 |
| Khau Vai Love Market - a unique cultural feature that Khau Vai commune is committed to preserving and promoting. |
Continuing the tradition of national culture.
As a locality inhabited by 11 ethnic groups, with the Hmong accounting for over 95% of the population, Khau Vai is blessed with majestic landscapes and a rich and unique cultural heritage. It is not only famous for the Khau Vai Love Market – a national intangible cultural heritage – but also preserves many festivals, traditional crafts, folk songs, folk dances, and unique customs of the ethnic communities.
In order to preserve and safeguard these cultural values, Khau Vai commune has implemented many solutions. For example, in mid-June, the commune coordinated the organization of a summer talent class teaching Hmong flute playing and dancing in San Si Lung village. Throughout the two summer months, 21 students from the commune received direct instruction from two artisans, Ly Sinh Ca and Lau Sia Va, from Lung Phin commune – who have many years of experience with Hmong flute art.
In the class, students are guided on everything from how to hold the mouth organ, breathe properly, and maintain rhythm to basic mouth organ dance movements. The learning atmosphere is always lively thanks to the dedication of the artisans and the enthusiasm of the students.
Artisan Ly Sinh Ca shared: “The Hmong mouth organ is not just a musical instrument, but also connected to the cultural life, customs, and soul of the Hmong people. We hope that the children will understand and love their ethnic culture so that they can continue to preserve it for future generations.”
Among the students in the class, Vu Mi Cho, born in 2012, is one of the most diligent. After many practice sessions, her once clumsy fingers have begun to create familiar melodies of her ethnic group. Cho said she really likes the sound of the Hmong flute and hopes to be able to perform it skillfully in local cultural activities in the future.
Besides the Hmong flute lessons, many other traditional cultural values are also being preserved and promoted by the people of Khau Vai. Traditional costumes are still worn by the people during festivals and family celebrations; wedding ceremonies, ancestral worship rituals, and highland markets are still maintained. Traditional crafts such as linen weaving, embroidery of ethnic costumes, Hmong flute making, basket weaving, and blacksmithing of agricultural tools are still present in the lives of many households.
In schools, the content of ethnic cultural education is integrated through various extracurricular activities. Students learn about traditional costumes, musical instruments, and folk games, and are encouraged to wear traditional clothing on holidays and festivals. Village and hamlet performing arts groups also maintain regular activities, becoming an environment for artisans to teach folk songs and dances to the younger generation.
Transforming heritage into a resource for development.
While in the past, culture was mainly preserved within community life, in recent years, Khau Vai has been gradually exploiting its cultural values to develop tourism and create livelihoods for the people.
Visiting Khau Vai during the festival season, tourists not only discover the love story of Chang Ba and Nang Ut or the famous Khau Vai Love Market, but are also captivated by the distinctive cultural colors of the ethnic groups here. The traditional flute dances, folk songs, vibrant traditional costumes, and the beauty of the festivals create a unique charm for this rocky plateau region.
Currently, Khau Vai commune maintains the Nung ethnic community tourism village in Khau Vai hamlet and is planning to develop more tourism destinations linked to local culture in Lung Lu A and Ha Ia. Many households have boldly participated in homestay services, providing food and beverage services, and showcasing traditional handicrafts to tourists. The development of tourism not only creates additional income but also contributes to raising people's awareness of preserving traditional landscapes, architecture, and unique cultural values.
According to local statistics, in the first six months of 2026, Khau Vai welcomed 53,480 tourists, reaching 75.32% of the annual plan. This is a positive sign showing the potential and attractiveness of this culturally rich region.
Comrade Le Van Quy, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Khau Vai commune, said: "The commune has identified cultural preservation and tourism development as two closely linked tasks. When cultural values contribute to increasing income, people will cherish and be more responsible for preserving their ethnic identity."
As evening falls on the rocky plateau, the sound of the Hmong flute in San Si Lung resonates amidst the vast expanse of the mountains. These sounds are not merely the melody of a traditional musical instrument, but also the heartbeat of culture, memory, and pride being passed down through generations. This is also one of the solutions that Khau Vai commune is implementing to preserve its identity, ensuring that traditional values are not only conserved but also become a resource for future development.
Text and photos: Tran Ke
Source: https://baotuyenquang.com.vn/van-hoa/tin-tuc/202606/khau-vai-giu-hon-van-hoa-ddc19ed/
![[Photo] Strengthening character and expertise: Intense training for artillery soldiers.](https://vphoto.vietnam.vn/thumb/1200x675/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2026/06/30/1782815602541_lu-368-1875-4571-jpg.webp)
