Lesson 2: Urgent protection of precious heritage

Mo Muong - from the sacred soul of Muong land towards World Cultural Heritage

Risk of fading and deformation

Shamans are mainly elderly people.

"For the Muong people, losing Mo is extremely dangerous, because they lose an immune power, a defense against harmful foreign cultures" - cultural researcher and distinguished artisan Bui Huy Vong commented.

In the integration period, Mo Muong is at risk of being lost and distorted. Meanwhile, for a long time, Mo was considered superstitious and banned; even in many Muong areas, it is no longer practiced or is practiced but not fully, leading to the risk of distorted perception of heritage value. Passionate about Mo, at the age of 27, Mr. Bui Van Lung (Muong Bi commune) knew many lessons, but the period of 1980-1990 when Mo was banned was a low note. "If we do not respect and protect it, the sacred soul of the nation will only be a memory" - Mr. Mo Lung worries.

Nowadays, the environment for practicing Mo Muong has narrowed, only a few places in Muong Bi and Muong Vang regions regularly practice Mo in 7 rituals, funerals are practiced for about 35 hours. Regions such as Muong Dong and Muong Thang still practice Mo in about 4 rituals. Other regions in Hoa Binh region only practice Mo in funerals and much simplified. Even some Muong people do not fully understand the value of Mo. Many young people cannot hear or speak their own ethnic language, while Mo is performed and transmitted orally in Muong language.

During the inventory and direct survey in Muong regions, Mr. Bui Van Nam, an officer of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, realized that many forms of religious activities related to Mo Muong have faded or disappeared. The number of Mo men has decreased, and there are very few artisans who understand and practice all Mo songs, mainly the elderly.

According to the inventory data of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, in 2012, Hoa Binh region had 284 artisans practicing Mo Muong, in 2022 there were 212 artisans. Phu Tho region had 31 artisans.

Shaman Bui Van Khiu (Cao Phong commune) is nearly 80 years old this year, his health has declined, although he found a successor Bui Van Quyen in the same commune, born in 1971, but he is still not proficient. When he studied, he had to practice for 3 years before he could perform the ceremony. However, many Shamans do not have students, when they return to the village, they bring with them a treasure trove of heritage. Not many young people are interested, while studying requires strict standards, dedication and must have a Mo no (family tradition) or if not, must borrow another Mo lineage.

Lesson 2: Urgent protection of precious heritage

Shaman Bui Van Khiu passes on his profession to his student Bui Van Quyen.

Preserving heritage forever with the nation

Realizing the value of Mo Muong, Hoa Binh province (old) and Phu Tho province (old) have paid attention and identified this as a heritage that needs to be preserved and promoted in community life. These are also the two provinces that previously succeeded in having Mo Muong listed as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage.

In particular, the Resolution of the Congress of the Party Committee of Hoa Binh province (old) for the 2015-2020 term clearly stated the tasks: Inventory and prepare a dossier to submit to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to recognize Mo Muong as a national cultural heritage; develop a roadmap to prepare a scientific dossier to submit to UNESCO for recognition as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity. The Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee issued a Directive on "Strengthening the leadership of Party committees at all levels in the work of preserving, conserving and promoting the values of Mo Muong cultural heritage". The Resolution of the Provincial Party Congress for the 2020-2025 term continued to determine: Urgently complete the procedures to submit to UNESCO the dossier to register Mo Muong in the list of intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent protection...

Based on the breakthrough directives and resolutions, the Mo Muong Steering Committee was established; specialized projects and plans were issued. Typical examples include the Project on Preserving and Promoting the Value of Mo Muong Cultural Heritage in Hoa Binh for the period 2019-2025 and the following years; the Project on Preserving and Promoting the Value of Muong Ethnic Culture and "Hoa Binh Culture" for the period 2023-2030...

Notably, in 2016, the People's Committee of Hoa Binh province approved the Muong ethnic script; then issued the Project on teaching and learning the Muong ethnic language. For the first time in thousands of years of history, the Muong people had an official written language, instead of just oral transmission. This has important significance in recording the Mo verses in the ethnic script.

Thanks to the correct decisions, in line with the Party's and the people's wishes, the work of protecting and promoting the value of Mo Muong heritage has had positive changes. In early 2025, the Muong people were excited when the Mo Muong Cultural Heritage Conservation Space Project associated with tourism services in Hop Phong commune (old), now Cao Phong commune, on an area of over 36.02 hectares, was started. "My family is ready to hand over the land and hopes that the project will soon become a reality so that Mo Muong will live forever and be widely promoted" - Mrs. Bui Thi Nhu hoped.

Lesson 2: Urgent protection of precious heritage

People's Artist Bui Van Minh teaches Mo Muong. Photo: TL

In addition, the work of heritage inventory; collecting, compiling documents, and researching the value of Mo Muong has been given attention. Traditional festivals have been restored, classes have been opened, creating a favorable environment for practicing, propagating, and promoting Mo Muong values. Muong Vang region has opened a Mo Muong class for 40 students; not only men, middle-aged and elderly people but also women and young people have participated.

The Mo artisans are counted and motivated promptly. Every year, the work of selecting and preparing dossiers to propose recognition of Mo Muong artisans as excellent artisans is given attention.

Up to now, Hoa Binh region has 25 people awarded the title of Meritorious Artist in performing Mo Muong folk culture, including 1 People's Artist; 5 Mo Muong Clubs have been established.

Lesson 2: Urgent protection of precious heritage

The fishing ceremony on the Da River, Hoa Binh Ward begins with the Mo Muong ritual.

Mr. Bui Van Nom, Honorary Chairman of the Lac Son Mo Muong Club, informed: The club has 47 members. Despite the change in administrative boundaries when merging communes, the club still holds regular activities. Not only Mo artisans, the club also recruits researchers and people who want to learn and follow the Mo profession. Since the club was established, Mo Muong activities in the area have become more systematic and organized.

These are practical actions, important foundations to preserve and promote Mo Muong values in social life, contributing to bringing this precious heritage to the world.

Related news:

Mo Muong - from the sacred soul of Muong land towards World Cultural Heritage
The Muong people in our country reside most densely in the new Phu Tho province. Over thousands of years, they have created, refined, and preserved a rich and unique cultural heritage. Among them, Mo is an outstanding and especially valuable cultural phenomenon, considered the sacred soul of the nation. Mo Muong has been recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage and is on the way to being listed as a Representative Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This priceless heritage needs to be protected and promoted, especially after unification in the cultural space of the Ancestral Land.