The Mang Ma ritual (a health-seeking ceremony) of the Xinh Mun people in Son La province has been recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage.

In Pa Cong village, Huoi Mot commune, Song Ma district, there are 85 Xinh Mun households living interspersed with Thai people. Sharing meals, housing, and daily life has led to the Xinh Mun culture being influenced by Thai culture. Mr. Lo Van Cau, a retired official and respected figure in Pa Cong village, shared: "Previously, the Xinh Mun had their own language, belonging to the Austroasiatic language family, the Mon-Khmer group. However, through interaction with the Thai language over time, the Xinh Mun language is no longer standard but is mixed with many Thai words. Most Xinh Mun people are fluent in Thai in their daily lives and communication. Their folk performances, such as singing, dancing, and games, are similar or completely identical to those of the Thai people."

In Phiêng Pằn border commune, Mai Sơn district, 12 out of 17 villages are inhabited by the Xinh Mun people, accounting for 73.22% of the local population. Mr. Vì Văn Lếch, Vice Chairman of the Commune People's Committee, stated: Many customs and traditions of the Xinh Mun people here are still preserved. These include traditional rituals such as the new rice harvest festival, harvest prayers, and naming ceremonies. However, these rituals all utilize prayers from the Thái ethnic group. The traditional stilt house architecture of the Xinh Mun people also shares similarities with that of the Thái people, with the gable roofs shaped like a rounded turtle shell.

The Xinh Mun community in our province has two branches: Xinh Mun Het and Xinh Mun Da, with approximately 4,200 households and over 15,600 people, mainly distributed in border villages between Vietnam and Laos in Yen Chau and Song Ma districts. In addition, some live scattered in Mai Son, Thuan Chau, and Muong La districts.

Mr. Pham Hong Thu, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, informed: From a cultural perspective, the Xinh Mun people are heavily influenced by the Thai ethnic culture. However, the underlying elements of the Xinh Mun people's unique identity still exist, such as their language, which, although mixed with Thai, still retains its own distinct characteristics. The Xinh Mun people have many social customs that are deeply rooted in their ethnic identity, including customary laws that have been established as village regulations and conventions, democratically adopted, and all members of the village committed to implementing them.

In their religious life, the Xinh Mun people have the custom of worshipping their ancestors, but unlike other communities, they do not hold ancestral worship ceremonies on the anniversary of a death. Instead, they organize these ceremonies collectively when moving into a new house, eating a new meal, or during joyous occasions. Regarding funeral rites, the family observes a period of abstinence from selling livestock and planting corn or rice during the days of the funeral ceremony. Furthermore, the Xinh Mun people also have other festivals, such as the Xên bản and Mạng ma ceremonies, presided over by shamans at the beginning of the year, to pray for favorable weather, bountiful harvests, and prosperity.

The traditional clothing of Xinh Mun women shares many similarities with that of Thai women, yet still possesses distinct characteristics. Everyday wear primarily consists of colorful blouses with integrated collars and chest panels. The skirts are black, extending from the waist to the ankles. The bodice and hem are embroidered with floral patterns, highlighted by a belt wrapped around the waist. The belts are usually made of light-colored silk, with the knot typically located on the right hip... This confirms that the Xinh Mun people have not been completely assimilated culturally. They still retain their own unique cultural nuances. The challenge lies in preserving, maintaining, and promoting their cultural identity, preventing its erosion.

In 2015, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism conducted an inventory and compiled a scientific dossier on the intangible cultural heritage of the Xinh Mun ethnic group. The provincial museum implemented activities to restore characteristic rituals, along with teaching the folk songs and dances of the Xinh Mun people. In 2020, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism surveyed, selected, and compiled a scientific dossier on the Mạng ma ritual (a health-seeking ritual) and proposed that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism recognize and include it in the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

However, currently, the preservation and promotion of the Xinh Mun people's cultural identity still faces many difficulties. Most artisans are elderly, and the organization of teaching traditional cultural forms is not yet systematic... To preserve and promote the traditional culture of the Xinh Mun people, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has advised the Provincial People's Committee to include several specific contents in the implementation plan of Project 6 under the National Target Program for socio-economic development of ethnic minority and mountainous areas, giai đoạn 2021 - 2030, phase I (2021 - 2025). These include prioritizing the establishment and maintenance of cultural clubs and performing arts groups; providing equipment support for cultural centers in villages inhabited by the Xinh Mun people; organizing training courses on the transmission of intangible cultural heritage; and preserving and restoring traditional festivals to serve tourism development…

With investment resources from the National Target Program and the attention of Party committees and authorities at all levels in the province, it is believed that the work of preserving and promoting the heritage of the Xinh Mun people will be carried out systematically and effectively, contributing to improving the spiritual life of the people and creating diversity in the cultural landscape of the ethnic communities in the province.

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