The cultural beauty of the Dao Tien people

Located within the Moc Chau National Tourist Area, Van Ho district is home to many ethnic groups with unique cultural characteristics, including the Dao Tien community. The traditional beauty of the Dao Tien people here is always preserved and passed down through generations.

In Suoi Lin village, Van Ho commune, the distinguished artisan Ban Van Duc has spent many years collecting, preserving, and developing the Dao Nôm script. Since 2012, he has opened nearly 20 classes and taught over 700 students about the language, its historical and cultural value, helping the Dao community access their traditional writing system. Distinguished artisan Ban Van Duc shared: "The Dao Nôm script is one of the precious cultural heritages closely linked to the daily life, culture, and beliefs of the Dao people. It is used in historical records, poetry, literature, and prayers in traditional rituals. Today, few people know how to read and write it, so I always strive to teach future generations of the Dao people to preserve the cultural identity of our ethnic group for the future."

The bell dance of the Dao Tien people, Van Ho commune.

Van Ho currently has nearly 1,000 households of the Dao ethnic minority, with approximately 4,200 people, mainly the Dao Tien people. In the cultural and spiritual life of the Dao people, folk songs such as pao dung songs, love songs, lullabies, and ritual songs are ways of expressing their thoughts, aspirations, and beliefs in life, teaching their children to love their homeland and respect their grandparents and parents. Dao folk songs are passed down orally through many generations, each melody can be accompanied by traditional musical instruments such as gongs, drums, flutes, and mouth harps... and are often combined with ritual dances or folk performances.

Ms. Ly Thi Ha, from Pha Le village, Chieng Yen commune, said: "Folk songs are often performed during festivals, funerals, weddings, or cultural exchanges. We maintain a performing arts club, encouraging the younger generation to learn singing and dancing. This is both a way to preserve our ethnic culture and to promote Dao culture to tourists from all over."

Besides folk songs and dances, the Dao Tien community also has many unique and distinctive festivals, such as: the Forest Worship Ceremony, the Pung Hieng Festival, the New Year's Dance Festival, the Coming-of-Age Ceremony... Each ritual not only reflects spiritual beliefs but also vividly and profoundly expresses the worldview and philosophy of life of the Dao people. Mr. Ban Van Phong, from Suoi Lin village, Van Ho commune, informed: Although facing many challenges in the context of modern cultural integration, the Dao Tien people in the village always strive to preserve and protect traditional rituals and beliefs. Men, women, and teenagers, upon reaching a certain age, must participate in community cultural activities, learning folk songs, dances, drumming, gong playing, and making traditional costumes... Thanks to this, traditional cultural values ​​are still maintained to this day.

In recent years, Van Ho district has coordinated with specialized departments and agencies of the province to implement many programs to preserve the spoken language, written script, folk songs, and traditional rituals of the Dao ethnic group. Artisans are given opportunities to pass on their knowledge within the community; grassroots cultural institutions receive investment; and key cultural figures in communes and villages regularly participate in cultural exchanges at events inside and outside the province. In addition, the district has directed educational institutions in the area to incorporate local education programs into their curriculum; organized extracurricular programs on "Preserving the Cultural Identity of Ethnic Groups"; and implemented the wearing of ethnic costumes at the beginning of the week and on holidays throughout the school year...

Mr. Ngo Van Du, Head of the Culture, Science and Information Department of Van Ho District, said: The Dao ethnic community in the district is conscious of preserving traditional cultural features such as language, writing, customs, festivals, embroidery, and creating patterns on clothing... From 2024 to the present, the district has organized 6 training courses on folk songs and dances for more than 200 Dao ethnic cultural figures; and encouraged people in the villages to preserve cultural identity in conjunction with the development of community tourism.

The traditional cultural values ​​preserved to this day have contributed to the unique identity of the Dao Tien ethnic community in the Van Ho region. This is a precious cultural source, enriching the colorful tapestry of the 12 ethnic groups in Son La province. Preserving and promoting these values ​​is how today's generations of Dao people continue the tradition, writing the next chapter of their ethnic culture amidst the vast Northwest mountains.

Source: https://baosonla.vn/van-hoa-xa-hoi/net-dep-van-hoa-nguoi-dao-tien-KvshOlENR.html