Preserving the traditional cultural beauty of the Chieng An region.

Chieng An Ward,Son La provinceIt is home to 10 ethnic groups, with the Thai people accounting for over 80% of the population. In recent years, along with economic development and income improvement, the locality has always paid attention to caring for the cultural and spiritual lives of the ethnic people.

Cultural, artistic, and sports activities are regularly maintained. Amateur performing arts groups in villages and residential areas, as well as cultural clubs, have become places for people to meet, interact, and together preserve the beautiful traditions of the nation.

In particular, Chiềng An ward is promoting the role of artisans, the elderly, and those knowledgeable about ethnic culture in teaching the spoken language, written script, folk songs, folk dances, traditional costumes, and customs. This is not only a way to preserve culture but also contributes to enriching the spiritual life of the people.

Cultural and sports activities contribute to improving the spiritual life and strengthening solidarity among the ethnic groups in Chiềng An ward. Photo: Văn Ngọc

In Tam Quynh village, the Thai Culture Preservation Club was established with 35 members, including artisans, elderly people, cultural leaders, and those passionate about traditional culture. The club is organized into three groups: Thai singing, embroidery of Piêu scarves, and Thai dancing.

These groups maintain activities, practicing together, exchanging ideas, and passing on the beauty of their culture to the younger generation. Those with more knowledge guide those with less, those who can sing pass on folk melodies, and those skilled in embroidery teach how to create patterns on the piêu scarf.

Ms. Ca Thi Thuong, Head of the Thai Culture Preservation Club in Tam Quynh village, shared: “Many people in the village still know how to sing Thai songs, dance Thai dances, embroider scarves, and understand traditional culture. The club, once established, will be a place to bring people together to preserve it, with those who know passing it on to those who don't, especially teaching it to their children and grandchildren. We will maintain regular activities and attract more young people to participate so that our ethnic culture can be continued.”

On weekends, when household chores have eased, club members gather in their traditional costumes. The sounds of singing, flute playing, and traditional dances fill the air, creating a joyful and warm atmosphere.

For the elderly, such gatherings evoke memories of days spent immersed in their village culture. For the younger generation, it's an opportunity to learn more about their roots, how to sing and dance, and the beautiful customs of their ethnic group.

The event reenacts the Hạn Khuống ritual with traditional courtship and call-and-response songs of the Thái ethnic group. Photo: Văn Ngọc

Along with cultural activities, Chiềng An ward regularly organizes sports activities, attracting a large number of people from various ethnic groups to participate. Traditional sports such as stick pushing, tug-of-war, throwing the ball, and other traditional games are included in festivals and competitions, creating beneficial recreational activities for the people.

At the sports field, laughter, applause, and cheers filled the air during the competitions. Amateur athletes, from young people to the elderly, participated in the contests, socialized, and improved their health.

Every tug-of-war, every ball-throwing game, or every stilt-walking race brings joy to the people. What is memorable is not only the prize but also the spirit of solidarity and the bond between families, villages, and ethnic groups in the area.

Ms. Hoang Thuy Nga, Deputy Head of the Culture and Social Affairs Department of Chieng An Ward, said: “The Ward-level Sports Festival is a celebration for the people of all ethnic groups in the area. This is an opportunity to promote the mass sports movement, contributing to improving health and physical fitness, and creating a joyful and enthusiastic atmosphere among the people.”

According to Ms. Nga, through this initiative, the ward will continue to promote the "All citizens practice physical training following the example of the great President Ho Chi Minh" movement, while preserving and developing traditional ethnic sports alongside modern sports.

This is also an opportunity to evaluate the sports and physical education movement in the villages and hamlets during the 2025-2030 period, thereby providing appropriate guidance for the movement to develop further and sustainably.

Along with organizing competitions, Chiềng An ward aims to invest in, renovate, and upgrade facilities and equipment to serve the training and competition needs of the people. This creates favorable conditions for the development of mass sports and physical education movements, contributing to improving the health and spiritual well-being of the people.

People of various ethnic groups in Chiềng An ward enthusiastically participate in the stick-pushing game. Photo: Văn Ngọc

Bringing traditional culture into everyday life.

Currently, Chiềng An ward maintains 19 cultural clubs, bringing together artisans, elderly people, cultural and artistic leaders, and passionate individuals involved in preserving and passing on traditional culture. These are important individuals who help traditional culture continue to be present in community life.

Many distinctive cultural values ​​of ethnic minorities, such as their languages, writing systems, costumes, cuisine, folk songs, folk dances, and customs, are still preserved. However, in the face of changes in modern life, preserving and passing these traditions on to the younger generation has been identified by the local authorities as a task that needs to be carried out regularly.

Chiềng An Ward has issued a plan for preserving and promoting the cultural identity of ethnic groups in conjunction with tourism development for the period 2025-2030. Accordingly, by 2030, the ward aims for 100% of villages and residential areas to have regularly operating amateur performing arts groups; and 80% of students at all levels to have access to cultural identity education through extracurricular activities.

The Thai ethnic people of Chieng An ward enthusiastically participate in the traditional game of "to ma le". Photo: Van Ngoc

Along with maintaining the clubs, the ward will build a local cultural space, revive the Han Khuong festival, organize costume shows, introduce local cuisine; collect, document, and teach cultural values ​​that are at risk of disappearing.

Mr. Pham Van Thanh, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Chieng An Ward, said: The ward will continue to promote the role of artisans and the elderly in passing on cultural knowledge; consolidate and improve the quality of activities of clubs; and encourage young people and students to participate.

At the same time, conservation activities should be linked with the promotion and introduction of traditional culture, gradually exploiting unique values ​​to serve the development of local tourism.

From songs and dances in community gatherings to lively sports competitions, the spiritual life of the people in Chiềng An ward is becoming more practical and beneficial. The preservation and promotion of traditional cultural values ​​not only enriches the lives of the ethnic communities but also contributes to strengthening solidarity and building a cultured way of life at the grassroots level.