Preserving and promoting traditional culture of the Khmu ethnic group

Despite being affected by modern cultural exchange, the Khmu ethnic people in Cang On village, Muong Va commune, Sop Cop district still preserve, conserve and promote traditional ethnic values through costumes, folk songs, musical instruments, festivals and beliefs.

The Pieu scarf of the Khmu women of Cang On village has its own characteristics.

In 2022, Na Cang and Long On villages were merged and named Cang On village. The village has 75 households, 100% of whom are Khmu ethnic people. Mr. Cut Van So, Party Cell Secretary, Head of Cang On village, said: Every year, the village propagates the Party's directives and resolutions, the State's policies and laws on preserving national cultural identity in village and union meetings so that people understand and are aware of preserving national identity. At the same time, promote the role of village elders, village chiefs, prestigious people, and artisans in teaching the younger generation how to preserve and conserve the beauty of national traditions through costumes, folk songs, cuisine , the village's Xen festival in March and the sweet potato and taro festival in December every year.

Currently, the Khmu people in Cang On village still maintain their traditional costumes, with Piêu scarves, Com shirts, black skirts, belts, headbands, leggings, and belts... Most notably, the Khmu headscarves have their own unique features, with many colors, vibrant patterns, and highly figurative techniques for expressing patterns on the Piêu scarves. In addition, the people in the village still hold the sweet potato and taro ceremony held at the end of the year. This is considered the biggest ceremony of the year for the Khmu people, with profound spiritual and religious significance.

Mr. Seo Van Pang, a prestigious person in Cang On village, informed: The sweet potato and taro ceremony takes place in each family, with the participation of relatives and villagers. Offerings include a boiled chicken, sweet potatoes, boiled taro and other fruits. With the wish to invite grandparents and ancestors to join in the fun and bless the family with good luck, favorable weather, and bountiful crops in the coming year. The sweet potato and taro ceremony is still preserved today, creating a unique, rich identity, carrying deep spiritual beliefs, solidarity of the community, family and clan.

Au Eo dance of the Kho Mu ethnic group, Cang On village, Muong Va commune.

The Au Eo dance is also one of the unique characteristics, carrying a unique spirituality, symbolizing the strength of the community, the sympathy between people, between people and nature, closely related to the belief in praying for a good harvest and the desire for love of the Khmu people. Au Eo is a hip-shaking, waist-twisting dance, modeled after daily labor movements and gestures such as harvesting rice, planting corn, chasing birds, picking vegetables, scooping shrimp... The musical instruments for this dance are mainly made of bamboo, such as panpipes, drums, monkey gongs, cymbals... Currently, Cang On village has established a village art troupe with 10 members. Every year, the village receives financial support for its activities, the art troupe regularly practices, performs for the people in the village, in the commune and participates in exchanges at competitions and festivals. In addition, the women also teach Au Eo dance and folk songs to the children in the village to preserve the dances and songs of the nation.

Women in Cang On village, Muong Va commune, sew and embroider traditional scarves and costumes.

As the youngest member of the Cang On village art troupe, Mong Thi Nang, shared: Since I was a child, my grandmother and mother taught me the Au Eo dance. Currently, I and other members of the village art troupe teach the young people in the village so that more and more people can dance the traditional dance and sing the folk songs of the Khmu ethnic group.

By preserving traditional culture in many ways, along with the awareness of preserving national cultural identity from each individual, family, and clan, we believe that the beautiful cultural identities of the Khmu people here will continue to be preserved and live forever.

Article and photos: Truong Son

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