Preserving and promoting the cultural values of ethnic minorities

Binh Thuan currently has 35 ethnic groups living together, including 34 ethnic minorities. Each ethnic group has its own cultural nuances, both expressing ethnic identity and contributing to the enrichment and diversity of the common culture. In recent years, the cultural system from the province to the grassroots has attached importance to discovering, preserving and promoting traditional cultural values, building and discovering new values in literature and art of ethnic minorities.

However, under the impact of economic and social life, cultural exchange and integration of regions, some traditional cultural values of ethnic minorities are no longer preserved or have been transformed, not true to their original form. Therefore, resources from Project 6 "Preserving and promoting fine traditional cultural values of ethnic minorities associated with tourism development" under the National Target Program on socio-economic development of ethnic minority and mountainous areas in the period 2021 - 2030, phase 1: 2021 - 2025, will be a "lever" contributing significantly to the conservation and preservation of invaluable assets of the land.

As the unit assigned by the Provincial People's Committee to implement Project 6, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has assigned the Provincial Museum to conduct surveys, investigations, statistics, and collect information on the current status of festivals and folk performing arts of ethnic groups. It is expected that from October 2023, classes will be opened to teach and support offerings, costumes, and musical instruments for ethnic groups. Specifically, classes will be opened to teach traditional pottery techniques of the Cham people in Binh Duc village, Phan Hiep commune (Bac Binh); folk performing arts (folk songs, folk dances, folk music) of the Co Ho ethnic group in Dong Giang and La Da communes (Ham Thuan Bac). Along with that, the Kate Festival of the Cham people of Binh Thuan province will be performed and recreated at 4 temples: Po Nit Temple, Phan Hiep commune (Bac Binh); Ba Chua Temple, Phu Lac commune and Po Nrop Temple, Phong Phu commune (Tuy Phong). Producing a documentary film about the Kate Festival of the Cham people in Binh Thuan province to serve the conservation and propaganda work. Training on methods and skills to build heritage models connected to tourism itineraries and purchasing and installing necessary equipment and supplies to build models connected to Cham cultural heritage tourism itineraries.

Union members and students visit Po Nit Temple.

In addition, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism will support the prevention of degradation of the national relic Po Nit Temple in Phan Hiep Commune, Bac Binh District. Support equipment for cultural and sports activities for cultural houses and sports areas in ethnic minority and mountainous areas in some villages in Tuy Phong, Bac Binh, Ham Thuan Bac, Ham Thuan Nam, Ham Tan, Tanh Linh and Duc Linh districts... Aiming at the common goal of restoring, preserving and promoting traditional cultural values; training and fostering cultural cadres; supporting cultural facilities and equipment for ethnic minority and mountainous areas to improve the level of cultural enjoyment for people associated with the development of community tourism.

Preserving and promoting the traditional cultural values of ethnic minority areas is one of the priorities identified by the Party and State, a fundamental, long-term, and urgent strategic issue in the current period. However, in order to turn traditional cultural values into assets and truly "take root" in the lives of ethnic minorities, along with the attention of the government, localities, and related units, perhaps the ethnic community itself needs to improve its capacity to protect and preserve itself. In particular, the participation of ethnic minority youth union members will be a decisive factor, because they are the owners of the present and future heritage.

Source