(LĐ online) - Coming to Da Quyn commune (Duc Trong, Lam Dong ), I met and was deeply impressed by her, a daughter of the Churu ethnic group. It seems that, for her, there is no greater love than the love for the beloved plei (village) Ma Bo - Da Quyn, and the ethnic culture. Since then, she has devoted all her heart and intelligence to show gratitude and contribute with her fellow countrymen to preserve the sacred values passed down from their ancestors.
I am just a traveler walking through Churu, witnessing the life of the people here, hearing the stories of you and your fellow ethnic people, making me miss this beautiful and peaceful land even before leaving. You are Ma Thuan, who once again led me to experience Plei Ma Bo in a day full of emotions...
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| Ms. Ma Thuan (right cover) talks with locals |
IN THE VILLAGE, MEETING AN "OLD FRIEND" AGAIN
Last time, I set foot in Plei Ma Bo - Da Quyn, met the Churu ethnic people; listened to legendary stories, in the middle of the deep forest at night, the sound of gongs and cymbals echoed in me. I also enjoyed the Tamya dance and, together with my brothers in the great forest, mingled with the fluttering emotions over a jar of rice wine. I don't know since when, the Central Highlands has been deeply engraved in my soul, so coming to Ma Bo, I don't feel anything strange. That's right, I was born from this land, the land of the epics Dam San, Xing Nha or the legendary love story of K'Lang and Ha Biang, the land of extremely unique and attractive cultural features...
Ms. Ma Thuan, a child of the Central Highlands mountains and forests, is passionately in love with the values of her Churu ethnic heritage. Returning to Ma Bo, I was able to "return" to follow the flow of emotions with her. I was able to immerse myself in the charming nature, to observe artisans like Ya Tim and Ya Bo passionately weaving baskets and playing gongs in the majestic mountains and forests, in the rustling of the wind and the sounds of wild animals echoing from the distant mountainsides. An emotion filled with deep longing and love arose within me. In every story, Ma Thuan always gave me gentle smiles, making me feel like a distant younger sister returning to her, like a distant child returning to the village. I still remember the previous occasion, every time I talked to her, her eyes lit up when she talked about the "Da Quyn commune gong club" - a testament to love and dedication becoming reality. It was my admiration for her, it was the gentle smile she gave me that connected the emotions of two people of different races...
Ma Thuan is the first child in a farming family, life was quite poor in the past, when her parents gave birth to 10 children. She said that since childhood, her mother's lullaby, her father's teachings about her homeland and ethnic groups have been deeply ingrained in her, so that she has loved this land and the people here without knowing when. Therefore, when standing at the threshold of life, Ma Thuan decided to study Ethnic Minority Culture at Ho Chi Minh City University of Culture. She said that studying the major she likes, understanding more about the culture of her ethnic group and other ethnic groups has been her dream since childhood. For her, love is infinite, but only when she understands and interacts with her brothers and sisters from all over the country can she deeply appreciate the sacred values of the nation, of the homeland where she was born and raised. Churu, one of the ethnic groups that has witnessed the ups and downs of the Central Highlands, has preserved the cultural characteristics of the ethnic group for generations. “I love my homeland, my Churu ethnic group, so I always strive to honor, preserve and promote those values. Trying little by little!” Ma Thuan shared. In saying and doing, Ma Thuan and the young people in Da Quyn and Plei Ma Bo took on the responsibility of inheriting and passing on the torch; she devoted all her heart to the mission of preserving cultural values.
In Da Quyn commune, Ms. Ma Thuan is known as the Vice President of the Commune Women's Union. Although not associated with a working position, with the knowledge from the university lecture hall combined with pride, she often plays a key role in cultural preservation work; gathering, organizing, and motivating young people to preserve heritage. She confided: "The people who understand the most about local traditional culture are village elders and artisans. Currently, most of them are old and weak, if we do not organize them to teach in time, the cultural decline will gradually become evident". Because of such concerns, she has spent a lot of time and effort to contact and learn directly from village elders and artisans; at the same time, using the knowledge she acquired during her student days, Ms. Thuan has implemented many ways to create influence, arouse love, and national pride for the people, especially the young people here...
WALK IN THE MIDDLE OF PLEI…
I will always remember the moments when I walked with Ms. Ma Thuan in the middle of Plei Ma Bo. Under the sun and wind of the great land, we visited each house and asked each person. Although I did not understand the local language, I could still feel the intimacy and emotions that people had for traditional values and the love for the land where they were born and have been attached to from generation to generation. In the space where host and guest became one, I seemed to forget that I was just a lucky traveler visiting this beloved place.
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| Ms. Ma Thuan and basket weaving artisan Ya Tim |
“How is life these days? I just came back from a business trip, and now I have the chance to visit!…”, Ms. Ma Thuan said. The grandmothers and mothers carrying their children and grandchildren on their backs responded to her. They chatted and laughed with her as if they were family members. Sharing and love have connected these people of the same ethnic group. Following Ma Thuan, I unconsciously became a part of the story, listening, observing and smiling with interest. Poor commune or poor village? What I felt was “the wealth of valuable assets”. The wealth of sincere friendships and the valuable capital of cultural heritage. Far from the bustling city, perhaps the peace and attraction of Plei Ma Bo has somewhat soothed my somewhat tired emotions. In this place, what remains in me is serenity, sublimation with natural scenery and warm human affection…
“I love you so much!...”. That was what Ma Thuan said when we walked together to the old village, home to the most remote and poorest households in the Ma Bo plei, where my phone could not receive a signal. Ma Thuan told many stories about the lives of the people, especially the children here. Perhaps modern life has not affected these people much. They grow crops, blend in with nature, they listen to the sound of streams flowing, singing melodiously with the mountain wind and forest rain. Well… there are still many shortages! But following those eyes, those stories, I feel like their lives are very full. Freely wandering in the vast mountains, the children of the mountains always have happy smiles. Despite many difficulties, they are optimistic and in control of their own lives. The innocent Churu children said and smiled at me: “We love it here! Far from the noisy traffic, far from the dusty factories, we have grass, trees, rivers and streams. When it’s hot, we bathe in the stream, when it’s cold, we light a fire, hug each other to spread warmth…”. I suddenly thought, the people of Churu plei Ma Bo were born in the mountains, grew up in the forest, as long as their mother tongue is still spoken together, as long as the rhythms of folk dances and folk songs still resound in the forest nights, they are still people filled with happiness!
Witnessing the lives of the people of the great forest, I suddenly wished that one day I would not have to hold a phone or a computer in my hand..., but could return to that "Churu land" to learn how to farm, gather, herd buffaloes up the mountain or weave baskets, and make pottery. Perhaps, I would also forget my worries, be immersed in the sounds of the forest, sing along with the flowing stream. Oh Ma Bo, even though I have not left yet, I already miss it. The land of ethnic minority brothers. They smile at me, they talk to me, they confide in me the most sincere thoughts, the most innocent words. Only when we are immersed in the experience once, can we understand the "unforgettable".
“I will come back!” I told Ma Thuan. I will come back to visit her and the village. I will come back to this place to meet the honest, friendly people and the unique culture that is hard to find anywhere else. Even though I am just a traveler from afar, I love this land!
Wait for me, Ma Bo!
Source: http://baolamdong.vn/van-hoa-nghe-thuat/202407/dao-buoc-giua-plei-ma-bo-8500e08/
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