Muong Long is home to six Hmong family clans, but the Va clan is the largest and has consistently served as a driving force behind many local movements and development initiatives.

A pioneering generation that protected the village and built the community

Inside a traditional wooden house in Muong Long 2 Village, Va Nhia Ho, born in 1933, remains remarkably sharp despite being 93 years old. This year marks his 60th year as a member of the Communist Party, making him the longest-serving Party member in Muong Long Commune.

Reflecting on his youth, the veteran Party member recalled a turbulent period in western Nghe An's border region. At the time, armed groups led by Chau Nga were active in the area, attempting to persuade local people to establish a separate kingdom and oppose the government.

"Officials from the district and province came to the village many times before people truly understood. Once I became aware of the situation, I joined the commune militia to fight the insurgents and protect peace in our villages," Ho recalled.

In 1963, he was admitted to the Party while still a young unmarried man. Since then, he has remained a trusted source of guidance and moral support for local residents.

Many people in Muong Long jokingly describe Ho's family as a "living history book" of the revolutionary movement in the border region. For decades, he led campaigns encouraging settled farming, children's education, the elimination of outdated customs, the adoption of new lifestyles and economic development.

Ho is not the only veteran Party member in the Va clan.

In Trung Tam Village, Va Phai Tenh, born in 1946, is another respected figure.

Tenh joined the Party in 1968 at the age of 22. At that time, literacy was rare among Hmong communities in the highlands. After learning both the Hmong script and the national language from teachers sent from lowland areas, he became one of the few villagers able to read and write official documents.

"Education helps people understand right from wrong and escape poverty. That is why I taught literacy while also encouraging villagers to follow the Party," Tenh said.

Years later, he became Secretary of the Muong Long Commune Party Committee. Residents remember him as a grassroots leader who regularly visited villages, encouraged people to abandon outdated practices, improve livelihoods and preserve cultural traditions.

Carrying the revolutionary spirit into a new generation

The revolutionary tradition established by senior members of the Va clan has continued through successive generations.

One of the clan's proudest figures was First Lieutenant Va Ba Giai, the son of Va Phai Tenh. Born in 1975 and raised in a family deeply rooted in revolutionary values, Giai developed a strong sense of responsibility toward his borderland homeland from an early age.

In 1992, after graduating from high school, he volunteered to join the Border Guard force.

On July 26, 2004, while conducting a patrol mission in an area under the management of Tam Hop Border Guard Station, First Lieutenant Giai came under fire from an armed group and was killed in action.

His sacrifice in the remote mountains brought deep sorrow to the people of Muong Long. Yet it also strengthened the clan's commitment to public service and dedication to the nation.

Today, many younger members of the Va clan continue to follow in the footsteps of their predecessors.

In Xam Xum Village, Va Ba Rong, born in 2001, became a Party member in 2025. At just 24 years old, he already serves as the village head.

Beyond his administrative responsibilities, Rong actively encourages residents to change outdated mindsets, adopt new approaches to economic development and ensure children attend school regularly.

According to local residents, what distinguishes members of the Va clan is not only their pioneering spirit but also the example they set in daily life.

Speaking to VietNamNet, Va Ba Lenh, Head of Party Building Affairs in Muong Long Commune, said the commune currently has 355 Party members, of whom 85 belong to the Va clan, accounting for nearly one-quarter of the total.

The clan also includes many long-serving Party members. At present, it has six members with 40 years of Party membership, one with 50 years, four with 55 years and one with 60 years.

"Muong Long is home to six Hmong clans, but the Va clan is the largest and has always been a core force in many local movements," Lenh said.

From the veteran Party members who once fought armed groups and safeguarded the borderlands to today's younger generation leading economic development and rural modernization efforts, the flame of faith and dedication continues to be preserved and passed down through generations of the Va clan in the mountains of Muong Long.

Thanh Hai