Ba Vi district is located in the northwestern region of Ha Noi Capital, with its population of over 270,000 people, of which the ethnic people makes up the majority. Therefore, the issue of conservation and bringing into the full play of this ethnic group’s cultural identities in the mountainous district of BaVi needs to be strengthened in order to properly implement the guidlines on practicing the civilized lifestyles in wedding, funeral and longevity celebration.
New developments in the building of ethinic people’s civilized lifestyles
Ba vi district is home to the 3 nationalities of Kinh, Muong and Dao, and a number of other ethnic groups. In this district area, there are about 25,000 people living, mainly scattered on the mountainous villages, of which Muong people accounts for more than 90%. Ba vi is the locality boasting a plenty of famous landscapes, and attractions. It is also the land deeply characterized by ancient Vietnamese cultural identities (Vietnamese – Muong culture), in which, what notably to mention are the gong culture, lulling song, shuttlecock throwing,…, of Muong; bell dance of Dao. Basically, each nationality possesses its own rich and unique cultural identitiesthat has helped shape a picture of cultural diversity of the ethnic nationalities in Ba Vi district.
According to Mr. Nguyen Viet Giao, Deputy Head of the Division of Culture and Information in Ba vi district, the issue of building the civilized lifestyle in wedding, funeral, longevity celebration and festival in the district area of Ba Vi has been carried out uniformly since 1998, as a result it has succeeded to draw positive response among the ethnic minority group. Particularly, in the past, the wedding formalities were very cumbersome i.e to exact wedding present in the form of white silver coins, buffalo and pig killings to present to the bride family; premature wedding,.. Since the campaign for “the building of civilized lifestyles” has come to life, the ethnic minotities have definitely given up the in appropriate practices.
Likewise, in longevity celebration, at present it is only organized in the form of arranging meetings with old people at the cultural house and then presenting them with gifts and taking memoir photos, and then fixing the time for their children to come to congratulate them. Mr. Nguyen Viet Giao further added, the progress in the conduct of the civilized way of life has not only been confined to the wedding and longevity celebration in the district area, but it has also been done in funeral affairs, especially for Dao people. This is really the positive outcome. The funeral rite of Dao people is finished only in a day, with the assistance of the local administration and unions. All of the funeral rites have done away with complicated and unwholesome formalities as they used to be.
Festival of Tan Vien mountain held in Ba vi.
The organization, management of festivals, much progresses in conservation and enhancement of historical relics’ cultural values have been made. It can be said,to be able to achieve the above results, it must have been attributable to the overall involvement of all the levels of the Party, administration, unions and leading roles played by cadres and party member.
By Nghi Dung