Mong village in the heart of Doai region

From Dong Van, Meo Vac, Vi Xuyen… the vibrant colors of Hmong clothing, the sounds of laughter, and the rhythm of life are brought to the Hmong Village within the Vietnam Ethnic Groups Cultural and Tourism Complex (Doai Phuong, Hanoi). Here, gentle hills and winding roads embrace the surface of Dong Mo Lake. Amidst this setting, the cultural identity of the Hmong people is "ignited," shining brightly in the heart of Doai Phuong.

Tourists visit and check-in next to the Mong flute model at the Mong village in Dong Mo.

Culture from traditional homes

The Mong village at the Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism was built in 2010, with an area of ​​about 0.5 hectares, located on a hillside but enough to gather the most typical features of Mong architecture in the far North. The complex has a total construction area of ​​270 m², including a tortoise-shaped roofed earth house, a tiled roofed earth house, a wooden roofed earth house and a cattle barn. The houses are not only meticulously restored, but also have people living there, with a red fire, with voices and laughter, so that the Mong culture is warm and lively like in the highlands.

The earthen house with a turtle-shaped roof, a typical house of the Mong people in the highlands, is nestled on the hillside. The thatched roof, curved like a turtle's shell, has kept the Mong village warm in winter and cool in summer for many years. The house is made of wood and clay, with few internal partitions, creating a cozy gathering space. From the door frame, walls to the wooden latch, everything bears the mark of diligent hands. Bamboo, wood, stone, rattan... seemingly simple materials suddenly become sturdy houses through the hands of Mong craftsmen.

Ms. Giang Thi Ma (left) and Ms. Ma Thi Lien at the booth introducing Mong brocade products.

Another house impresses with its yin-yang tiled roof, rows of tiles arranged neatly around the house like waves. The yin-yang tiles help with ventilation and waterproofing, suitable for mountainous areas with lots of rain; the thick rammed earth walls keep warm in winter and cool in summer. This is a house style that shows the harmony between tradition and convenience, between the durability of earth and stone and the ever-changing pace of life.

The yin-yang tiled roofs, the cool mud walls, the murmuring voices around the fire and the smell of smoke mixed in the wind… all blend together to create a vivid picture. There, every sound or scent carries its own story. It is these simple things that create the soul of the Mong village in Dong Mo, where visitors can not only see but also touch, hear and live with the highland air right in the heart of the Doai region.

Continue the story of the mountains and forests.

Currently, the Hmong village in Dong Mo has 8 inhabitants, mainly from highland communes such as Dong Van, Quan Ba, and Vi Xuyen. The Hmong cultural space, from their language, clothing, customs, to their way of life, is consciously preserved by each person as a precious treasure of their homeland.

Sister Má is showing tourists how to wrap the traditional Hmong headscarf.

On the porch, Giang Thi Ma, a White Hmong woman from Dong Van, diligently embroiders a piece of brocade, as if pouring her memories of jagged rocks, mountain winds, and the old markets of the Dong Van plateau into every stitch.

The stitches running on the fabric are not only decorative motifs, but also stories about mountains, clouds, and farming seasons. Each dress and shirt that Ma makes is a piece of memory from the Stone Plateau left here, so that anyone passing by can see the faint silhouette of a Mong village near and far.

She said that brocade, corn wine, and houses are the cultural soul that every Mong person is conscious of preserving and passing on. Therefore, every day she brews batches of corn wine with leaf yeast, so that there is always a jar of fragrant wine ready to serve guests. When there are no guests, she sweeps the yard and adjusts the traditional Mong costumes hanging on the wooden wall.

I asked, "After being away from home for so long, do you miss the plateau?" She smiled gently and replied, "Of course I do. But every time a visitor comes to ask questions, and I tell them about the customs and about Dong Van, I suddenly feel like I'm coming home. The longing for the gray rocky land also eases a lot."

Ms. Giàng Thị Má adjusts the traditional costumes of the Hmong people.

In the dirt yard, the sound of Mr. Sung Chua Dinh’s flute resounded, deep and deep like the breath of the mountains and forests. “The day I left Vi Xuyen, I couldn’t bring much. But I definitely had to bring my flute. Without the flute, I would be so sad… like not having my own voice,” he said, his eyes looking into the distance. For the Mong people, the flute is not only for dancing and singing, but also the spiritual energy of the community. The flute follows Mong boys from the age of 13 to 15, throughout the festival seasons, the farming seasons, and even the final farewell at the funeral.

On occasions when there are guests, villagers tell visitors stories about the fair, the season of white buckwheat flowers on the hillsides, and the Mong New Year celebrations filled with smoke and laughter. They guide visitors in playing the flute, wearing scarves, pounding cakes, and molding corn. On major holidays, the village re-enacts the Gau Tao festival with many folk games, so that visitors can not only watch but also immerse themselves in the festive spirit of the Mong people.

Thanks to the simple people who are rich in love for culture, the Mong village in Dong Mo is not only a static display model, but has become a lively Mong village in the heart of the Doai region. There, the flame of Mong ethnic culture still burns, spreading warmth and pride like the majestic plateau itself.

Canh Truc

Source: https://baotuyenquang.com.vn/van-hoa/du-lich/202512/lang-nguoi-mong-giua-long-xu-doai-532476c/