MUONG ETHNIC

I. Distribution
In the 54 ethnic communities of Vietnamese people, the Muong
ethnic group rank 4th among the largest ethnic in Vietnam. The
Muong people have very close relations with the Kinh and residing
in the Northern provinces, the highest density is in the Hoa Binh
province and some mountainous districts of the Thanh Hoa
province.
II. Population
According to the survey results of the General Statistics Office
published in 1989, the Muong ethnic group in Vietnam only had
914,396 people, but 10 years later, ie 1999, still according to the
results of the General Census of the General Statistics Office of
Public Statistics. According to the census results, the number of
Muong people has increased to 1,137,515 people, after 10 years,
according to the census results, the number of Muong people
increased to 1,434,628 people.

III. Cultures of Muong Ethnic Group

The Muong have a treasure of rich folk music with genres such as
long poetry, “mo”, fairy tale, folk, “Dum”, proverbs.  The Muong
also has lullaby, rhyme, and singing quiz. “Gong” is a characteristic
musical instrument of the Muong ethnic, in addition to this, flute,
drum, pan-pipe Lu. The best features of this type are the tunes of
folk songs Muong. Besides, “Stealing wife” is one of the special
cultures of the Muong which people still keep up to now.

IV. Costume of Muong people

Comparing to the other ethnic groups, the traditional costume of the
Muong are simpler but still are very characteristic. Muong people
have the skirt dying technique quite meticulously, creating durable
fabric color but very high gloss. Men usually wear indigo short or
long shirt, buttoned on one side, long pants, wide belts wrapped
around the waistband, top bun, wrap long scarf, head scarf sideways
holster, later also used as turban wrap of the Kinh. Most women’s
dress is woven by hand, decorated with knitting fabric, dying. The
Muong women wear a long, black dress and a white or brown shirt
with a line of buttons in the front and long sleeves. They wind a
white or indigo headscarf around the head. The high spot in the
Muong costume is embroidered on the dress hem and belt. It has a
need for skillful and artistic ability to design the patterns and
harmonize the colors of the costume.

V. Customs & Habits of Muong people

The Muong people have a habit of residing in the mountainous

areas, where have many productive lands, near roads, convenient
for business activities. Visiting the villages of the Muong people,
we will see the houses on stilts leaning on the hills, facing the green
fields, orchards around the house. House on stilts is a traditional
house of the Muong people, designed especially convenient for
living beside the functions for residence and storage, preventing
predators, snakes and suitable for hot and humid climatic conditions
in the mountains, the dwelling of the Muong people is a place to
preserve the cultural identity, educate members in the family. The
Muong people use a very special bamboo calendar type. They not
only use a bamboo calendar for agricultural production but also use
it in the important events of a lifetime.
VI. Unsound customs

In the Muong ethnic group, child marriage and consanguineous

marriage still occur but not much. Child marriage and
consanguineous marriage deprives mothers and children of
opportunities for education, good jobs, and opportunities to
improve living conditions and health care. In particular,
consanguineous marriage seriously affects the quality of the
population, reduces the race and the quality of human resources.
however, at present, local authorities are actively propagating to the
Muong ethnic group to minimize this problem.