*Alternative Names: The Muong people are also known as Mol, Mual, and Moi.

*Population: The Muong ethnic group numbers over 914,600 individuals.

*Language: The Muong language belongs to the Viet-Muong language group.

*Residency: The Muong people reside in settled mountain areas with ample agricultural land, close to transportation routes, which facilitates their economic activities.

Muong Maiden - Illustrative Image

* Economy: The Muong people have a long history of rice cultivation, with wet rice being their staple food. Traditionally, they grew more glutinous rice than ordinary rice, which was a daily staple. An important secondary source of income for the Muong is the collection of forest products such as shiitake mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, cardamom, ant wings, cinnamon, honey, timber, bamboo, rattan, and reed. Handicrafts are also significant, with notable skills in weaving, basketry, and silk production. Many Muong women engage in intricate hand-weaving techniques.

Muong Houses - Illustration

*Clothing: The traditional attire of Muong men consists of indigo-colored shirts and pants. Women wear a rectangular white headscarf, a chest-covering garment, and a short-sleeved blouse with a front opening (sometimes with shoulder openings), typically with few buttons. Women’s skirts are quite long, reaching up to the armpits. The waistband of the skirts is woven with dyed silk, featuring intricate geometric patterns and beautiful motifs such as dragons, phoenixes, deer, and birds. Historically, the Muong society was organized under a system of "lang dao" (chiefdoms), where different lineages such as Đinh, Quách, Bạch, and Hà each managed different regions. Each Muong was led by a lang cun (chief), and beneath the lang cun were lang xóm or dao xóm, who managed individual villages.

*Marriage Customs: Muong marriage customs are similar to those of the Kinh people, including stages such as the initial proposal, engagement, wedding requests, and the bride's arrival. When a household has a newborn, the main staircase is enclosed with bamboo or rattan screens. A child is given a name only after reaching about one year of age. In death rituals, a shaman often sings and recounts the creation myths and ancestral histories.

*Ancestor Worship: The Muong practice ancestor worship and believe in polytheism.

*Festivals: Notable festivals include the “Down to the Fields Festival” (Khuông mùa), the Rain-Calling Festival (in April), the Rice Leaf Washing Ceremony (in the 7th and 8th lunar months), and the New Rice Festival.

Illustrative Image

* Culture: The Muong people possess a rich treasury of folk arts, including long poems, "mo" chants, folklore, folk songs, and proverbs. They also engage in lullabies, children's songs, flower-beating songs, riddles, and games. The "cồng" is a distinctive musical instrument among the Muong, complemented by the "nhị" (two-stringed fiddle), "sáo" (flute), drums, and "khèn lù" (mouth organ). In Vinh Phu, the Muong use bamboo tubes to strike wooden planks on the floor, producing sounds known as "đâm đuống" for enjoyment.

Translated by Huyen Vu