08:39, 26/11/2023
According to Mr. Thai Hong Ha, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, November is the period when Dak Lak's culture and tourism sector wants to launch several new plans, contributing to changing perspectives on the cultural values of the Central Highlands in the area.
The highlight of this initiative is the Dak Lak Ethnic Culture Festival, organized by the local authorities in mid-month. Through these specific events, the province will reassess the current state of cultural and artistic models and movements, tourism, mass sports, and cultural life within the community.
Spreading cultural values
The Dak Lak Ethnic Culture Festival comprises three main groups of activities: showcasing and displaying typical cultural products and traditional characteristics of the ethnic groups; introducing recognized and currently documented heritage values of the Central Highlands; and connecting and promoting unique local tourism programs and products.
The focus of this festival is the unique and distinctive expression of the traditional culture of various ethnic groups, with cultural heritage being the pinnacle of this expression. According to Mr. Thai Hong Ha, the industry's approach to these values is one of respect, equality, and fairness among different cultural values, without comparison or ranking. Each ethnic group will have its representative features and unique achievements selected by its people, with specific images and activities, to be showcased and widely introduced.
There will be aspects of cultural values that have long been recognized, but from this organizational perspective, the cultural sector strives to showcase new discoveries, research findings, and assessments to highlight them further. For example, the reconstruction of the Ede wedding ceremony, the introduction of the preparation of dishes and drinks of various ethnic groups, and the emphasis on the current situation in the communities and the potential for connecting and "tourism-izing" the activities for better promotion.
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| A performance of the Ede people's wedding procession ritual in Tong Ju village (Ea Kao commune, Buon Ma Thuot city) at the 2023 Dak Lak Province Ethnic Culture Festival. Photo: The Hung |
Mr. Ha emphasized that cultural heritage sites encompass inherent values, so successfully expressing these values and spreading the image of cultural heritage regions in contemporary life is essential. Therefore, the festival space should strive to expand, reaching even the most remote villages, focusing on everyday activities and real-life events within the spiritual traditions and rhythms of ethnic groups' lives, rather than simply performing on stages or in specific event areas.
Opening a new journey?
From the perspective of this festival, cultural managers want to be able to expand their understanding and properly structure the traditional culture of the Central Highlands in a specific locality, namely Dak Lak. With a foundation of 49 ethnic groups, the province needs to establish a system for managing, connecting, and promoting cultural values, and preserving cultural achievements in a scientific and effective manner.
This is not a simple task that can be accomplished through a few documents or directives. According to cultural researchers, it requires a sustainable roadmap and the convergence of reasonable and accurate attitudes, perspectives, and solutions. For example, regarding the restoration and promotion of the "Central Highlands Elephant" culture, a sensitive topic for the community for a long time, the locality needs to clearly state its viewpoint and plan to both preserve the beauty of traditional life between the people of the Central Highlands and elephants, while respecting new modern social values. Similarly, with the gong heritage, the research, collection, and organization of information about Dak Lak's achievements, as well as the care and protection of artisans and communities related to this heritage, must all be implemented and communicated clearly, consistently, and comprehensively.
Furthermore, in the coming period, Dak Lak province will have new programs and milestone events, such as the 120th anniversary of the province's establishment. These will require planning, connecting social resources, summarizing research activities, and promoting and communicating information – all of which truly require very specific outlines and solutions. The goal of initiating changes in investment, management perspectives, and promoting the local culture sector therefore needs to be even clearer and more transparent.
From these responsible perspectives, the Dak Lak cultural and tourism management sector has more clearly defined the tasks and plans that need to be discussed and implemented in the coming period. After being negatively impacted by the pandemic, the general economic crisis, and other negative social developments, it is clear that the Central Highlands cultural sector needs a realistic assessment and a restructuring of its activities to reflect its true meaning and scale. Therefore, November 2023 presents unique conditions and opportunities to move towards peak activities during Tet (Lunar New Year), welcoming the new year 2024. Facing future development challenges, the cultural, social, and tourism activities of Dak Lak and the Central Highlands must have better momentum for change, growth, and restructuring.
The clear manifestation of these cultural activities is how community life and lifestyles will be strengthened and how traditional values and ethics will be disseminated. Following this, there will be opportunities to stimulate investment in production, successfully organize services, and redevelop local tourism with clearer and higher-quality characteristics.
Thụy Bất Nhi
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