(HBO) - The entire political system and people of Hoa Binh province have joined hands in carrying out synchronous and long-term solutions to help Mo Muong win the UNESCO’s recognition as an Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding. 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.
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.
Mo Muong ritual is enacted at the art performance "Hoa Binh – Thanh am
xu Muong” in 2022.
The provincial authorities received the sponsorship of the Vietnam Federation
of UNESCO Associations to preserve and promote Mo Muong in 2015.
Since 2016, special heed has been paid to protecting and promoting the cultural
heritage. The provincial People's Committee established a Steering Committee
for Mo Muong Hoa Binh and thanks to the province's efforts, the heritage was
listed among the national intangible cultural heritage.
Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Bui Thi
Niem said a series of specific measure have been taken to preserve and uphold
the value of the intangible cultural heritage.
Accordingly, the locality is actively conducting a project on preserving and
promoting the unique cultural values of the Mo Muong Hoa Binh cultural heritage
in 2019 - 2025 period and the following years, focusing on building a dossier
to seek the UNESCO’s recognition for Mo Muong to be included in the UNESCO List
of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.
This aims to raise awareness and responsibility of the local community and
people nationwide about the value of intangible cultural heritage, and
encourage the community to join in the preservation work.
Nguyen Van Toan, Vice Chairman of the provincial People's Committee, head of
the Steering Committee for Mo Muong Hoa Binh, said every year, the committee
issued a plan of tasks to be implemented to preserve the Mo Muong cultural
heritage value.
In 2022, the committee has mobilised all resources and participation of all
sectors to well perform the tasks, he stressed./.
Xoe dance, an unique art form of the Thai ethnic minority group in Mai Chau district of Hoa Binh province has existed for a long time and passed down through generations. Xoe dance is not only a popular dance in the Thai community but also a unique cultural feature, an indispensable part in the Thai ethnic minority people's cultural and spiritual life.
The Bac Son pre-school in Hung Son commune, Kim Boi district is effectively implementing a model of preserving and promoting cultural identity of the Muong ethnic group.
Through ups and downs, many unique cultural features of the Muong ethnic minority group are facing risks of falling into oblivion. However, with a strong determination, Lac Son district of Hoa Binh province has deployed synchronous solutions to preserve and promote the locality's cultural heritage values.
If Tan Lac is considered the core of the cradle of Muong culture in Hoa Binh, Phong Phu commune is the cultural centre of Muong culture in Tan Lac district. Luy Ai hamlet in Phong Phu commune is where customs and traditions of Muong Bi are preserved. Luy Ai hamlet was chosen to build a space to preserve Muong ethnic culture. The district is seeking support from the province and coordinating with relevant agencies to devise a plan on preservation of Muong cultural spaces associated with developing tourism products and improving the lives of local residents.
Nguyen Manh Tuan, a Muong ethnic man in Ba Hang Doi town, Lac Thuy district, is known as a young, dedicated, and outstanding artisan who has made significant contributions in collecting, restoring, and preserving national cultural values.
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).
