.jpg)
Held every three years, the swing festival in Muong Voi, Vu Ban town in Lac Son district is "one-of-a-kind". From the 5th to the 7th day of the first lunar month in the Year of the Dragon, thousands of residents and tourists flocked to the locality to experience the unique cultural festival.
Visitors join the swing festival in the Lunar New Year Festival 2024.
Accordingto thelegendpassed down by the local elderly, gods
worshipped at the Cay Si temple were credited with teaching people of Muong Voi
how to cultivate fields, build embankments to control water flow, and conduct
water to fields. They also taught the people how to cultivate rice, and cotton
for weaving fabric. In gratitude for the merits and teachings of the gods,
residents built a temple to worship them.
The Muong village usually holds the swing festival immediately after completing
rituals at the Cay Si temple to invite the gods to join them.
The two old people start the game first. Following them, a young couple chosen
by villagers will join in, marking the beginning of the festival. Winning teams
are usually couples that have the same mindset, strength, courage, and
confidence.
Nguyen Duc Giang, a tourist from Nam Dinh province, said the festival offers a
chance for him to experience and immerse himself in the festive atmosphere in
the locality.
In addition to swinging, visitors can also join many other
unique folk games of the Muong ethnic people, such as tug-of-war, and Nem con
(shuttlecock throwing). Notably, this year's Muong Voi swing festival featured a Muong gong performance
by 150 artisans, a "dum” singing performance by elderly artisans, and an art
exchange night.
According to Vice Chairwoman of the People’s Committee of Vu Ban town Bui Thi
Thi, the festival is a pride of locals in particular and those in Lac Son
district in general.
Along with others, this unique festival has contributed to preserving and
promoting the unique historical and cultural value and heritage of the Muong
ethnic group, and attracting visitors to the locality.
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.
.jpg)
.jpg)
