Dinh Van sticky rice preserves the soul of the land and nourishes livelihoods.

Nestled amidst the majestic mountains of Son Luong commune, where the Muong cultural space is preserved almost intact, lies an agricultural product that has become the pride of generations of local people – Din Van sticky rice. More than just a product closely linked to the daily life and beliefs of the Muong people, Din Van sticky rice is also the culmination of the local soil, climate, and generations-old stories deeply rooted in indigenous culture.

People in Son Luong commune are harvesting the Dinh Van sticky rice crop.

In the spiritual life of the Muong Son Luong people, the origin of the Din Van sticky rice variety is linked to an oral tradition passed down through generations by the elders.

The story goes that long ago, when village A only had a few households belonging to several families, there lived an old man named Old Man Din. Old Man Din was famous for his skillful hands and expertise in weaving. With his talented hands, he made all sorts of essential items for the villagers' daily lives and production, such as baskets, trays, sieves, and containers for rice and other agricultural products—things every family needed in their home.

Around that time, a special variety of glutinous rice appeared in the village. This rice had large grains, husks with black, wavy stripes, large, long panicles, plump, round grains, and high yields. Due to its long growing season, the rice flowered later than other varieties, thus preventing cross-pollination and maintaining its natural purity.

Bủ Đìn was not only skilled in weaving but also the guardian of the rice variety, providing the villagers with this precious glutinous rice for cultivation. Remembering Bủ's contributions – who helped the villagers stabilize their lives, have enough food, and have sufficient daily necessities – the villagers combined Bủ's name with the distinctive striped pattern of the rice grains, naming the variety "Đìn Vằn glutinous rice." Over time, this name became the official designation, passed down and cherished to this day.

For a long time, Đìn Vằn sticky rice has been present in every harvest season, in the feasts of holidays, Tet (Lunar New Year), weddings, and the harvest celebration of the Mường Sơn Lương people. The rice grains are white, round, and when steamed, they are sticky, fragrant, and sweet, and remain soft and fragrant even when cooled. These unique characteristics have created a brand for this sticky rice variety, making it unforgettable for anyone who has ever tasted it.

The glutinous rice grains of Dinh Van have striped patterns.

Nếp Đìn Vằn is a long-season rice variety. It is usually planted around the 6th lunar month and harvested in the 10th lunar month, with a growing period of over 150 days. The rice panicles are large and long, with plump, round grains, yielding a fairly stable harvest. Notably, the flowering time of Nếp Đìn Vằn does not coincide with any other rice variety in the region, thus this variety has remained virtually unaffected by crossbreeding or degeneration, preserving its original purity through many generations.

Not only is it suitable for traditional farming practices, but the Đìn Vằn sticky rice variety also adapts well to the unique climate and soil conditions of Sơn Lương, a region with cool, clean water from streams, high-lying fields, and loose, nutrient-rich soil.

In recent years, along with the policy of preserving and promoting native plant varieties, Son Luong commune has focused on restoring and expanding the area of ​​growing Dinh Van sticky rice, linking production with enhancing economic value and building a brand for distinctive agricultural products.

Dinh Van sticky rice has plump, round grains and a distinctive aroma characteristic of this rare, indigenous sticky rice variety.

Comrade Dinh Thi Thuy Huong - Head of the Economic Department of Son Luong Commune, said: "Din Van sticky rice is not only a specialty of the Muong people but also a valuable genetic resource with high cultural and economic value. The commune aims to preserve this rice variety by developing it into a commercially viable product on a suitable scale, applying advanced techniques, and building a brand linked to traceability, gradually increasing people's income and working towards OCOP certification."

Accordingly, local authorities, in coordination with relevant agencies, guide people in selecting suitable growing areas, preserving purebred varieties, and gradually applying safe farming practices, limiting the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, in order to ensure the quality and distinctive flavor of Dinh Van sticky rice.

Besides being consumed as paddy rice, Dinh Van sticky rice is also processed into many traditional products such as sticky rice, banh chung (Vietnamese rice cake), and Muong sticky rice cakes... serving the needs of consumers both locally and outside the area, especially during festivals and traditional Tet (Lunar New Year).

For the people of Muong Son Luong, Dinh Van sticky rice is not simply a food item, but also a precious gem of the mountains and forests, a cultural memory connected to their village and ancestors. In the modern era, preserving and developing this valuable sticky rice variety is a way to maintain their identity and open up a sustainable path for the local agricultural economy .

From oral traditions about the ancient village of Đìn to the lush green rice paddies of today, the Đìn Vằn rice variety quietly persists, nurturing the material and spiritual lives of generations of Mường Sơn Lương people, serving as a vivid testament to the enduring bond between people and the land in the mountainous region of Phú Thọ .

Hoang Huong

Source: https://baophutho.vn/lua-nep-din-van-giu-hon-dat-nuoi-sinh-ke-246056.htm