Mai Chau Unique Culture - Cultural Guide 2024

Mai Chau has always been one of Vietnam's best places to visit. This is not only because of its marvelous landscape but also its unique Mai Chau culture. So, before taking a trip to Mai Chau, let’s find out… what makes this place so special.

The people

Feels like home, “the people” is what distinguishes one place from another. For more than 600 years, with many changes in history, the Thai people together with other ethnic groups such as Muong, Mong, Dao, Tay, and Hoa have created a very unique cultural identity of Mai Chau. It originated from the culture of the Thai people but has received many Muong cultural elements.

The people are gracious and sincere; they live in villages and believe that everyone is equal and free to be creative and to love, and the villagers share the fruits of labor and cultural achievements with their neighbors.

Architecture

The people of Mai Chau live in stilt houses (houses raised on stilts/piles over the surface of the soil or a body of water). The altar and the fire in the middle of the house for heating are indispensable features. Another classic architectural feature of the stilt houses is the staircase, which preserves the unique cultural and spiritual values ​​such as religious values, and taboos about gender and childbirth. For example, the right staircase is for men, and the left one is for women. 

These stilt houses are also located with their backs against hillsides or mountainsides to receive fresh air and are convenient for living, and hunting. They are often divided into three sides: The top side is used to store food and household utensils; the floor is used for daily activities, and the space under the house is used to store production tools, and confine livestock and poultry.

Costume

For women in general, they have  2 types of shirts:

1. Short-sleeved shirts: They wear them every day. It only needs 60 cm of fabric to make a shirt. The shirts have a small round neck and slits on both shoulders. The sleeves are sewn tightly around the arms. The body of the shirt is about 20 - 30 cm long. When worn, the shirt is tucked inside the waistband of the skirt. The shirts are usually indigo, red, white, and purple.
2. Long-sleeved shirts: Tailored to knee length, chest slit, no buttons, are usually black or indigo. These shirts are often worn outside to keep warm. Normally, Thai women in Mai Chau tie a white scarf around their waist, with the end of the scarf hanging down on the left hip.

Damsels (or Ms) will not tie their hair in buns but instead wear meticulously embroidered scarves called the Pieu scarves. The wives, however, will tie their hair in a bun on top of their heads while widows can tie their buns at the nape of their necks.

The women of Mai Chau love wearing jewelry such as necklaces, bracelets, earrings, hairpins, scarves, silver rings...

For men, the case is more simple. They also have 2 types of shirts. The short type is sewn by assembling four sides, two in the front and two at the back, with a slit in the chest, and buttons on both sides. It has a round collar; the sleeves reach the wrist and can be rolled up to the elbow. The entire body of the shirt is indigo or black, made of self-woven fabric.

The long type reaches below the knee and is made of rustic fabric, silk, or satin.

The pants are straight and have wide legs, long to the heel. They are made of indigo or brown dyed cotton fabric. 

Cuisine

Sticky rice, bamboo-tube rice, stem liquor, and grilled foods are often considered characteristics of Mai Chau cuisine.

Art 

The people of Mai Chau have unique Xoe dances (also outspread or flower dances), singing poems, and responsive songs. Traditional musical instruments include blue flute and recorder.

Religion and beliefs

Religion and beliefs play an important role in the culture of Mai Chau, its people worship their ancestors, the god of agriculture and the god of rivers and mountains. Worshiping is associated with festivals and ceremonies throughout the year to pray for rain and harvest. Weddings and funerals are strictly organized according to rituals.

The White Thai people celebrate Tet according to the lunar calendar. The Muong village has offerings to the gods of land, mountains, and water.

Folk games

Popular folk games in Mai Chau include shuttlecock throwing, tug-of-war, horse racing, boat racing, crossbow shooting, spread dancing, and spinning tops.

Mai Chau traditions and culture reflect the Mai Chau values ​​of unity, beauty, respect, and family.

People also read: 

>> A Complete Guide to Ba Khan Valley
>> Mai Chau Travel Guide