Funerals in Meo Vac are becoming more civilized.

Meo Vac is a poor district of the province, with more than 78% of the population being Mong ethnic people. Although the lives of the people here have changed a lot, many bad customs and superstitions still exist, including bad customs in organizing funerals. With the participation of the entire political system, these bad customs are gradually being eliminated, guiding people to build a civilized life.

Meo Vac district organizes a conference to study and exchange experiences on eliminating bad customs in funerals.

Since ancient times, according to the customs of the Mong people in Meo Vac, when a family member passes away, they must hold a funeral that lasts 5-7 days; all the buffaloes and cows brought by relatives will be slaughtered to worship and entertain relatives. This is one of the reasons why hunger and poverty continue to haunt the people here. In addition, leaving the deceased in the middle of the house for a week before burying them, and putting them in the coffin only when they reach the grave... also causes consequences in terms of epidemics and environmental pollution.

Son Vi Border Guard Station goes to each village and household to propagate to the people

Implementing Resolution No. 27-NQ/TU of the Provincial Party Committee, dated May 1, 2022 on eliminating backward customs, practices, and building a civilized lifestyle among ethnic people in Ha Giang province for the period 2022-2025, with a vision to 2030 (Resolution 27), the entire political system has taken action with the determination to eliminate bad customs in people's lives.

Located in the border commune of Son Vi, with a large area, difficult transportation, high poverty rate, and uneven educational level... in recent years, Son Vi Border Post (Border Guard of Ha Giang province) has persistently, flexibly, and creatively coordinated with local authorities in bringing Resolution 27 into people's lives. In particular, the unit has strengthened coordination with the Party Committee and commune authorities to propagate at markets, schools, Party cell meetings, village meetings, and community activities; advising cadres, Party members, and people to sign commitments to implement the contents of eliminating bad customs.

Major Nong Quang Lap, Deputy Political Commissar of Son Vi Border Post, said: “Every time we receive information about a funeral, the unit sends officers and soldiers to the place to encourage, pay their respects, and coordinate propaganda work. In addition, the unit also actively coordinates with local authorities to build pilot models of “Clans self-managing security and order, associated with eliminating backward customs, practices, and building a civilized lifestyle”. Along with that, we regularly propagate, guide, and help people develop the economy , improve the material and spiritual life of the people”.

In late December 2024, upon receiving information that Mr. Sung Mi Tua's wife in Tra Man village, Son Vi commune had unfortunately passed away, officers and soldiers of Son Vi Border Guard Station coordinated with local authorities to visit Mr. Tua's family to encourage and share the family's loss. At the same time, they promoted and encouraged his family to implement a new lifestyle in organizing funerals in the spirit of Resolution 27 such as: Organizing funerals for no more than 48 hours, not slaughtering many livestock, putting the deceased's body in a coffin before organizing the funeral... Mr. Sung Mi Tua shared: "After the Border Guard and commune officials came to propagate and explain, my relatives and I decided to organize a funeral for my wife according to the new lifestyle. Seeing that what the soldiers said made sense, we had to follow."

In order to effectively propagate and eliminate bad customs in funerals of ethnic minorities, the functional agencies of Meo Vac district require cadres and party members who are ethnic minorities to sign a commitment with the agency and party cell to seriously implement Resolution 27. For people, localities build and establish models and clans to sign a commitment to eliminate bad customs, build a civilized lifestyle associated with village conventions and regulations; organize conferences to study and exchange experiences on eliminating bad customs... At the same time, localities innovate the content and methods of propaganda with many diverse and rich forms; build teaching topics for students on eliminating bad customs; include the contents that need to be improved, reduced, and eliminated in the conventions, village conventions and operating regulations of the Folk Artisans Association; attach importance to the role of party cell secretaries, village chiefs, clan heads, prestigious people and party members working in village and hamlet party cells...

With the efforts of the entire political system, from 2022 to now, the entire Meo Vac district has successfully propagated and mobilized more than 230 cases of deceased people putting the body in a coffin before holding the funeral; 565 funerals did not last more than 48 hours; 638 funerals only slaughtered one animal... With the diversity of forms and richness of propaganda content, suitable to the reality and intellectual level of people in Meo Vac, propaganda work has contributed to creating a strong change in awareness, changing thinking and ways of doing, motivating people to eliminate backward customs, build a civilized lifestyle, and strive to develop the economy.

Article and photos: Ha Linh (Meo Vac)

Source: http://hagiangtv.vn/doi-song-xa-hoi/202502/viec-tang-o-meo-vac-ngay-cang-van-minh-88c1d40/