The Story of Young People Passionate About Culture

Driven by passion and creativity, many young people are becoming “cultural ambassadors,” actively preserving, innovating, and spreading national ethnic identity across digital platforms. From restoring heritage and telling village stories to connecting communities, they have contributed to bringing traditional cultural values closer to the younger generation and tourists alike.

From Devotion to Restoring Cultural Heritage

Born in 2002, Bui Bao Du in Thuong Coc Commune has always taken pride in being a child of the ancient Muong Vang land. For Du, cultural preservation is not merely a responsibility of the youth, but an opportunity to innovate and revitalize traditional values through modern thinking and a spirit of integration.

Bui Bao Du (left) is one of the young faces passionate about Muong cultural heritage.

In 2022, Du teamed up with local youths to establish the “Youth Club for Preserving and Promoting Ethnic Cultural Identity of Thuong Coc Commune” (Bon Muong Club), gathering over 20 members from within and outside the commune who share a passion for Muong culture. In his role as club chairman, Du serves as a bridge connecting members, building a vibrant and highly creative cultural activity environment.

From 2023 to 2025, Du continuously proposed numerous ideas to restore traditional cultural values while securing support from local authorities and the community to realize programs such as “Muong Weaving Craft,” “Spring Muong Gong Festival for New Year Wishes, Co Ke Bamboo Flute Folk Music, and Dum Singing, Thuong Rang - Bo Meng Singing of the Muong Ethnic Group,” among others.

These activities gathered artisans from four Muong regions (Bi, Vang, Thang, Dong) to exchange and perform, attracting thousands of local residents and tourists from across and outside the province to experience the Muong cultural heritage space.

To Spreading Village Images on Digital Platforms

While Bui Bao Du contributed to awakening cultural values through restoration activities, Ly Thi Hang—a Dao Tien girl in Sung Bai Village, Cao Son Commune—chose to tell village stories via social networks.

Owning Facebook and TikTok channels with tens of thousands of followers, Hang has become a content creator introducing images of her homeland, helping bring the village closer to the wider community.

Ly Thi Hang—a Dao Tien girl in Sung Bai Village—builds channels to promote the image and cultural beauty of her homeland on digital platforms.

“As a native of Sung Bai Village, I am always concerned with preserving traditional cultural identity alongside community tourism development. I film videos, handle communications, become a content creator, and tell stories of my village. Every story spread brings another opportunity for my homeland to be known, while local residents themselves take added pride in where they live,” Hang shared.

Sung Bai Village is a long-standing settlement of the Dao Tien people, prominent for its traditional wooden house architecture, customs, rituals, costumes, and traditional crafts. Through authentic, rustic, yet emotion-filled camera angles, Hang not only preserves village imagery but also connects tourists with local cultural life through experiences like homestays, culinary exploration, and living alongside residents.

Alongside Hang, there are many other young content creators such as “Tho dia Hoa Binh” (Hoa Binh Local), “Nang dau xu Muong” (Muong Land Bride), and “Ky su xu Muong” (Muong Land Chronicles). They choose to tell history and culture and promote tourism through lively footage on digital platforms.

Notable among these is the video series “Dat Muong ky su” (Muong Land Chronicles) produced by “Tho dia Hoa Binh,” introducing stories about the Muong Au Ta people, the mysteries of Mo Muong, taboos in Muong stilt houses, and the origins of the Mai Chau Thai or Da Bac Tay peoples. Meanwhile, “Nang dau xu Muong” leaves its mark with stories on customs, rituals, and folk performing arts of the Muong people, contributing to spreading cultural identity to a broad audience.

A Bridge Connecting the Younger Generation with Heritage

Not stopping at spreading culture online, many young people directly participate in community projects aimed at bringing heritage closer to youth.

Recently, Ly Thi Hang—the Dao Tien girl in Sung Bai Village, Cao Son Commune—became the Media Ambassador for the community project “Loi ban” (Village Voice), targeting highland communities with cultural preservation activities linked to raising awareness about natural disaster prevention.

Earlier, in August 2025, the project “Muong Tra va van hoa Muong” (Muong Tea and Muong Culture) launched with Bui Bao Du’s participation. Through field surveys, workshops, and exhibitions, the project delivered a unique Muong cultural experience space right in the heart of Ha Noi Capital, helping young people approach heritage through multiple senses: hearing, seeing, touching, and feeling.

Students from FPT University enthusiastically explore Muong village culture from the Ancestral Land.

Continuing that journey, in July 2026, the Muong Cultural Heritage Museum (Thong Nhat Ward) co-organized a program titled “Journey Bringing Muong Villages to FPT University.” Here, young students were immensely excited to access and experience traditional Muong ethnic culture through gong sounds, stilt houses, and hearth fires—meeting and listening to stories told by those preserving ethnic culture.

According to Meritorious Artisan Bui Thanh Binh—Director of the Muong Cultural Heritage Museum (Thong Nhat Ward), the fact that young people proactively record, create content, and tell stories of native culture on digital platforms has created an effective bridge between today’s generation and ancestral heritage. This fresh approach not only helps awaken pride in ethnic identity, but also opens opportunities for traditional culture to be preserved, promoted, and spread powerfully in contemporary life.

From heritage restoration activities to million-view videos on social networks and impactful community projects, young people are proving: Cultural preservation is not just about guarding the past, but about innovating so that heritage continues to live in today’s life. And when tradition is told in the language of the digital era, cultural identity gains new vitality and will be sustained across generations.

Bui Minh