(TITC) - Located about 10km
to the west of Hoa Binh City,
Giang Mo Village (Binh Thanh Commune, Cao Phong District, Hoa Binh Province) is known as an attractive
community-based tourism destination with specific cultural values of Muong
ethnic group.
Highlight creating special attraction of the village is 100 stilt
houses of Muong people in the valley. The stilt houses in Giang Mo back
on the high land as hillsides, mountainsides to receive the air and include 3
floors, of which the top floor is used to hold foods and household items; the
middle floor to live and rest; the bottom floor to hold work instruments and
feed livestock, poultry. The size of the stilt house can be large or small but
the position of main door, stairs, water trough and mortars must not be
changed. The number of stair must be odd and the stairs must not be opposite
with the main door. The water trough is located in the left side of the house.
Along with the traditional stilt houses, Muong people in Giang Mo
have preserved many ancient production tools made of natural materials (wood,
bamboo…) as water supply system, rice mortars, hunting crossbow…
Currently, Giang Mo has 45 households participating in
community-based tourism. These households pay attention to environmental
protection; build toilets, bathrooms to serve tourists. In 2010, the culture
house of the village operated with the area of 500m2. At there, Muong cultural
life is reconstituted lively through unique art, cultural activities of the
villagers.
To Giang Mo, tourists will be enjoyed the typical dishes of Muong
people (steamed rice, boiled pork, grilled stream fish…); learned about Muong
culture through stories of homeowners, traditional crafts, brocade products
(bag, scarf, shirt…), instrument kinds... If staying overnight, tourists have
opportunity to enjoy unique dances in the sounds of drums, gongs, flutes,
monochords… and folk songs performed by Muong women and men. (Vietnam Visa On Arrival)
Community-based tourism development in Giang Mo not
only creates more jobs and increases income for villagers but also contributes
to conserving and promoting unique cultural values of Muong people as well as
helping the young generation improve their awareness of Muong culture
preservation.
Thu Giang
