Every spring, in the 4 Muong hamlets (Bi, Vang, Thang, Dong), Hoa Binh province, the sound of gongs resounds. The sound of Muong gongs and the singing of sac bua are typical features of Tet in Muong hamlets.
Thuong Coc commune's Bua ward performs the art of singing Sac Bua at the Sac Bua and Muong Gong Festival in Lac Son district in 2024.
"Today, the first day of the new year, we come to wish your family a happy new year" - that is the opening line of the chanting of the spells mixed with the sound of gongs when the spell troupe enters the gate of the homeowner's house. When the homeowner opens the gate, welcomes the group into the yard, and reaches the foot of the stairs, the whole spell troupe stops to play gongs and sing New Year's greetings: "Wishing your family many buffaloes and cows/Wishing you a prosperous business", "In the new year, I wish your family good luck and prosperity, wishing you wealth and prosperity, wishing you peace and safety"... When the spell troupe sings the song to close the gate: "Wishing you to eat again and stay/Our spell troupe will come again on this day next year...", the homeowner often gives gifts to the spell troupe as New Year's greetings or as a thank you.
In the Muong community of Thao Ca hamlet, Vinh Tien commune, Kim Boi district, singing sac bua takes place quite often during the New Year. On Tet, members of the shaman troupe all wear traditional costumes, women wear skirts, men wear brown clothes, brown headscarves and carry gongs to go and wish each family a happy New Year. The Thao Ca hamlet shaman troupe currently attracts dozens of participants, including all groups and ages. Meritorious Artist Bui Tien Xo, Vinh Tien commune said: Singing sac bua is a type of folk culture that has existed for a long time, often taking place at important events such as longevity celebrations, weddings and is especially indispensable during Tet. The sac bua songs contain the meaning of wishing everyone and every family good health, luck, peace and prosperity in the new year.
In particular, this custom is being preserved by the Muong community in many communes in Quyet Thang, Cong Hoa, Lac Son district. According to Mr. Bui Bao Du, Head of the Four Muong Club, Thuong Coc commune, singing sac bua is a unique way to wish a happy New Year. Each lyric combined with the sound of Muong gongs expresses the feelings, wishes, and dreams of the community, connecting the relationship between people, between people and nature. We, the young generation, wish to continue to contribute our small part to the preservation so that singing sac bua will forever promote the value of the heritage.
Comrade Bui Thi Tham - Director of the Center for Culture, Sports and Communication of Lac Son district shared: As a locality with up to 92% of the population being Muong ethnic people, the district is preserving unique Muong cultural values: Mo, gong, hat thuong rang, bo meng, hat dum giao duyen, danh mang game... and hat sac bua. In December 2024, within the framework of Project 6, the National Target Program for Socio-Economic Development of Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas, the District People's Committee organized a special program "Festival of Sac Bua and Muong Gong Performances" with the theme of ancient gong songs of Hoa Binh province. In addition to creating a bustling atmosphere for people to enjoy Spring and celebrate Tet, singing sac bua also meets the needs of families on the first day of the new year with the purpose of wishing spring, blessing, and wishing peace.
According to Meritorious Artist, Folklore Researcher Bui Huy Vong, Huong Nhuong Commune, Lac Son District, singing sac bua is a daily activity and custom that makes the traditional Tet of the Muong people memorable in the past. The beauty of singing sac bua is the combination of lyrics and gong sounds. On the way to wish a happy New Year, the shaman group plays gongs and sings. The songs can be composed flexibly depending on the family's circumstances or the subject. Currently, the custom of singing sac bua is at risk of fading away. Some Party committees and authorities are interested, encouraging, and at the same time creating a practice environment; artisans, researchers and individuals dedicated to preserving the cultural heritage of the Muong people promote their role and responsibility in preserving, collecting, researching... so that singing sac bua appears more and more popularly in the cultural life of the Muong community in Hoa Binh.
Bui Minh/Hoa Binh Newspaper
Source: https://baophutho.vn/vang-dieu-sac-bua-chuc-xuan-226824.htm
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