Preserving Khmer culture in Tra Vinh

The rich and unique cultural identity of the Khmer ethnic community in Vietnam in general and Tra Vinh province in particular is becoming a resource and material to create unique tourism products.

Ang Korajaborey Pagoda (Ang Pagoda) is a unique architectural and sculptural work, imbued with the spiritual and religious cultural identity of the Khmer people in the South. (Photo: Phuong Nghi)

Tra Vinh is a province with a large Khmer population (accounting for more than 32%), with 142 Khmer Theravada Buddhist pagodas with unique architecture imbued with the cultural identity of the Khmer ethnic group. There are traditional festivals of the Khmer people such as Ok Om Bok Festival, Sene Dolta, Chol Chnam Thmay traditional New Year; of which, Ok Om Bok Festival is recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a national intangible cultural heritage. This is a condition for Tra Vinh province to develop cultural and spiritual tourism.

With the view of preserving and developing the Southern Khmer culture, the Khmer Cultural and Tourism Village built in Ward 8 (Tra Vinh city) and Luong Hoa commune (Chau Thanh district) is planned into seven main sub-areas: Ba Om Pond, Ang Pagoda, Khmer Ethnic Culture Museum, Pali School, Khmer Ethnic Culture Village, Brick Kiln Pagoda, Oc Eo relic and functional sub-areas with many diverse and rich activities and services: commercial night market; food court promoting special dishes in Khmer culture; art creation and exhibition area; picnic area; ancient house area...

Travel Leverage

The goal is to build the Khmer Cultural and Tourism Village into a national cultural and tourism destination; to perform the function of preserving and developing the Khmer culture of Tra Vinh province in the direction of sustainable development, while creating leverage for local tourism development.

Entering the village, visitors will be immersed in the unique beauty of the long-standing Khmer culture, spread through the form of community tourism. The highlight of the “Khmer Cultural and Tourism Village” is the mural road painted by five Khmer artists and artisans on the walls of houses in Ba Se A hamlet (Luong Hoa commune, Chau Thanh district), including 28 paintings depicting cultural images, daily life activities, and religious activities of the Khmer people...

Currently, every month, the Khmer Cultural and Tourism Village welcomes hundreds of domestic and foreign tourists to visit and experience many rich activities: making flattened rice, dancing, visiting the mural village, sightseeing and learning about religious culture and pagodas. As for the people working in the village, they are increasingly professional due to being well-trained.

Meritorious artisan Lam Phene in Ba Se hamlet, Luong Hoa commune (Chau Thanh district) excitedly said that the Khmer Cultural and Tourism Village associated with the beauty of the craft village has created an opportunity for tourists to experience when coming to Tra Vinh, as well as cultural exchange with the Khmer ethnic people.

Tourists participate in experiential activities at the Khmer Cultural and Tourism Village in Tra Vinh province. (Photo: Phuong Nghi)

“Here, my family directly recreates for tourists to experience traditional Khmer performances such as Ro Bam dance, Chan dance, Ta Khe zither playing... with hats, masks, props and traditional musical instruments made by me. In addition, many families recreate scenes of pounding flat rice, making bean cakes... traditional dishes of the Khmer people,” Mr. Lam Phene shared.

Mr. Thach Anh, a tour guide at the Khmer Cultural and Tourism Village, said: “Being a tour guide at the Cultural Village helps me promote the traditional culture of the Khmer people to everyone. By participating in this startup, we can accumulate finances and preserve the cultural treasures of our people.”

Meritorious artist Lam Phene and his family directly recreate traditional Khmer performances such as the Sa Dam drum dance for tourists. (Photo: Phuong Nghi)

Since the Khmer Cultural and Tourism Village project in Tra Vinh province was implemented, the lives of a part of the Khmer people have changed positively. Ms. Thach Thi Roi (Khmer) in Ward 8 (Tra Vinh city) shared: “Since we were trained in tourism skills and welcoming guests, I have realized the importance of developing tourism associated with preserving the cultural heritage of the Khmer people.

Currently, on average three times a week, my family and I participate in demonstrations of making flattened green rice, a Khmer specialty, and perform robam folk dance at the Tra Vinh Khmer Ethnic Culture Museum to serve visitors. Thanks to this, my family has an additional source of stable income.”

New product development

Mr. Tran Manh Thang, a tourist from Da Nang, and his family recently had a trip to explore the Khmer cultural and artistic identity at the Khmer Cultural and Tourist Village. At Ba Roi Khmer flat rice, he and many other tourists were excited to join the locals in pounding flat rice and learning how to mix flat rice. This is an indispensable traditional dish of the Khmer people during the moon worshiping festival, also known as Ok Om Bok festival on the full moon day of the 10th lunar month.

Tourists excitedly join the locals in pounding rice. (Photo: Phuong Nghi)

To implement the project, diversify products and develop tourism in a sustainable direction, in the coming time, Tra Vinh will promote the development of community tourism products associated with the cultural and spiritual life of the Khmer ethnic people.

In particular, the province focuses on exploiting the value of cultural space, performing folk dance art to serve tourists; building tours to visit and experience traditional wood carving villages; tours to learn about indigenous cultural architecture by bicycle, buffalo riding and staying in Khmer ancient houses over 100 years old, experiencing the mural route, Buddhist volunteer tourism, charity pilgrimage tourism...

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/bao-ton-van-hoa-khmer-o-tra-vinh-275670.html