Viet Nam seeks UNESCO title for more intangible cultural heritages

Accordingly, Mo Muong will seek the status of an intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding.

Meanwhile the art of Cheo is expected to be included in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The Viet Nam National Commission for UNESCO was assigned to coordinate with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to carry out necessary submission procedures.

Mo Muong is a job and also a performance practised at funerals, religious festivals, and life cycle rituals by the Muong ethnic group. The art consists of Mo prayers and performances, by Mo practitioners, or Mo artisans.

Mo Muong has a long life, spanning centuries, as it has always helped to nurture the characteristics and the souls of the Muong people.

It is the essence of labor, production, cultural behavior and the philosophy of the Muong people, reflecting their love of life and home villages.

Mo Muong has been practised in the northern mountainous provinces of Ninh Binh, Phu Tho and Son La, the north central province of Thanh Hoa, the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak and Ha Noi.

As a folk theatre art of Vietnamese people, "Cheo" is popular in the Red River Delta and the neighboring northern mountainous and north central regions. It is often performed at traditional festivals to show gratitude to gods for bumper crops and prosperity, and also as a way for farmers to express their thoughts.

To date, Viet Nam has 15 elements inscribed on UNESCO's List of Intangible Cultural Heritage and List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.

They are Nha Nhac - Vietnamese court music; Space of gong culture; Quan ho Bac Ninh folk songs; Ca Tru singing; Giong festival of Phu Dong and Soc temples; Xoan singing of Phu Tho province; Worship of Hung Kings in Phu Tho; Art of Don ca tai tu music and song in southern Viet Nam; Vi and Giam folk songs of Nghe Tinh; Tugging rituals and games; Practices related to Vietnamese beliefs in the Mother Goddesses of Three Realms; The art of Bai Choi in central Viet Nam; Then singing practice of Tay, Nung, Thai ethnic people; the art of Xoe Thai dance; and the art of pottery making by Cham ethnic people./.