Muong ethnic minority group’s traditional wedding ceremony in Yen Son recognised as National Intangible Cultural Heritage

The event was organised by the Party Committee, People’s Council, People’s Committee and Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Yen Son ward.

Attending the ceremony were Standing Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee Tran Song Tung, and Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee Dang Thanh Son, among others.

Yen Son ward was established through the merger of Tan Binh ward, Yen Son commune (formerly in Tam Diep city) and Quang Lac commune (formerly in Nho Quan district). The ward covers an area of 35.86 sq.km and has a population of 21,397, including 5,883 ethnic minority people, accounting for 27.5% of the total population, most of whom are Muong ethnic minority people.

Within the cultural space shaped and nurtured over generations, the Muong community in Yen Son has preserved a wide range of distinctive traditional cultural values, including its language, folk songs, gongs, traditional costumes, cuisine, customs, practices and rituals.

Among these traditions, the traditional wedding ceremony is a particularly important cultural practice, embodying values associated with family, clans, morality and community relations.

A traditional Muong wedding consists of six rituals conducted in sequence: Long Xieng the initial meeting between the two families and the informal proposal; the formal proposal; name inquiry, engagement and betrothal offerings; the wedding ceremony; the bride-taking ceremony; and the return visit by the newlyweds.

A distinctive feature of Muong marriage customs is the role of the matchmaker, who accompanies the two families from the early stages of the wedding process.

The wedding space is further enriched by various forms of folk performance and the resounding sounds of gongs.

The traditional wedding of Muong people encompasses a series of long-established rituals that embody the community's cultural identity and reflect profound beliefs concerning marriage, family, community, ancestors and clan relationships.

At the ceremony, authorised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, a leader of the provincial Department of Culture and Sports announced the decision of the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism to include the traditional wedding ceremony of the Muong people in Yen Son ward in the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List./.