Excited about the Muong market

In the highland and mountainous communes in the land of the four Muong (Bi, Vang, Thang, Dong) in Hoa Binh region, the market is always bustling and attractive. On market days, when the morning dew is still lingering on the mountainside, the people are busy and excited to go to the market, bringing with them many unique and strange products that can only be found in the countryside. In the cheerful voices and laughter, the market appears like a colorful picture, where mountain and forest products and the rich cultural identity of the Muong land converge.

Bo market, Lung Van commune is always bustling every Sunday and Tuesday.

The market is usually located in the center of the commune, people from all over the region gather to buy and sell. Unlike the regular market, the market only meets on specific days, mainly on Saturdays, Sundays or one more day of the week. Therefore, each market is a familiar meeting place, always crowded and bustling.

Coming to Muong land, immersing yourself in the markets to explore the land, culture, and feel the miniature picture of the people's life is an interesting experience. Among them, we must mention the markets such as: Bo market (Van Son commune), Dung Phong market (Muong Thang commune), Sao market (Muong Vang commune), Lo Son market (Toan Thang commune), Phu Luong market (Quyet Thang commune), Ngoc My market (Tan Lac commune)... From before dawn, all the roads leading to the market are bustling, so when the sun rises behind the mountains, they are full of goods for sale.

Canarium fruit and fresh bamboo shoots - mountain and forest products sold at the market

Having the opportunity to go to the market on Saturday and Sunday, we were attracted by the typical goods of the mountainous region and many of the sellers were ordinary people, not professional traders. In this season, the highlanders often bring to the market products harvested from the "forest" such as: fresh bamboo shoots, bee pupae, wood ear, Chinese jujube, banana seeds, mountain snails, wild rat meat... and medicinal plants.

Besides that, there are vegetables, tubers, fruits and products that the people grow themselves or find such as: Doi seeds, crickets, grasshoppers, silkworms, cassava leaves, stream fish and shrimp... Especially the items that are usually only available in the Muong countryside such as bamboo or wooden steamers, pipes and tobacco, bamboo chopsticks, pot racks, fish baskets, baskets... Breeding animals such as chickens, ducks, pigs are also bought and sold for people to raise and develop the economy .

Unique and strange products of the mountainous region are sold by people at the market.

In Van Son cloud valley, the Bo market, which is held every Sunday and Tuesday, will surely attract tourists with its mountain and forest products such as wild rat meat, coconut worms, and mountain vegetables and tubers (dồn, dac dot, purple garlic...).

Coming to Dung Phong market once a week on Sunday, in addition to the products like in other regions, there are also stalls selling ethnic costumes with colorful shirts, Muong skirts, and skirt waistbands that add to the color of the market. Some days the market also has a corner selling Muong gongs with full sets of big gongs, small gongs, gong sticks...

Traditional brocade of Muong ethnic group adds brilliance to the market session

Amidst the modern pace of life, traditional handmade items are still maintained and developed.

Sao market on Saturday is no less bustling, in which the impressive corner sells items used in performing folk religious rituals of Mr. Mo such as bells, small stones, yin and yang coins, deer antlers... Mr. Bui Van Hien in Thuong Coc commune often comes to Sao market, Muong Vang commune to sell this special type of goods. "The items I sell are very picky customers, not everyone understands and needs them, but I have kept this profession for a long time" - Mr. Hien shared.

Mr. Bui Van Hien's special booth specializes in selling items used in religious ceremonies.

The market, in addition to the vibrant colors, also has its own unique flavors created from delicious and cheap gifts, typically hot donuts. Most of the markets, donut stalls are crowded, attracting not only children but also adults. The hot, golden donuts are fried right at the market in a pot of boiling fat, fragrant, only 2,000 VND/piece or 10,000 VND for 6 pieces.

Enjoy hot donuts at the market.

At the market, many people are both sellers and buyers. People bring to the market simple products and goods and buy things from the lowlands such as clothes, shoes, household items... The market only comes once a week, so this is not only a place to exchange goods but also a meeting place, an opportunity for people to meet, exchange, and have fun after days of working in the fields.

People go to the market to buy clothes for their children for the new school year.

The market usually only takes place in the morning, when the sun is at its zenith, and people are hurrying to get ready to leave, so even after the market has ended, everyone seems to still linger and eagerly wait for the next session. It is also an interesting experience that tourists, especially those from urban areas and cities, should try to feel the life and culture of the mountain people.

With its unique values, if properly cared for, the fair can completely become an attractive tourism product on routes, tours, and routes to explore the land and indigenous culture.

The mountainous commune of Van Son has been planned to become a provincial-level tourist area by 2030 according to Resolution No. 13-NQ/TU dated October 17, 2022 of the Standing Committee of the Hoa Binh Provincial Party Committee (old). After the merger, this place has all the potential and advantages for development. In particular, the Cow Market is being studied to upgrade to a cultural market and expand the night market, expected to become an attractive tourist product that cannot be missed.

Secretary of the Party Committee of Van Son Commune Nguyen Duy Tu

Cam Le

Source: https://baophutho.vn/hao-huc-cho-phien-xu-muong-239722.htm