Houses on stilts rested under the shadow of big trees, surrounded by paddy fields. Our curious eyes seemed not to bother the chickens who walked freely on simple bamboo fences. A small cement path led us to houses where we could see how Muong people garden, raise poultry, weave and cook.
I stepped inside local Bui Kim Dinh’s house, where she told me about Muong gong culture. Showing me a set of 12 gongs symbolising the 12 months of the year, she said each family in the village owned at least one gong handed down through generations. On New Year’s Eve, people beat that gong to invite their ancestors to join the festivities.
