Preserving the "spirit of the countryside" in a new look.

Preserving the

The residential area of Hamlet 12, Xuan Du Commune, retains the cultural imprint of the Muong ethnic minority.

Xuan Du commune, primarily inhabited by the Kinh, Muong, Thai, and Tho ethnic groups, is making gradual efforts to build a cultural life after the merger. Based on the rearrangement of the entire natural area and population of Can Khe, Phuong Nghi, and Xuan Du communes, the commune currently has 36 villages. With over 30% of the population being Muong people, the beautiful traditional cultural features are still maintained and preserved in some residential areas.

Among them, Hamlet 12 (formerly Xuan Du commune) - where 98% of the population are Muong ethnic people - is a prime example. What impresses everyone who comes here is the fences surrounded by greenery, and the hamlet's alleyways are always kept clean and beautiful by the residents, contributing to the creation of a living space rich in cultural identity.

Bui Van Duong, head of the Elderly Association in Hamlet 12, said: “When building the model new rural area, we unanimously agreed to make the bamboo panels on the fences of all households in the hamlet the same design, clearly depicting the image of bronze drums and the Muong people playing drums and gongs, creating a unique mark for the residential area. Along with that, the Muong people in the hamlet still maintain their beautiful cultural traditions in their daily lives. The merger is an opportunity for these beautiful cultural values to continue to be nurtured and spread. In the future, we very much hope that the locality will organize a national cultural festival, teach the Muong language to young people, and that intergenerational folk art troupes in residential areas will regularly exchange ideas, contributing to the spread of these beautiful traditional cultural values.”

One of the advantages of Xuan Du commune is that the cultural life of the communities in Can Khe, Phuong Nghi, and the former Xuan Du communes shares many similarities. Furthermore, these localities regularly organize cultural and artistic exchange activities, as well as sports events, creating close community ties that have existed for generations. According to Bui Duc Chinh, Head of the Culture and Social Affairs Department of Xuan Du Commune: “In each former commune before the merger, cultural and sports activities were organized during festivals, including traditional activities such as playing the 'mang' game, throwing the 'con' (a type of ball), gong playing, and 'cay bong' dance. People in the merged communities have a strong sense of unity and understanding of each other's customs and traditions. Therefore, the merger presents an opportunity for the locality to expand its cultural space. In particular, promoting the cultural values of the Muong people in Hamlet 12 will serve as a model for the locality to study and replicate in other residential areas. Local people also hope that cultural activities such as the Phu Na Festival, the Set Booc May Festival, and the New Rice Festival will further strengthen community bonds in the future.”

Visiting Thieu Trung commune – renowned for its bronze casting craft – one can clearly feel the efforts to preserve cultural essence amidst the changes following the merger. Previously an independent commune, Thieu Trung merged with Thieu Van, Thieu Ly, Thieu Vien communes and a part of Thieu Hoa town, and is now a new administrative unit with a larger scope and population. Building a cultural life within this new image, the local government and people are striving to continue promoting the unique values of the craft, traditional festivals, and distinctive cultural values of the residential areas.

Le Duy Quang, Head of the Culture and Social Affairs Department of Thieu Trung Commune, shared: “Administrative mergers help concentrate resources more effectively, but also pose challenges in preserving traditional cultural heritage. It's not simply about preserving festivals or traditional crafts, but about protecting an entire cultural ecosystem. For some festivals, such as the traditional Thieu Trung Commune Festival (February 10th of the lunar calendar), the Le Van Huu Temple Festival (March 23rd of the lunar calendar), and other cultural, artistic, and sports activities, these will be organized on a larger scale, focusing on honoring distinctive cultural features and integrating them into socio -economic development.”

Not only the communes of Thieu Trung and Xuan Du, but many other localities in the province are also striving to preserve their "spirit of the countryside" in the new administrative landscape. Encouragingly, along with the local government, the people are clearly aware of their role in the journey of building cultural life after the merger. From traditional craft villages like Thieu Trung, to the communities of the Thai, Tho, Muong, Dao, Mong, and Kho Mu ethnic groups in various localities throughout the province, each carries its own "mission" in preserving culture within the new administrative structure. However, specific policies are needed to comprehensively protect and promote traditional culture, from replanning cultural living spaces after the merger to maintaining traditional festivals, craft villages, and communities.

Text and photos: Le Anh

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/giu-hon-que-nbsp-trong-dien-mao-moi-256108.htm