The Muong people's village chief's house

Urbanization is encroaching upon the villages of the Muong people in Tan Son district, pushing the traditional stilt houses into the past and the memories of the elderly. The younger generation only knows about the village chief's house and the customs and traditions that existed from the time of the chieftain through the legends told by the village elders and leaders. The history of these chieftain houses, symbols of the Muong people's power in the past, and the stories surrounding them are re-enacted through the descendants of the Muong chieftain lineage.

Mr. Ha Thanh Huy (on the left) introduces the ancient sword remaining from the time of the Ha Thanh Phuc mandarin.

In the past, the village chief's house was considered the center of power in the Muong region. The chief was the leader of the area, characterized by hereditary power, with fathers passing the position down to their sons, governing the Muong region for centuries. In July, we were led by cultural officials from Kiet Son commune to one of the few remaining stilt houses in the area. The owner of the house is Mr. Ha Thanh Huy, a fifth-generation descendant of the chief family in Chieng Lon area. In Mr. Huy's memory, Kiet Son commune and Tan Son commune today were formerly known as Muong Kit region, under the rule of chief Ha Thanh Phuc (late 19th - early 20th century).

According to folk culture and arts researcher Nguyen Huu Nhan: "The 'lang' house held a position and role similar to the administrative apparatus and headquarters for resolving issues arising in the Muong land. The design and architecture of the 'lang' house represented power and influence over the people of the past. One of its characteristics was the hereditary lineage. When wanting to establish a new village or hamlet, the people could not elect a 'lang' themselves but had to go to the 'lang' house of another region to ask for a son to be elected as the 'lang' to govern that land."

Mr. Ha Thanh Huy reminisced: “The village chief's house used to be very large, with seven bays. The main pillars were made from cypress and sweet potato wood. The house's foundations weren't placed on stone blocks like in ordinary houses, but were buried 1 to 1.2 meters deep in the ground. The floor was made of bamboo, and the roof was thatched with palm leaves.” The largest bay, also known as the main bay, was where the men usually sat to discuss business. After that came the bays for guests, wives, children, and servants. Because of the chief's leadership and position, the chief always did everything first. For example, during the rice planting ceremony, the chief's wife would plant the first rice seedlings. After the chief finished planting, the family would strike a gong, and then the villagers would go down to the fields to plant rice. Similarly, during the harvest festival and the harvest prayer ceremony, the chief would harvest the rice, prepare a meal, and offer incense to the ancestors before the villagers were allowed to eat.

The flourishing period of the Lang family lasted from ancient times until the French colonial invasion. Along with their policy of assimilation, they came to the villages, burned stilt houses, ancient Chinese books, etc., forcing the descendants of the Lang family to bury and hide the remaining artifacts. Mr. Ha Thanh Huy still possesses a sword from the time of the Lang family leader Ha Thanh Phuc. The scabbard is made of wood, carved with cloud and dragon motifs. The iron blade, though rusted, still clearly shows the swirling dragon patterns. This sword is the only remaining family artifact, a reminder of the Lang family's prosperous era in Muong Kit.

Ms. Ha Thi Mien spoke about the origin and history of the precious gong, dating back to the time of the local chieftains.

Mrs. Ha Thi Mien (93 years old, currently residing in Chieng Lon area, Kiet Son commune) is the fourth-generation daughter-in-law of the village chief in Muong Kit. Her family still possesses a large bronze gong that is decades old. This gong is a part of the village chief's tumultuous past. Legend says that on important holidays and festivals, the village chief would beat the gong to summon the people to gather and discuss community matters. Mrs. Mien recounted, with a toothless smile, "The old stilt house was too dilapidated, so four years ago we dismantled it and built a brick house. Only this precious gong remains."

Currently, Tan Son district has 739 stilt houses distributed across 17 communes. The highest number is in Thu Ngac commune with 230 houses, followed by Kim Thuong with 148, Thu Cuc with 91, and Xuan Son with 82. Along with these, artifacts include 10 gongs, 239 cymbals, and 138 drums. The number of stilt houses and artifacts are the most vivid evidence of the rich and diverse cultural heritage of the Muong people in Tan Son. This is a cultural space where various art forms of the Muong ethnic group, such as Cham Duong, Hat Vi, and Hat Rang, can be performed and preserved.

Currently, no traditional village chief's house remains in Tan Son district with its original ancient architecture. Over time, the houses have been renovated by descendants using new wood or rebuilt with sturdy structures. However, the legends and stories of the golden age of the Muong people during the time of the ancient village chiefs will forever be passed down. This will be an inspiration for the Muong people in particular, and the ethnic groups in Tan Son district in general, to uphold their ancestral traditions and contribute to the economic development of their homeland.

Thuy Trang