The inauguration of Tam 3 village’s communal house

The inauguration of Tam 3 village’s communal house

The Tet holiday atmosphere was pervading everywhere. Yet alongside the excitement to celebrate the Tet, the Muong people in Tam village, Thanh Hoi commune, Tan Lac district, Hoa Binh province had another enjoyment of their own, celebrating a new communal house.

On January 10th 2012, the new communal stilt house was inaugurated with the happiness of not only the locals but also the authorities and especially, CECAD members, who always want to help the ethnic minority people preserve their culture through their traditional stilt houses.

The construction of the communal house from March to June 2011 was one of the activities of the project “Marginalized and Capacity Building in Tu Ne and Thanh Hoi communes, Tan Lac district, Hoa Binh province” which was supported by ICCO – an inter church organisation for development cooperation. In order to create such a beautiful communal house, the locals together with CECAD staff worked really hard for several months building the house. By creating this communal house, it has helped to preserve the Muong tradition, as Muong people are now tending to convert the stilt houses into built houses. The house is a place for the local people to gather for community activities, traditional festivals and village meetings etc, which brings the villagers closer and helps in preserving their unique culture.

There were leaders from the People’s Committee of Tu Ne and Thanh Hoi communes, Tan Lac district, the Tan Lac Culture and Information Department and the Tan Lac Educational Department attending the opening of the communal house. The vice president of Tan Lac district, Mr. Bui Duy Phuong, made a speech at the opening and gave his thanks to CECAD in helping the locals preserve and develop their cultural values which are falling into oblivion. Mr. Bui Van Thanh – Secretary of Thanh Hoi commune, on behalf of the commune’s authority, promised to find resources to support the people to continue building other outstanding works to improve the communal house. Mr. Bui Van Linh, Head of the Cultural and Information Department of Tan Lac district shared with the people, regulations in holding activities in the communal house. Members from CECAD, Dr. Dao Trong Hung and Dr. Le Thi Van Hue were very happy to see the new communal house. Dr. Le Thi Van Hue also shared her knowledge about community-based ecotourism in Chiang Mai, Thailand with the hope that in the future, community-based ecotourism in Thanh Hoi will develop together with sustainable development.

At the end of the inauguration, the key to the communal house was handed to Mr. Bui Van Huynh, leader of Tam 3 village. All the local people, CECAD members and authorities enjoyed a small party to welcome the new communal house. We hope that in the future, the Muong people will have better life and the Muong culture will be preserved forever with the development of a hygienic industry – community-based ecotourism.

(Linh Pham)