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Dong Di village has only 120 households but has 20 Vietnamese Heroic Mothers, 78 martyrs who died in the two resistance wars against France and America, and one martyr who died in peacetime.

Mr. Le Quang Phap (83 years old), Head of the Association of Relatives of Martyrs in Dong Di village, slowly told about Dong Di, a "red address" in two great resistance wars. The indomitable spirit of the people here is encapsulated in two verses: "If you don't go, the government will suspect you/ If you go, you will be afraid of the soldiers of Dong Di and Tay Ho". That shows the steadfast will and bravery of the people here to protect revolutionary cadres, regardless of danger, which has entered the subconscious and become the pride of every Dong Di child.

Dong Di village is rich in revolutionary tradition, bravery and resilience of Hue city.

For Mr. Phap, who has been involved in the work of mobilizing and organizing the common death anniversary for nearly 20 years, he is always aware of his responsibility and honor. It is not just a job but a deep gratitude to those who have passed away. "Previously, people only held small death anniversary ceremonies in each family," Mr. Phap said. It was not until 2003, when the Association of Children of Martyrs in Dong Di village (the predecessor of the Association of Relatives of Martyrs) was established with 12 members, that the idea of a common death anniversary was formed. Initially, families took turns hosting, each person contributing a small offering, from a bunch of bananas, a chicken, to a bunch of areca nuts, a few cans of sticky rice, a tray of five fruits... Just like that, this meaningful activity was maintained regularly, taking place on July 27 every year.

The common death anniversary is not only an occasion to remember but also an opportunity for the children and grandchildren of martyrs and Vietnamese Heroic Mothers to sit together, review the glorious past of their ancestors and visit and encourage each other in life.

Symbol of gratitude

One of the most meaningful projects of the Association of Martyrs’ Relatives in Dong Di village is the construction of the Memorial House to commemorate the heroic martyrs, Vietnamese Heroic Mothers and the Community Cultural Park. On the solemn stone stele are engraved the names of all the martyrs and Vietnamese Heroic Mothers of the homeland, along with an essay expressing gratitude for their immeasurable contributions and sacrifices.

Mr. Phap emotionally recounted the journey of building the memorial house: “At first, funding was very difficult, the martyrs’ families could only contribute 39 million VND, planning to build a simple memorial house. Later, seeing the meaningful work, the local government agreed to provide land. Relatives of the martyrs’ families from Dong Di across the country supported more than 500 million VND to build the spacious memorial house as it is today.”

Mr. Le Quang Phap, Head of the Association of Martyrs' Relatives (right cover) lights incense at the Memorial House of the heroic martyrs and Vietnamese Heroic Mothers of Dong Di village.

To have a cozy place to hold the memorial day as today, there is a great contribution from the family of Mr. Duong Quang Chinh - with 5 martyrs - who did not hesitate to go from North to South for nearly 3 years to connect and mobilize fellow countrymen to support financially and materially. In addition to the contributions of benefactors, the descendants of Dong Di village and members of the Martyrs' Relatives Association also maintain a contribution of 300,000 VND in membership fees each year to maintain the budget for the memorial day as well as to visit and encourage members of the Association when they are sick or in trouble.

The memorial stele of heroic martyrs and heroic Vietnamese mothers in Dong Di village is not only an architectural work but also a symbol of gratitude, a place for future generations to look at and remember the merits of their ancestors. Since 2012, the memorial ceremony for martyrs and heroic Vietnamese mothers has been held annually at the memorial stele area on July 27. In the early years, the memorial ceremony was only limited to the Martyrs' Relatives Association. But gradually, the Association expanded, inviting monks from Tu Hoa pagoda to perform a memorial service for all martyrs, regardless of whether they were local or foreign. Since then, the influence of the common memorial day has become stronger. Up to now, the memorial ceremony and memorial service have become a major event for the entire Dong Di village.

Source: https://baodaklak.vn/van-hoa-du-lich-van-hoc-nghe-thuat/202507/mach-nguon-dong-di-c8b0c17/