Golden sunshine of Muong Qua

(Baonghean) - I can't remember how many times I've set foot in Muong Qua (Mon Son and Luc Da communes, Con Cuong), a fertile countryside with charming scenery and rich identity. But honestly, I love coming at this time, when the fields have begun to turn golden yellow, when the joy of a good harvest is evident on the faces of every farmer here.

Like everywhere else, thanks to favorable rain and wind, this spring crop, Muong Qua fields are full of grain and flowers. Visiting the fields, holding the plump rice grains under the summer sun, everyone feels happy and excited. Coming to Cang village to visit artisan Luong Van Nghiep, he and his family members are busy preparing for the new harvest.

Mr. Nghiep is quite knowledgeable about Thai culture as well as the historical and cultural roots of his homeland. He is currently the Chairman of the Cang Folk Song and Musical Instrument Club (Mon Son Commune). Whenever there is an opportunity to exchange and perform culture and arts, the commune and district come to him to help organize the program. He also plays the role of an artisan, regularly teaching the next generation how to use Thai traditional musical instruments (panpipes, flutes, pi, xi-xlo...).

Culinary contest about traditional meals of Thai people.

Asked about the history of this land, Mr. Luong Van Nghiep said: About 200-300 years ago, the Thai people in the Northwest began their migration to the mountainous areas of the West of Thanh and Nghe. On their journey to find new land, a group of Thai people belonging to the Vi, Luong and Lo families stopped in Muong Qua. Realizing that this place had ideal terrain, surrounded by mountain ranges, in the middle was a flat and fertile valley, with abundant water resources and a large number of animals, they decided to stop and open up villages and establish villages. The first thing the Muong Qua residents did was to build dams, block streams and reclaim rice fields. With perseverance and determination, not long after, villages were formed, and the Muong Qua fields were constantly expanding. The rice fields were lush, the streams were full of fish and shrimp, and life here was always abundant.

Knowing that Muong Qua was a good land, Thai people from everywhere came here to live. The village became more and more crowded, this countryside became more and more prosperous. Later, Hau Bong, a prestigious chief in the area, mobilized people to continue to reclaim land and expand fields to make life more prosperous. Speaking more about Hau Bong, this chief was famous in the Can Vuong movement at the end of the 19th century. Facing the threat of invasion by the French, Hau Bong mobilized militia and enthusiastically joined the army of Le Doan Nha. The uprising failed, Hau Bong shared the same fate as many Can Vuong leaders. But anyway, Hau Bong was the one who aroused the tradition of patriotism and revolutionary struggle in the land of Muong Qua. For that reason, in the years 1930-1931, together with the people of the whole province and the whole country, the people here enthusiastically participated in demonstrations against the French colonialists. On that basis, in April 1931, the Mon Son Party Cell was established. This was the first cell established in the highland districts, affirming the spread of the revolutionary movement under the leadership of the Party.

Mon Son - Luc Da people cannot hide their pride when mentioning the song "Muong Qua rice, Giang river fish". Muong Qua fields are fertile, and are irrigated by the cool, clear water of Giang river and Moi stream, so the rice grains are always plump and fragrant. Every time we hold a bowl of rice, we feel the taste of the land and human love. Giang river has long been famous throughout the region for its majestic and poetic beauty. Giang river water is as blue as the green of the great forest. There are countless fish and shrimp living here, of which the most prominent is the cool fish. Cool fish live along Giang river, only eating moss and some aquatic species, so they are very clean, the cool fish meat is both fragrant and rich, enjoying it once is unforgettable, and has long become a specialty dish in restaurants.

Muong Qua is located in Pu Mat National Park, a famous tourist destination with the scenic Giang River, Pha Lai Dam, Khe Kem Waterfall... This is an advantage and opportunity for local people to develop their socio-economy. Currently, Mon Son and Luc Da are promoting the preservation of cultural identity (restoring traditional occupations, establishing Folk Song - Musical Instrument Clubs and reviving some unique customs...) to attract tourists and develop community tourism. Up to now, some villages in Muong Qua have been marked with community tourism spots. Many visitors coming here are not only fascinated by the beautiful landscape, rich villages but also captivated by the cau lam, dieu xuoi, dieu xoe and the sound of gongs, panpipes, and pi echoing in the majestic night of the great forest.

It seems that artist Luong Van Nghiep still has many things to say about his homeland. But the harvest season is near, the fragrant scent of ripe rice is urging farmers to go to the fields. I have to make an appointment to come back later to listen to stories about the land and the love of the Muong Qua people. The golden sunlight spreads across the golden fields, the colors of a prosperous life filled with faith and hope...

Cong Kien