(VOVworld) – People in Tua Chua stone plateau, Dien Bien province, consider Vi A Hao of Mong ethnicity an artisan. Hao not only teaches the Mong language to local residents and students but also helps to preserve the Mong culture. Bich Thuy reports:
Hao said he considers the customs and cultural traditions of the Mong an inseparable part of his life: “As a son of the Mong, I’ve always wanted to learn and teach our language to others. I hope that all Mong children will come to know our language.”
After graduating from an education university, Hao spent much of his life researching and compiling documents about Mong culture. Since 2001, he has been teaching Mong to officials, soldiers, and students throughout the province. Hao said Mong is not difficult. It is similar to Latin but it’s important to memorize the new vocabulary: “Writing, reading, and speaking Mong are not difficult but to have a thorough understanding of the context you should learn new words.”
Do Hong Thai, an officer of Tua Chua district, has been studying Mong with Hao for 6 months. He can now write and talk with the locals in their language. He said learning Mong will make his work in ethnic areas easier: “Thanks to Hao’s class, I can understand the locals better, which eases the work of communicating Party and state policies to them.”
Although he is in his 60s, Hao still makes time to meet Mong artisans and artists and record the verses, songs, and customs of the Mong. He is always ready to talk to anyone who wants to learn the Mong language and culture. He considers his work a great joy and a way to help preserve Mong culture for future generations: “Mong customs and traditions are abundant. They used to be passed down verbally but that isn’t effective. It is essential to write down everything for our children to learn in the future.”
Hao was invited by the Ministry of Education and Training to help compile a Mong-Vietnamese dictionary in 1996. In 2006 he joined a program to teach Mong to education workers nationwide. He has received many certificates of merit but for him the biggest reward has been the “artisan” title local residents gave him with affection and respect.
Đăng ký: VietNam News