to find their partner, and pao are the equivalent symbol of
partnership for women.
A simple game, pao throwing carries great cultural value in that it allows men
and women to introduce and meet each other around the pao symbol of happiness.
The cultural phenomenon results in couples first meeting and transitioning into
becoming husbands and wives.
According to Sung Thi Mua, a local in Hang Kia hamlet, Hang Kia commune, it is
the Mong ethnics’ tradition that women should yield their paos in the spring to
start a season of fertility and partnership.
"We are passing down the making of pao and ball throwing festivities to younger
generations, and in doing so, perpetuate the Mong cultural traditions”, Mua
said.
Sung Y Mai, a brocade weaving artisan in Hang Kia commune, said Mong men want
to marry a woman who is good at weaving, embroidery and sewing pao.
"A good Mong woman must know how to make a good pao”, she said, explaining a
good pao must have tight stitches and it should be the perfect shape.
Nem
Pao is held at the yard of the local cultural houses or at the pitch, during
which two teams, each with three-to-ten men or women, throw the linen ball and
ensure it does not fall to the ground. While playing, women and men exchange
glances, smiles, and affection. After the game, if the woman and man feel the
love, the man will keep her pao and express his admiration on a subsequent
visit to her home. The goal, of course, is a lifelong partnership between them,
based on sewing skill and enjoying the cultural festivities together.
Nowadays,
life in Mong villages has changed drastically. The Mong people are paying due
attention to preserving their cultural values by integrating traditional games
into extra-curricular activities at the local schools.
According to Vang Y Sai, a teacher of Hang Kia Primary and Secondary School, in
a bid to preserve and develop folk games, the school carries out a wide range
of measures to encourage both students and parents to join folk games on regular
afternoons.
Together with ball throwing, other folk games like "đánh yến” (rooster feather
shuttlecocks), tu lu (traditional version of spinning tops), "đẩy gậy” (stick
pushing) and "ném còn” (còn throwing) have been well preserved by the Mong
ethnic in Mai Chau.
The games are not only a vivid illustration of Mong men’s strength and bravery
and the skillfulness of Mong women, but they also raise hope for a happy and
prosperous life./.
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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