Ms. Dung spends most of her time researching, collecting and passing on Muong cultural values, considering it a way to both preserve local culture and follow Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and style.
Passing the torch to the younger generation
Reporters of Lao Dong Newspaper had the opportunity to visit Kim Boi District, commonly known as Muong Dong, one of the four typical Muong regions of the mountainous province of Hoa Binh. Following the instructions, the reporters visited the house of Ms. Dinh Thi Kim Dung, a woman who is preserving and conserving cultural values imbued with the Muong ethnic identity.
Welcoming the reporter was a tall woman with a bright smile on her lips. Despite her advanced age, her eyes and gestures still exuded enthusiasm and intense passion. She carefully poured a cup of tea for her guest, then began to share about her life. Born and raised in the Muong land, she has a deep love for the customs, practices and traditional cultural beauty of the Muong people, a love that has become the driving force for her to preserve and pass on to the next generation.
Ms. Dinh Thi Kieu Dung said: “I memorize and carefully record the dances, dum songs, and lullabies of the Muong people. In modern life, if not preserved, the customs and culture of each ethnic group will be lost. I hope to have more time and health to research, collect, preserve and conserve the cultural heritage of the Muong people. Hopefully this small act will contribute to preserving and promoting the value of the Muong ethnic identity.”
Ms. Bui Thi Ngan, a student of the gong class taught by Ms. Dung, expressed her gratitude for Ms. Dung's teaching and guidance. Thanks to her, she has continued to pass on her passion to other young people.
Ms. Ngan expressed: “By participating in the free classes taught by Ms. Kieu Dung, I understand and love the beauty of my ethnic culture even more. Thanks to her guidance, I have mastered the gong lessons, memorized and memorized the songs and dances typical of the Muong ethnic group. I am very happy and proud to be able to contribute with her to preserving and promoting the traditional values of my ethnic group.”
Since 2004, Ms. Dung has opened more than 500 classes teaching Muong gong and folk songs to children from 8 to 15 years old. She also teaches basic gong lessons to 14 gong teams in and outside the district.
Not only is she the keeper of Muong culture, Mrs. Dung is also a Party member with a simple and united lifestyle. She is always exemplary and takes the lead in implementing emulation movements, conventions, and village regulations of the residential area.
At the exchange program "Ho Chi Minh - Journey of Aspiration 2021" held in Hanoi, Ms. Dinh Thi Kieu Dung is one of the typical examples nationwide in studying and following Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and style.
Mr. Bui Van Manh - Vice Chairman of Bo Town People's Committee - commented: "Over the years, Ms. Dinh Thi Kieu Dung has always been a shining example in actively propagating and mobilizing people in residential areas to well implement the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's policies and laws, and build a great national unity bloc.
Ms. Dung enthusiastically carries out activities to preserve the traditional culture of the Muong ethnic group. This is a typical example of studying and following Uncle Ho that the Party Committee and the government of Bo town need to replicate."
Preserving cultural values
On the heroic land of Muong Dong homeland, she was nurtured from childhood in the echoes of sweet lullabies from her grandmother and mother, such as "dap bong bong", "da oi da o", or the usual singing lines, bo meng. Those melodies have penetrated deeply into her soul, becoming an indispensable part of her memory and love for national culture.
With the dream of keeping the fire and soul of Muong culture alive, Mrs. Dung has been working tirelessly for many years. She has spent time traveling to villages, meeting and talking with elders to collect ancient gong songs and old folk songs that her ancestors left behind.
Not only does she collect, Ms. Dung also organizes classes on Sundays, teaching the younger generation how to play basic gongs, folk songs, and traditional dances of the Muong people. Currently, she has compiled two books: “Muong Folk Songs” and “The Art of Gong Playing of the Muong Dong People”, with the desire to preserve and spread these unique cultural values.
Not only does this artist contribute to preserving and maintaining the cultural values of the Muong ethnic group that are gradually fading away over time, she also actively restores its inherent values. She always encourages, motivates and inspires creativity for those who are passionate and love ethnic culture, especially Muong ethnic culture. Her efforts have contributed to reviving and developing the traditional beauty of the Muong ethnic group in Kim Boi district, where each melody and each song of the ethnic group resounds with full quintessence.
Every time the songs “thuong rang, bo meng”, or sweet lullabies resound, when the “talismanic lute” sounds to wish each house a Happy New Year, or the words of comparison, saying “thuong”… are played, the descendants of the heroic land of Muong Dong will never forget their roots. Those cultural values will be passed down forever, becoming an indispensable part of the souls of the children of Muong land.
Sharing about the issue of preserving and promoting the traditional values of the Muong ethnic group, Mr. Nguyen Vu Hoa - Head of the Department of Culture and Information of Kim Boi district - said: "The preservation and promotion of the cultural values of the Muong ethnic group always receives special attention from all levels and sectors. The class on Muong gongs organized by Ms. Dinh Thi Kim Dung not only attracts the attention of many local people but also receives encouragement from cultural and educational organizations".
According to Mr. Hoa, the class has become a familiar destination for those who want to learn more about traditional Muong music. At the same time, it is also a space for different generations to meet and exchange about ethnic culture.
In addition, during the process of teaching Muong gong, Ms. Dung also incorporates stories about the origin and meaning of each gong beat and each dance, helping students better understand the culture and history of their people, contributing significantly to preserving and restoring the unique cultural values of the Muong people.
