The resounding gongs of the Muong people

At noon in Giang Mo village (Thung Nai commune, Phu Tho province), the sun casts a long, golden glow across the rice valley. In the quietude, the sound of Muong gongs echoes in the mountain breeze, inspiring the local people to continue their daily efforts to preserve their culture, creating an attraction for community tourism and drawing visitors from far and wide.

Muong women in Giang Mo practice performing Muong gong music next to an ancient stilt house. (Photo: Bao Long)

Not far away, in the bustling Hoa Binh ward, a "Muong person in the city" - Meritorious Artisan Bui Thanh Binh - is also quietly preserving the ethnic memory through his unique collections of stilt houses, bronze gongs, and ancient artifacts.

Ancient villages become tourist destinations.

From above, looking down at the ancient village, the time-worn stilt houses nestle at the foot of the mountain. Smoke from the kitchen chimneys seeps through the leaves, carrying the pungent smell of dry firewood and the warmth of the evening meal. At the homestay of Mr. Dinh Van Dan and Ms. Dinh Thi Huyen, a bustling atmosphere pervades from the kitchen to the porch. Ms. Huyen and several other women in the village are busily preparing a traditional feast for a group of 30 guests who will be staying that night. The sounds of chopping on wooden cutting boards fill the air as people eagerly prepare to welcome the guests. In the evening, fragrant slices of local pork will be skillfully arranged on platters of fresh green wild banana leaves, alongside bowls of sour bamboo shoot soup and plates of fragrant sticky rice...

Mr. Dan was busy checking the rooms, ensuring everything was in order to welcome travelers. Many people also booked bicycle rentals in advance to explore the rugged roads around the village and experience local life at night. Mr. Dinh Van Dan said that his family has been involved in tourism in Giang Mo for many years. The villagers both farm and maintain their hospitality by sharing the authentic life and soul of the Muong people that have been passed down through generations. Most tourists are attracted by the rustic charm of the mountains and forests, joining the locals in harvesting vegetables and catching fish in the streams... In the evening, they sip warm rice wine and listen to the distinctive sounds emanating from the Muong gongs during cultural performances by the villagers themselves.

After preparing the feast for the guests, Ms. Huyen quickly changed into her traditional attire, neatly tying her headscarf to rehearse with the village's performing arts group for the upcoming performance. The image of a woman busily cooking while simultaneously playing the gong and drums to preserve the soul of the village is the clearest evidence of the efforts of generations of Muong Giang Mo people in preserving their culture. The village currently has over 190 households, and although only 34 households directly engage in tourism, they have created jobs for hundreds of others. Those who don't work in accommodation provide wild vegetables, raise local pigs, or participate in the performing arts group... Everyone has their own role, working together to entertain guests.

Ms. Bui Thi Chieu, Deputy Head of Ban Mo hamlet, shared: “Guests who come to our house are like family to the whole village, and everyone has a role to play in introducing our ancestors' traditions to friends near and far. This helps us earn more income and improve our quality of life.” In Giang Mo hamlet, an elderly woman returning from the forest readily offers guests freshly harvested young banana blossoms still glistening with sap; children engrossed in play happily stop to greet and enthusiastically help take commemorative photos. By the crackling fire in Mr. Dinh Van Dan's house, jars of fragrant rice wine, fermented with leaves, are ready for a night of reunion amidst the mountains and forests. The familiar sound of Muong gongs creates a unique traditional musical atmosphere, representing the voice of a community striving to preserve its roots.

Distinguished artisan Bui Thanh Binh introduces his unique collection of Muong gongs at the Muong Cultural Heritage Museum. (Photo by Bao Long)

Continuity and the aspiration for breakthrough

Leaving his peaceful village, the story of Meritorious Artisan Bui Thanh Binh at the Muong Cultural Heritage Museum is a special one, reflecting his efforts to preserve Muong culture over many years. Situated on a steep slope, Mr. Binh's museum stands out as a striking feature amidst the bustling streets of Hoa Binh ward. This is the first privately owned museum in the former Hoa Binh province (now Phu Tho province) to be licensed to operate, boasting a space comprising six ancient stilt houses representing the various social classes—Lang Dao, Au, Noi, etc.—in ancient Muong society.

Mr. Binh's life is a long story of silent sacrifice. Since 1984, he has embarked on a journey through the mountains to find the lost cultural artifacts of the Muong ethnic group. For over 40 years, he has continuously spent his own money to collect and preserve more than 4,000 precious artifacts of his people. Most impressive among them is his collection of over 100 Muong gongs of various sizes and tones, along with ancient bronze drums intricately carved. To protect these treasures, Mr. Binh even had to engage in "battles of wits" with antique dealers. Some bronze drums were offered billions of dong by dealers to be exported abroad, but Mr. Binh, at all costs, even borrowing money, bought them to keep them in his homeland. Distinguished Artisan Bui Thanh Binh recounted: "The ancient artifacts of the Muong people were once forgotten and scattered everywhere. But the value they preserve is immense - they are the lifeblood of our ancestors; selling them would mean losing our roots."

Despite possessing a vast collection, revenue from the Muong Cultural Heritage Museum has never been a priority for the Muong artisan. Mr. Binh never sells his artifacts, but is willing to lend them to major cultural events across the country. For him, "heritage that lies dormant is dead heritage," it must resonate in modern life. However, concerns about succession once worried him when his two sons chose to pursue their own careers. Fortunately, his youngest daughter-in-law understood her father's passion and decided to support him in a very innovative way: "rejuvenating" the heritage through the media channel "Muong Daughter-in-Law." Short, creative videos about Muong culture, customs, and festivals have attracted millions of views on social media, bringing Muong culture closer to students and contributing to an increase in visitors and tours to the museum.

Looking at the success of the Muong Cultural Heritage Museum's promotion, one can see the obstacles to developing community-based tourism in Giang Mo village. Despite possessing many attractive characteristics, tourism here has yet to achieve significant economic benefits. Locals are struggling due to a lack of diverse experiential services and inadequate infrastructure for tourists, which discourages large groups from staying for extended periods or returning. These days, Ms. Bui Thi Chieu, voluntarily donating land and with financial support from the government, is building a stilt house to display traditional Muong products, creating a new destination to serve visitors. In addition, the villagers hope for more facilities with designs that complement the ancient village landscape, meeting the entertainment and shopping needs of tourists, such as a community swimming pool and a centralized specialty product sales point.

The journey of keeping the Muong land's spirit alive all converge on one point: perseverance – a combination of the rich experience of previous generations and the innovative thinking of the younger generation, along with the efforts of each individual citizen. From the mountains to the cities, the sound of the Muong gongs will continue to resonate because of the unwavering love for their roots of successive generations.

CHUONG HAO-VU PHONG

Source: https://nhandan.vn/vang-vong-chieng-muong-post962727.html