Spreading love of Muong culture

Worried about the traditional cultural values ​​of the Muong people gradually fading away over time, Mr. Dinh Van Chien - Tu Vu commune, Thanh Thuy district has researched and found ways to preserve and pass on the love of national roots to the younger generation.

Mr. Chien was born in 1967 and grew up in Tu Vu, where 96% of the Muong people live. Since childhood, he was carried on his mother's shoulder to participate in village festivals, listening to Vi and Rang singing, and the echoing sound of gongs. The sounds of the village gradually made him curious and then fascinated without him realizing it. Therefore, he mastered playing gongs, cymbals, and Vi and Rang songs of his people from a very young age.

The older he got, the more he worried that his people's culture would be forgotten over time. Therefore, in 2007, he began his journey to search for and collect gong melodies in the provinces of Hoa Binh, Thanh Hoa, Ninh Binh, Ba Vi district (Hanoi) and melodies of Vi singing, Rang singing, Dum singing, Bo Menh (talking), Lullaby singing, Dam Duong singing...

The Muong Cultural Heritage Conservation Club in Zone 18, Tu Vu Commune currently has about 50 members.

In 2018, Mr. Chien initiated the restoration of gong and cymbal melodies and received the support of many people in the area. In August 2019, the Muong Cultural Heritage Conservation Club of Zone 18 was established with more than 30 members. Every Saturday and Sunday, at the Cultural House of the area, the Club practices Vi, Rang singing, gong soul calling, Senh Tien dance classes... attracting many children, young people and people to learn and practice.

The exchanges, historical stories, and customs of the ancient Muong people bring the younger generation back to the past full of pride and love. Over time, with perseverance and diligence in silent work, Mr. Chien's efforts have paid off. Many people in the area, especially the younger generation, have performed gongs very skillfully. Up to now, the club has increased to 50 members of all ages.

Mr. Chien shared: The gong music of the Muong people is a full convergence of nature and life, with a rhythmic rhythm, sometimes calm and deep, sometimes bustling and vibrant... For the Muong people, the gong sound of the festival is the gong sound of luck, of wishes for prosperity and happiness. It is these sounds, sometimes deep and deep, sometimes heroic and charming, sometimes sweet and affectionate, that create unique values ​​that only the Muong gong culture has.

Restoration is like that, teaching to preserve the Muong ethnic culture is also interested and focused. In the past few years, through classes organized by the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, teaching sessions at schools in the area, hundreds of students have been taught by Mr. Chien to play gongs, cymbals and sing Vi, Rang.

Mr. Chien pondered: Up to now, the unique cultural features of the Muong people have been successfully restored and preserved by the Club. We are currently continuing our research to restore the New Rice Festival and the Muong Mo Festival to perfection. I hope that the authorities at all levels will pay attention and create conditions for the Muong culture to survive over time.

In 2022, Tu Vu commune and authorities at all levels developed a project to inventory, collect, preserve and promote the cultural identity of the Muong ethnic group in the period of 2020-2025 towards 2030 with a total implementation cost of nearly 8.6 billion VND. The funds were used for inventory, opening training courses, building traditional stilt houses, purchasing 13 sets of gongs, preserving Muong ethnic costumes, organizing cultural festivals...

To preserve the culture of the Muong people, localities need to continue to promote propaganda, education, and promotion of the good and unique values ​​of Muong culture so that each person is aware of preserving and promoting it. At the same time, organize a general inventory, survey, and selectively collect ancient gong and cymbal melodies and inherit them; actively organize traditional festivals so that Muong gong music is preserved for future generations...

Bao Khanh

Source: https://baophutho.vn/truyen-tinh-yeu-van-hoa-muong-215748.htm