Late in the afternoon, as the sun sets, the sound of the Hmong flute echoes through the mountains of Ta Xua. In the courtyard of the Chung Trinh village cultural center, young men and women gather in a circle, engrossed in the dance and love songs of "gau plenh." Amidst the majestic mountain scenery and cloud-filled landscape, the unique Hmong culture brings a distinctive character to the highland commune of Ta Xua, becoming a potential area for community tourism development.
The Ta Xua commune's performing arts team is practicing for a performance to celebrate National Day on September 2nd.
We stepped into the dance space, swept up in the rhythm of the drums and flutes, spinning around with the villagers, feeling the joy spreading. Mr. Mua A Sang, the head of Chung Trinh village, who regularly participates in cultural activities in the village, enthusiastically said: "We are practicing a performance for the National Day on September 2nd. Previously, the villagers paid little attention to community life, only focusing on farming and growing corn. When the policy of building a cultural life was introduced, everyone responded enthusiastically, participating in rehearsals and organizing a joyful festival for the village, welcoming tourists to experience it."
Ta Xua commune in Son La province currently has 13 villages with over 11,000 inhabitants, of which the Mong ethnic group accounts for more than 90%. The commune has 13 cultural centers and 13 regularly operating amateur performing arts groups. To date, nearly 70% of the villages have been recognized as "Cultural Villages". In recent years, Ta Xua has organized many cultural and artistic events, such as: the Mong Ethnic Culture Festival; the Ta Xua Cloud Festival; and the Horse Racing on the Clouds Festival, becoming highlights that attract thousands of tourists to experience the Mong cultural space, enjoy local cuisine, and OCOP products.
Several successful models are being implemented in the villages, such as: Ta Xua village has established a performing arts group to serve tourists, transforming the melodies of the Hmong flute and singing into a "specialty" of experiential tourism. In Lang Cheu village, the "Green, Clean, and Beautiful Village" movement has changed the face of the countryside; old dirt roads are now adorned with flowers, and the villages are neat and well-maintained. Chung Trinh village maintains a folk art club. Meanwhile, in Hang Dong 1 and Hang Dong 2, the crafts of linen weaving, brocade embroidery, and Hmong flute making are being revived.
In Ta Xua, culture has become a resource, an inner force for development. In the flickering firelight, we and other tourists gathered with the locals, enjoying the sounds of the Hmong flute, sipping strong corn wine, eating a steaming bowl of thang co (a traditional Hmong stew), and listening to stories about village founding and farming. The vibrant brocade fabrics sold at the tourist site serve as both souvenirs and a source of income for the women in the village.
Ms. Nguyen Thu Trang, a tourist from Hanoi, shared: "Coming to Ta Xua, I not only got to admire the sea of clouds but also experienced the festive atmosphere of the Hmong people. What I enjoyed most was trying on traditional costumes and dancing with the locals. These experiences make us want to come back and we will recommend it to our friends."
The Mong Hang Dong reed pipe club practices reed pipe dancing.
Many households, after participating in tourism training courses and vocational training organized by the commune, have boldly opened homestays, learned how to encourage guests to stay longer, and importantly, they have become a "bridge" to promote Ta Xua. As a result, culture has been and continues to be closely linked with economic development, creating more sustainable livelihoods.
Mr. Do Van Xiem, Chairman of the People's Committee of Ta Xua commune, informed: The commune is focusing on building a model community tourism village, linked with the "All people unite to build a cultured life" movement; emphasizing the preservation of traditional values, such as the khene flute dance and brocade weaving; at the same time, mobilizing social resources and applying digital technology in promotion, in order to both improve the spiritual life and create sustainable livelihoods for the people.
The achievements in the cultural life development movement have created a new face for Ta Xua. Not only has it enriched the people's spiritual lives and strengthened community bonds, but it has also opened up opportunities for economic development through cultural tourism. This serves as a foundation for the commune to continue exploiting its potential and affirming its position as an attractive destination in the Son La highlands.