Lesson 3: Na Cang, Mong ethnic culture
After a day of traveling, struggling with the motorbike on the steep road beside the Pu-Xai-Lai-Leng mountain range, we stopped at Na Cang village, Na Ngoi commune (Ky Son). The afternoon mist had fallen on the samu-roofed houses, covering the green peach gardens, adding to the quiet beauty of the Mong village on the high mountain top. Along the trail leading to the village, red flags with yellow stars and festival flags fluttered on both sides, the people of Na Cang had completed their preparations for tomorrow's reception of the title of Cultural Village.
The darkness covered the mountains, forests and villages, looking out only to see the hazy mist, that was when dinner began. Many times we had eaten rice and vegetables of the Mong people in Ky Son, but honestly the first dinner in Na Cang was the one we remembered forever. Not sure if it was because of the long journey and the hungry stomachs, but the guests from the lowlands ate very "productively". The fragrant, rich taste of rice mixed with the sweet, cool taste of vegetables made us want to eat more even after eating a lot.
Sitting next to us, Mr. Mua Dua Thai - Secretary of the Na Ngoi Commune Party Committee explained: "It's all the same rice and mustard varieties of the Mong people. Because the land here is good, the climate is fresh, and it is kept in the mist all year round, so the rice and mustard soup in Na Ngoi have a unique flavor." Taking the opportunity, the head of Mua Nhia Xa village bragged to the guests: "Our Na Cang village used to be very poor, always lacking food all year round, life only looked at the rice fields, if the sky gave us food, we could eat, if the sky didn't give us food, we had to endure. In recent years, thanks to the guidance of officers of Economic - Defense Group 4 and Na Ngoi Border Guard Station on farming techniques, expanding the area of corn, taro, squash, pumpkin, ginger, and cassava cultivation, and developing herds of buffalo, cows, goats, black pigs, and black chickens, our stomachs have become much warmer, and we no longer have to worry about hunger like before."
Mua Nhia Xa also added that Na Cang currently has 63 households with nearly 450 people, of which more than 50 households have built solid houses, 57 households have motorbikes and 8 households have purchased milling machines. Life is not yet rich, but compared to before, there have been many changes. Thanks to that, the cultural and artistic movement and the work of preserving cultural values have been given more attention. The village has an art troupe that serves both cultural propaganda work and is a base for collecting and preserving folk songs, dances and musical instruments of the Mong people. Along with that, the volleyball team regularly practices and exchanges to strengthen solidarity between the village and the units stationed in the area.
Being engrossed in conversation, the dinner dragged on so long that we didn’t know when the village art troupe had arrived to practice in the yard. The women were dressed in colorful dresses and were engrossed in the xoè dance. Village chief Mua Nhia Xa whispered to the guests: “The dresses of Mong women are very expensive, costing up to several million dong. In the past, we had to exchange a whole cow, so only rich families with many cows could afford nice dresses. But now, with economic development, every family can afford a few dresses for women and children to wear on holidays and weddings. The children here really like to wear the beautiful dresses of our ethnic group.”
During the break, we talked to Ms. Mua Y Lu, a member of the art troupe. Ms. Lu said: "Everyone dances Xoe dance well. I heard that tomorrow there will be guests from the district and the province, so I have to practice more skillfully, otherwise tomorrow if I don't dance well, it will be embarrassing."
Hmong girls from Na Cang village in xoe dance.
Under the moonlight, the xoè dance took place with rhythmic, graceful and delicate movements, along with charming smiles and eyes sparkling with joy. Hearing the music and singing, the villagers came to cheer in increasing numbers, many of them brought their flutes to join in the fun. So, tomorrow morning the art troupe will officially perform to celebrate the event of receiving the title of Cultural Village, but tonight has officially become a festival night.
We really love the panpipes of the men in Na Cang, because they are both massive and have graceful, soft lines, helping Mong men affirm their "bravery" and talent through each melody, through each dance, sometimes rhythmic, sometimes strong. The main material to make the panpipe is bamboo, through skillful, talented hands and an artistic soul, the sound of the panpipes sometimes sounds bustling like a great waterfall, sometimes like the rustling sound of the wind hitting the cliffs, sometimes as passionate as the call of a seasonal bird calling its mate.
It must be said that the men in Na Cang are really passionate about life. Knowing that we love musical instruments, everyone competed to perform to show off their musical talent. Mr. Xong Va Chong opened the performance with a solo performance of the Mong flute to the melody of the song "Goi Friend" (a Mong song) which was both gentle and passionate, both excited and wistful, and nervously waiting... Mr. Mua Ba Dia played a solo transverse flute to the melody of the song "To Tinh Nguoi Yeu", Mr. Mua Ba Chu played a solo mouth harp to the melody of the song "Goi Nguoi Yeu". Also to the song "Goi Nguoi Yeu", Mr. Lau Nhia Vu used a leaf flute to play solo... Not wanting to be inferior to the men, Ms. Lau Y Tru started to sing the cu xia melody (a Mong folk song) to the song "Tien Anh Bon Duong". Next, Mr. Xong Ba Chu continued, the two of them responded in a rather affectionate manner, the listeners could feel the affection and emotion of the couple before parting so that the boy could go on a long journey, promising to meet again. Just like that, everyone took turns responding, singing, playing the flute solo... The moon disappeared behind the Pu-Xai-Lai-Leng range without anyone noticing.
That night, we stayed at the house of the village chief Mua Nhia Xa. He woke up early to cut banana trees for the fighting bull, so that it would have enough strength to participate in the fighting festival that morning. Because when the sun rose and the mist began to clear, the people of Na Cang and the villages in the area would lead the bull to participate in the bull fighting festival to celebrate the day of receiving the Cultural Village.
According to Mr. Xa, bullfighting has long been a cultural beauty of the Mong people in Na Ngoi, and it is indispensable in every happy occasion of the village. The meaning of the bullfighting festival is to honor strength, honor the martial spirit and honor the profession of raising large livestock. When dozens of bulls were "gathered" to the competition field, we also witnessed the extremely spectacular battles of the "bull fighters". The bullfighting festival that day gathered hundreds of people to join in cheering.
Na Cang Village received the title of Cultural Village.
The bullfighting festival ended, the program to receive the title of Cultural Village of Na Cang village also began. After the awarding ceremony was the cultural and artistic exchange program. The sound of the Khen and music resounded again, the Xoe dance and the Hmong Khen dance were rhythmic and graceful in the space of the mountains and forests, the village began to be bathed in sunlight. A group of men and women went further to play the Pao throwing game...
Talking to us, Mr. Moong Thai Nhi - Head of the District Culture Department said: "Compared to the Mong villages in Ky Son, Na Cang village still retains many beautiful and unique features. This is the basis for us to add to the project to preserve and promote the cultural identity of ethnic groups in the whole district."
Tuong Anh
