Preserving the culture of the Lu ethnic group.

To preserve and pass on the culture of the Lu ethnic group to future generations, Lai Chau province has organized cultural education classes for many years. Ms. Lo Thi Son, a Lu ethnic woman from Na Khum village, Ban Hon commune, Tam Duong district, is nearly 70 years old, but she still diligently teaches traditional dances and folk songs, filling the villages with vibrant energy. Ms. Son said: "During the process of clearing land and cultivating fields, I composed songs and created new dances to teach to my children and grandchildren. At the same time, I teach and encourage people in the village, especially young people, to participate in the practice. For older people like us, the only concern is the fading of traditional culture; therefore, as long as we have the strength, we will continue to pass it on and encourage our children and grandchildren to inherit and develop it. I am very happy that this task now has the active support of both the district and the commune."

The Lu ethnic group in Lai Chau province has a population of less than 10,000 people.

To contribute to promoting traditional cultural identity, the Women's Union of Ban Hon commune has established 8 performing arts groups with 80 members, including women from various villages, who participate in training. To enrich and diversify the songs and dances, the members collect and perform folk melodies such as wedding songs, housewarming songs, lullabies, and call-and-response songs, with the motto of "integration" without "dissolving."

The Lu people believe that all things have souls, and they consider the ruling, managing, and governing of the world to be an invisible supernatural force. Therefore, the Su Khon Khoai Festival (Buffalo Soul Worship) of the Lu people in Ban Hon commune (Tam Duong district) is usually held at the time of completing the rice planting season. Families perform the ritual to worship the buffalo souls to express gratitude and thanks to these animals for their hard work, companionship, and dedication in agricultural production, which has brought about bountiful harvests. This is an opportunity to honor the beauty and value of traditional cultural identity and to raise awareness among the younger generation about preserving and protecting it.

The Lu ethnic people perform the "Going Down to the Fields" dance.

Mr. Tran Manh Hung, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, affirmed: “Currently, the festivals of the Lu ethnic group are included in the list of those receiving financial support for restoration and maintenance. Some cultural values such as costumes and some traditional crafts, and folk literature are being taught and passed on by the local authorities. Along with that, policies are being supported for community performing arts groups and folk culture clubs. The province is also focusing on building dossiers to honor people's artisans, outstanding artisans, and those who preserve and practice the heritage, continuing to promote their role in teaching and disseminating the traditional cultural values of the community. From there, we will preserve the unique cultural characteristics of the Lu ethnic group, creating a colorful cultural tapestry of Lai Chau in particular and Vietnam in general.”

Besides intangible cultural traditions, the traditional clothing of the Lu ethnic group is also one of its outstanding features. Like the Mong and Mang ethnic groups, the Lu people's clothing is handcrafted by skilled women with intricate and unique patterns. In particular, women often wear indigo-colored blouses with a V-neck, the left flap overlapping the right, and tied with colorful tassels. Ms. Lo Thi Di, a cultural officer of the commune, said: "Every day, Lu women usually wear simple embroidered indigo-colored dresses for convenience. On holidays, festivals, or when the family has distinguished guests, women wear two-layered skirts with three tiers of eye-catching decorative patterns."

The Lu people are an ethnic minority with unique cultural and artistic characteristics, which have contributed to the development of a progressive, rich, and diverse Vietnamese culture.

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