Women members contribute to keeping the Muong culture alive

In Met village, Ky Phu commune, 100% of the people are Muong ethnic people. In Met village, it is not difficult to find people who can sing love songs. However, to operate systematically, local Muong culture lovers have joined clubs established by the Commune Women's Union and the Village Women's Union, such as: Muong singing club, Bat Mang club or Sports folk dance club...

Currently, Ky Phu commune has 13 villages and hamlets, the Women's Union has established 10 ethnic cultural and artistic clubs. With specific operating regulations, members including middle-aged and elderly women will join the club to sing, dance or practice sports according to their strengths.

With her agility and dexterity, Mrs. Bui Thi Sen is famous in the area for her skill in fishing. Mrs. Sen is nearly 70 years old this year, her eyes filled with joy as she recalls her youth. She said that in the past, when people's lives in the village were still difficult, the traditional culture of the nation became an indispensable spiritual food, a driving force, a fresh breeze that eased the hardships. In the spring, everyone arranged their household chores to go fishing together, and then started a new year with many plans and worries.

When the village established the fishing club, Ms. Sen became one of the core "nuclei", not only inspiring everyone to participate but also passing on her own experience and passion to young people.

"I'm 70 years old, I no longer have the flexibility and agility to play well. However, I still participate in the club. My wish is to contribute a small part to spreading the love of national culture to the next generation," said Ms. Sen.

Cuc Phuong commune currently has over 80% of Muong ethnic people living. The unique cultural features of the Muong people are expressed through their costumes, language, festivals, and songs... As Muong people, the acceptance of the traditional culture of their ancestors is as natural as it is inherent. Just hearing it a lot becomes familiar, then absorbing and loving it without realizing it. By the fireside of the stilt house, the sweet and meaningful love songs and Xuong songs of our grandparents have ignited the love of identity and passed it on to many generations.

Ms. Dinh Thi Tuyet, in Bai Ca village, is very passionate and conscious of preserving Muong folk songs. Ms. Tuyet said that for a long time, people who love traditional culture and arts in the villages have established art teams, groups, and groups. This is both to participate in performances, enrich the spiritual life of themselves and the community, and more importantly, to join hands to teach the younger generation the traditional cultural values and unique folk games of their people.

According to Ms. Tuyet, love and passion for one's national culture does not come naturally, nor does it suddenly disappear. It is like a source, quietly flowing in community life if truly persistently awakened. The job of adults is to guide and teach so that their children are not unfamiliar with traditional culture. Every week, during the activities of the village's art troupe, Ms. Tuyet sings enthusiastically and actively teaches.

"The Muong people have many unique cultural features. Love songs, "rhymes", "bu meng"... are often sung by the people at festivals, Tet, programs, events taking place locally and performed to serve tourists who want to enjoy Muong ethnic culture. Many tourists are interested from the first time they hear them. The songs also arouse tourists' curiosity and desire to learn about the unique cultural features of the Muong people..." - Ms. Tuyet said.

Women members contribute to keeping the Muong culture alive — Met village women join hands to preserve and promote the unique cultural values of their people.

Nho Quan is the only mountainous district of the province with 7 communes including: Cuc Phuong, Ky Phu, Phu Long, Quang Lac, Yen Quang, Van Phuong, Thach Binh and 4 villages in Xich Tho and Phu Son communes recognized as ethnic minority and mountainous areas, with nearly 29 thousand people being ethnic minorities, mainly Muong ethnic group.

In recent years, to contribute to restoring and promoting the national cultural identity, our province has issued many plans and projects to preserve, restore and promote some beautiful cultural features of the Muong ethnic group; preserve the gong culture of the Muong ethnic group.

In 2022, the Provincial People's Committee issued Plan 34 on "Preserving and promoting the values of folk songs, folk dances, and folk music of ethnic minorities associated with tourism development in the period of 2022-2030" to preserve, disseminate and promote the values of traditional folk songs, folk dances, and folk music of the Muong ethnic group, becoming a typical cultural tourism product, contributing to promoting economic, cultural, and social development in the locality.

On that basis, many specific and practical activities have been implemented by the province and district such as: supporting funding to restore some traditional stilt houses of the Muong people; purchasing some additional instruments such as gongs, cymbals, crossbows, or organizing cultural festivals... so that people have more conditions and opportunities to practice ancient cultural features.

Mr. Dinh Van Xuan, Chairman of Cuc Phuong Commune People's Committee shared: Along with the efforts of the province and the district, Cuc Phuong commune has also made many efforts to preserve the unique cultural features of the Muong ethnic group. In fact, most traditional folk cultural activities are passed down from generation to generation through oral transmission. Therefore, if community cultural activities are not promoted and active factors are not attracted to participate regularly, these values will inevitably be at risk of being lost.

The establishment of ethnic cultural and artistic clubs by the Commune Women's Union is very important. When participating in club activities, members also actively interact, learn, and exchange experiences in activities, learn about the cultural identities of regions from clubs inside and outside the province; collect, edit, and preserve folk dances, love songs, and charms; participate in guiding and teaching the younger generation about the traditional values of their homeland.

Not only attracting members to participate, women are also active factors in promoting and spreading love, responsibility and awareness of preserving culture to the community, joining hands to preserve and promote the cultural identity of their nation.

Dao Hang - Minh Quang

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