Awakening the potential and developing community tourism in Bau Ech

Located modestly in the middle of Hoa Thanh land, Bau Ech (Truong Tay commune) is a small hamlet of the Khmer people, preserving unique traditional cultural imprints. This is also a bright spot in the community tourism development project. The journey to awaken the potential of this place is being initiated, promising to bring positive changes in preserving heritage and accompanying the economic development of the Khmer people.

Khmer people in Bau Ech pound flat rice during Ok Om Bok festival.

Khmer heritage in Bau Ech - from the unique coconut shell dance, to the distinctive Chhay-dam drum, the national Five-tone orchestra and the dishes imbued with the homeland, Khmer heritage in Bau Ech is waiting to be awakened, becoming a valuable resource for developing community tourism.

A place where cultural colors converge

When talking about Khmer culture in Bau Ech, the first thing to mention is the Chhay-dam drum dance, recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2014. This is a unique dance, closely associated with the history and spirituality of the Khmer people, formed and passed down during the process of labor and community activities.

Chhay-dam drum dancers always satisfy viewers with their strong, decisive movements, but also with their graceful and flexible movements. In particular, Chhay-dam drums are made from jackfruit tree trunks, covered with buffalo skin, creating a sound that is both resonant and powerful, conveying pride and connecting successive generations.

The art of Chhay-dam drum dance is not only performed in traditional festivals such as Chol Chnam Thmay, Sene Dolta, Ok Om Bok but also appears in community activities of people in phum and soc.

In particular, the Chhay-dam drum dance team in Truong An hamlet has had the opportunity to perform at many large stages such as Ba Den Mountain National Tourist Area, festivals, and mass art competitions at the provincial, national and regional levels, contributing to promoting and affirming the unique beauty of Khmer culture.

Along with drum dance, coconut shell dance is also a unique cultural feature. Coconut shell dance is performed by tapping two halves of coconut shells together or on the body to create a pleasant sound, blending with the dancer's graceful movements. This dance is the soul of festivals spreading joy, jubilation and community solidarity.

In the multi-colored cultural space of the Khmer people in Bau Ech, Ngu Am music stands out as a special highlight, a sound that connects the past with the present, spirituality with everyday life. Composed of 5 sets of musical instruments including bronze, iron, wood, wind and leather, each with its own unique sound, blending to create melodies that are both sacred and familiar, sometimes profound, sometimes bustling.

Besides performing arts, traditional Khmer costumes are also a cultural feature that cannot be ignored. The festival costumes are designed very elaborately, with many bright colors, and are delicately decorated with beads and sparkling sequins. This is a beautiful form, deeply expressing the industriousness, hard work, community spirit and creativity of the Khmer people.

Khmer culture in Bau Ech also captivates people with its sophisticated cuisine, rich in national identity.

On every occasion of a holiday or festival such as Chol Chnam Thmay or Sene Dolta, the Khmer people cannot lack the Simlo fish noodle dish on their dinner table. From rustic ingredients such as snakehead fish, turmeric, water mimosa, water lily, water mimosa…, the Khmer people delicately combine the flavor of wormwood and fish sauce to create a typical noodle dish of their people.

From palm fruit and leaves, people combine with sticky rice and beans to create fragrant banh bo and banh tet. On the occasion of Ok Om Bok, the elderly and children in the hamlet gather together to make flat green rice. Some roast young sticky rice, some pound green rice, some pick rice… the whole small hamlet is bustling.

“We are proud of our Khmer culture. Everyone tries to preserve it. Without drum dance, fish noodles, and flattened green rice, we are no longer Khmer,” said Cao Thi Dien, 70 years old.

The cultural features in the daily life of the Khmer people will be the highlight to attract tourists.

Preserve to develop

The unique cultural values ​​of the Khmer people in Bau Ech are valuable assets that need to be preserved and have great potential for developing community tourism in the locality. Realizing this, the Department of Culture and Information of Hoa Thanh town cooperates with the authorities of Truong Tay commune to promote the preservation, promotion and development of the above cultural values.

In particular, in 2024, the propaganda program to protect and promote the national intangible cultural heritage of Chhay-dam drum dance received positive response from the community.

Currently, at the Khmer Cultural House in Truong An Hamlet, Chhay-dam drum dance classes are held regularly with more than 50 students participating. This activity not only contributes to preserving cultural identity but also creates conditions for the younger generation to continue the precious traditions of their ancestors.

Ms. Cao Thi Phola - who has spent many years dedicated to preserving and teaching the Five-tone music to the young generation in Truong An hamlet said: "We opened the Five-tone music class not only hoping that the children would know the beauty of Khmer culture, but also wanting the young generation to be proud, proactive in preserving and spreading these precious traditional values."

Ms. Cao Thi Pho La - a prestigious person of the Khmer people in Truong Tay (right cover) guides young people in wrapping palm sugar cakes.

Programs and projects to preserve and exploit Khmer cultural values ​​through community tourism activities are being implemented by the locality. In particular, projects such as upgrading facilities for the Khmer Cultural House, organizing weekend markets at Bau Ech, introducing Khmer cuisine, dance and music are gradually attracting tourists. This is a way to promote the beauty of ethnic culture, help improve economic life, and raise awareness of the traditional cultural values ​​of the local Khmer community.

Efforts to preserve and exploit Khmer cultural values ​​are gradually creating a potential community tourism brand in Tay Ninh. The unique cultural values ​​of the Khmer people in Bau Ech, from art forms to traditional cuisine, can completely become unique community tourism products, attracting domestic and foreign tourists. Specifically, the potential from cultural experience tours, where visitors directly immerse themselves in performances, prepare typical dishes, try on traditional Khmer costumes or participate in short-term classes on dancing, playing musical instruments, etc.

These activities not only help promote the unique cultural identity of the Khmer people but also create conditions for local communities to directly benefit from tourism, promote economic development and improve the quality of life.

Khai Tuong - Hoa Khang

(to be continued)

Source: https://baotayninh.vn/danh-thuc-tiem-nang-phat-trien-du-lich-cong-dong-o-bau-ech-a187503.html