Preserving the cultural identity of the Dao ethnic group in Phu Xuyen.

The Dao ethnic people in Tan Lap hamlet (Phu Xuyen commune) are making banh chung (traditional Vietnamese rice cakes) to celebrate the New Rice Festival.

We arrived at Mrs. Trieu Minh Loan's house in Tan Lap hamlet on a chilly, dry day. Mrs. Loan's family was gathered around a pot of sticky rice cakes simmering on the stove.

Mrs. Loan said: "This year we had a bumper glutinous rice harvest, so our family made a bigger pot of rice cakes than usual to offer to the altar, to thank heaven and earth and our ancestors for granting us a bountiful harvest, and so that our descendants can enjoy the taste of the new glutinous rice in our traditional ethnic cake."

Making sticky rice cakes (bánh chưng) to celebrate the new rice harvest is a long-standing tradition of the Dao people. The new rice harvest ceremony is for descendants to remember the earth and sky, and the harvest season. The ceremony is incomplete without making sticky rice cakes. The Dao people's sticky rice cakes are smaller than those of the Kinh people and are tied with five strings symbolizing the five elements. After the cakes are boiled overnight, the entire village gathers at the community center the next morning to perform the ritual.

Closely associated with the spiritual life of the Dao ethnic people here is the Coming-of-Age Ceremony – an important ritual marking the maturity of men. Many families here still regularly maintain the Coming-of-Age Ceremony. Each time the ceremony takes place, the entire village is bustling with the sounds of horns and drums, and ceremonial dances that bear the distinct mark of ancient Dao culture.

On holidays, weddings, engagements, and Tet (Lunar New Year), the Dao people of Phu Xuyen dress up in vibrant red traditional costumes adorned with exquisite hand-embroidered patterns. The long dresses, headscarves, and leggings worn by Dao women are not just clothing but also cultural symbols reflecting their worldview and philosophy of life.

Most Dao women in Phu Xuyen know how to embroider. Not only are traditional costumes preserved and cherished, but the Pao Dung melody is indispensable on these occasions. This is a traditional folk song of the Dao people. With its slow, profound melody, it expresses feelings, life philosophies, and simple love stories.

72-year-old artisan Trieu Van Long is a "living archive" of the Pao Dung folk song tradition in Phu Xuyen. He possesses more than 60 ancient Pao Dung songs, many of which he has transcribed to pass on to the younger generation.

To preserve and protect the unique cultural characteristics of the ethnic group, in recent years, Phu Xuyen commune has implemented many creative solutions to preserve and promote Dao culture, through the establishment of community cultural models.

Thanks to its active operation, the club has become a "cultural school" for young Dao people. In addition, the "Traditional Dao Costume Embroidery Training Group" model, spearheaded by the Women's Association of the commune, has also yielded significant results.

The group has 12 artisans. Each year, it attracts approximately 80 to 100 learners. In addition, the model for preserving the Coming-of-Age Ceremony maintains regular activities. The group includes 6 reputable shamans who specialize in performing and guiding the rituals according to the customs of the Red Dao people.

Mr. Ngo The Binh, Secretary of the Commune Party Committee, said: Currently, the entire commune has over 2,800 households, with nearly 23,000 inhabitants. Of these, ethnic minorities account for nearly half, including Tay, Nung, Dao, Cao Lan, San Chi, etc.

The Dao ethnic group alone numbers over 1,100 people here, with the largest concentration in Tan Lap hamlet, with 436 people, followed by hamlets such as Dong Dinh, Deo Xa, Cau Tra, and scattered in hamlets such as Dam Lang, Dong Mang, Doan Ket, Cay Hong…

The Dao ethnic people in Phu Xuyen still retain their distinct ethnic identity. In the context of integration and development, preserving culture is not only the responsibility of an ethnic community but of the entire society.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/van-hoa/202512/bao-ton-ban-sac-van-hoa-dong-bao-dao-o-phu-xuyen-d504dc6/