In recent years, visitors to cultural and tourism events in Son La have been impressed by the unique and spectacular performances of cultural heritage. Many large-scale annual events are maintained and organized in localities, such as: Moc Chau Culture and Tourism Week; Quynh Nhai Culture, Sports and Tourism Week; and ethnic festivals and cultural days organized by communes and wards, which cannot be without performances of traditional rituals and community culture.
Mr. Nguyen Hong Son, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Quynh Nhai Commune, informed: Quynh Nhai Commune is home to six ethnic groups living together, with many traditional cultural features that are still being preserved. Among them, traditional rituals recognized as national intangible cultural heritage include: the Xip Xi Tet ritual, the Hair Washing ceremony, and the Kin Pang Then ceremony of the White Thai people; the Pang A ceremony of the La Ha people; and the Xe Pang A ceremony of the Khang people... These rituals are regularly revived and excerpts are performed at cultural and tourism activities and events serving the local political agenda. Through this, the beauty of Quynh Nhai's culture and people is showcased, creating a highlight to attract tourists.
Currently, the province has 20 recognized national intangible cultural heritage sites, including traditional festivals, social customs and beliefs, folk performing arts, and traditional crafts. Among them, the Thai Xoe dance has been inscribed by UNESCO on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. These are valuable heritage sites, representing the long-standing and distinctive traditional culture of the ethnic groups in Son La, which is still being maintained with enduring vitality.
Rituals such as the coming-of-age ceremony, the Púng Hiéng festival of the Dao Tien people, the Hết Chá ceremony of the Thai people, the Hmong flute art, the Mạng Ma ceremony of the Xinh Mun people, the peace-seeking ceremony of the Khang people... are frequently performed during local festivals and cultural events, recreated in schools, and used in experiential activities at the Son La Prison National Special Monument... helping to popularize and promote these heritages, which are unique to each ethnic group, to reach a wider audience in a familiar and authentic way.
Having visited Son La many times for major events and festivals, Ms. Le Thu Phuong from Hanoi shared: "I am very impressed with how the local people introduce their traditional culture at these large events. Traditional rituals are performed in a way that is accessible, helping viewers understand the meaning and further appreciate the cultural and historical values of the ethnic origins that the people are preserving."
Traditional rituals are also staged, with excerpts of their distinctive performances featured at major cultural events: the "Colors of Son La - Northwest" art program in Ho Chi Minh City in 2023, "Colors of Son La" in Da Nang in 2025, and the promotion of Son La's colors at the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Festival in 2026... Son La also regularly participates with unique performances, rich in cultural identity, at annual events held at the Vietnam Ethnic Culture and Tourism Village in Hanoi.
In November 2025, the folk art troupe of Son La province will bring spectacular performances showcasing the rich culture of the Muong ethnic group to the 2nd Muong Ethnic Culture Festival at the Vietnam Ethnic Culture and Tourism Village. Distinguished artisan Dinh Quang Chuong from Kim Bon commune expressed his excitement: “We are very happy and excited to perform and introduce the beautiful culture of our ethnic group to friends and tourists from all over the country. Especially, we are introducing the Muong shamanism, a national intangible cultural heritage, the pride of the Muong people, and the Moi festival, the biggest festival of the Muong people.”
The beauty of "stage-making" heritage in Son La lies in the seamless blend of tradition and modernity. Previously, rituals lasted for hours with complex spiritual procedures; however, when staged, directors skillfully select the most outstanding excerpts, simplifying the cumbersome rituals and focusing on the beautiful performance aspects, making them easily accessible to the public.
Furthermore, the combination of sound, lighting, stage design, LED technology, and the staging of hundreds of amateur performers create a grand spectacle, like a large-scale Xoe dance. There, the distance between performers and audience disappears. Visitors are invited to participate in the Xoe dance, folk games, and immerse themselves in the cultural festival atmosphere to feel, understand, and appreciate the national culture.
Mr. Pham Hong Thu, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said: The Department actively advises the province on issuing plans, programs, and projects on cultural heritage preservation. This includes encouraging localities to organize cultural festivals, performances, and competitions to promote and introduce the province's cultural heritage to domestic and international friends; coordinating the development of digital heritage products, linking heritage promotion with tourism promotion to maximize the value of heritage.
"Stage-based" intangible cultural heritage is a creative and responsible journey. It's a way to promote the beauty of Son La's mountains and forests in Northwest Vietnam to friends near and far, a connecting thread between the past and the present, helping heritage not only to be "preserved" in museums or the consciousness of the people, but also to be given new life, to be present and shine brightly in the flow of contemporary culture.
Source: https://baosonla.vn/van-hoa-xa-hoi/-san-khau-hoa-di-san-van-hoa-phi-vat-the-nOlwiW2DR.html
Comment (0)