TRADITIONAL SOCIAL ORGANIZATION AND ITS INFLUENCE IN MUONG SOCIETIES IN HOA BINH PROVINCE, VIETNAM

Abstract

This article examines the traditional social organization of the Muong and its influences in their society in the modern society of Muong people in Hoa Binh province, Vietnam. The author employs the methodology of Structuralism and Functionalism along with anthropological methods, observations, data collection, and in-depth interviews, the author points out that Muong people still appreciated the role of religious dignitaries and the important voice of the elder in their occupation despite the fact that their social organization has been officially eliminated after 1954. Nowadays, the local authority of Hoa Binh province is paying more attention to preserving the traditional values in shaman and stimulating the young Muong people to study their patois to protect positive cultural values in the context of modernization. Simultaneously, the author intends to propose some influential solutions to consult with the authority and local groups of Muong people in Hoa Binh province to implement proper policies of cultural preservation in Hoa Binh province effectively in the future.