Pa Tan commune has 1,529 Mang ethnic people living concentrated in 6 villages: Nam Sao 1, Nam No 1, Nam No 2, Nam O, Hua Pang, and Nam Tan Xa. Previously, the Mang people believed that when someone died, they would wrap the body in a mat or blanket and keep it in the house for many days for ceremonies, waiting for an auspicious day to take it to the forest for burial. This is a long-standing custom, deeply rooted in spirituality, making it extremely difficult to change people's perceptions, especially in the context of poverty, fragmented terrain, and difficult transportation. Therefore, community outreach requires perseverance, flexibility, close contact with the grassroots, and efforts to persuade individual households, leveraging the role of respected community leaders to gradually build consensus within the community.
The cultural life of the Mang ethnic group in Pa Tan commune is rich.
The commune currently has 172 poor households and 36 near-poor households of the Mang ethnic group receiving funeral expense support according to Resolution 53/2025/NQ-HĐND. Accordingly, ethnic minority people from poor and near-poor households receive support of 5 million VND per deceased person for burial and 10 million VND per deceased person for cremation.
Nam Tan Xa village has 36 households and 176 inhabitants, 100% of whom are classified as poor or near-poor. The difficult economic conditions, coupled with limited awareness passed down through generations, have led to the persistence of many outdated customs deeply ingrained in the villagers' thinking. For many families, simply providing enough food for daily needs is a struggle, and buying a coffin for the deceased becomes even more challenging. In August 2025, the family of Mr. Lung A Han (Nam Tan Xa village) became the first household to place the deceased's body in a coffin at home. The funeral time was also shortened to no more than 48 hours.
Mr. Han shared: “Initially, I was hesitant because, for generations, we have never placed the deceased in a coffin. But after the commune officials explained it to me and the government provided partial financial support for the funeral, I realized it was necessary, showing respect and appropriate given the current circumstances.” Understanding the negative consequences of outdated customs and taking the lead in implementing this new way of life, Mr. Han, along with commune officials, went to many villages to campaign, educate, and explain the practice to the people so they would understand and follow it.
Eliminating outdated customs, especially those deeply ingrained in daily life, can only be effective when mass mobilization efforts are well-executed. Ms. Ly Thi Hien, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Pa Tan commune, shared: “Regarding the elimination of outdated customs, we have determined that we must proceed step by step, without rushing. First, we need to disseminate information and ensure consensus from the Party committee and government levels. Then, we leverage the role of influential individuals, village heads, Party branch secretaries, and clan leaders. The commune also selects a few households to implement the plan first, with officials directly visiting each house to explain and persuade them repeatedly. Implementation must be linked to specific support policies to help people clearly see the benefits. Once they understand and trust, they will voluntarily change and sign commitments.”
The Mang ethnic people in Pa Tan commune participated in the archery competition at the 2026 New Year festival.
In addition, Pa Tan commune has publicly posted the procedures for requesting funeral expense support, intensified propaganda through the public address system and village meetings; and assigned officials to directly guide people in preparing the necessary documents. To date, all 6 villages with Mang ethnic minority people have signed commitments to place the deceased in coffins.
The elimination of outdated funeral customs among the Mang ethnic group through effective "people mobilization" has brought about significant changes in the community. Along with support from ethnic minority and mountainous region policies and national target programs, people have gradually changed their perceptions, developed their economy, and improved their living conditions. As a result, their material and spiritual lives have improved, making the "All People Unite to Build a Culturally Rich Life in Residential Areas" movement increasingly effective.
Source: https://baolaichau.vn/xa-hoi/dong-bao-dan-toc-mang-xoa-bo-hu-tuc-527675
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