Tourism "shakes hands" with Khmer culture in the land of Nine Dragons

In recent times, tourism activities associated with Khmer culture have had many encouraging developments, improving spiritual life, and creating livelihoods for ethnic minorities...

In recent years, along with the implementation of the National Target Program on Socio-Economic Development of Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas for the period 2021–2030; Phase I from 2021–2025 (National Target Program 1719), important resources have been provided and motivation has been added to the work of preserving and promoting fine traditional cultural values. Thanks to that, tourism activities associated with Khmer culture have had many significant developments, considered a new feature, creating attractive tourism products, attracting tourists.

Khmer art performance within the framework of the annual Cultural and Tourism Festival of Bac Lieu province. (Photo: Phuong Nghi)

Join hands to preserve Khmer culture

Every year, during major festivals, the Khmer villages and hamlets are extremely bustling. The uniqueness and excitement of these festivals have attracted thousands of domestic and foreign visitors to Bac Lieu. Along with the festivals, the Khmer pagodas with their unique architecture are also a tourist attraction with many colorful traditional folk art performances.

Mr. Thach Quyet in Cu Lao hamlet (Hung Hoi commune, Vinh Loi district, Bac Lieu province) shared: “Most of the traditional festivals and cultural activities of the Khmer people are associated with the pagoda. However, cultural institutions invested in hamlets also play an important role in connecting the community, promoting cultural and artistic movements at the grassroots level, of which the organization of the annual National Great Unity Day in residential areas is proof. In addition to the Khmer pagoda, this is also a space to preserve and promote the beauty of Khmer culture.”

Cultural activities are preserved by the Khmer people, showing strong vitality through traditional music and art forms. For that reason, Xiem Can Pagoda (Vinh Trach Dong Commune, Bac Lieu City, Bac Lieu Province) has established a Cultural and Artistic Team (Artistic Team) to preserve the inherent cultural values ​​of the Khmer people, while serving local people and tourists from near and far to enjoy the temple scenery.

Venerable Duong Quan, abbot of Xiem Can Pagoda, shared: “Since the establishment of the Art Troupe, the number of local people and tourists visiting the pagoda has increased. This is a positive sign, because Khmer art still has a strong vitality…”.

In recent times, localities with a large Khmer population have implemented many synchronous solutions. In addition, the increasingly improved living standards have created favorable conditions for Khmer people to access new cultural products.

Ms. Tran Thi Lan Phuong, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Bac Lieu province, said: “In the past two years, Bac Lieu has organized performances and reenactments of two traditional festivals of the Khmer people: Chol Chnam Thmay Festival and Ok Om Bok Festival. Currently, Bac Lieu is the only locality in the region with a traditional art performance theater serving audiences every week. The performances with traditional costumes, recreating traditional festivals in a concise and easy-to-understand way, attract many tourists.

In addition, funding support for 2 art troupes of Xiem Can pagoda to purchase costumes and activities to serve tourism; organize competitions of traditional Khmer sports in festivals and cultural and sports festivals of the Khmer people. At the same time, produce documentary films on preserving traditional festivals of the Chinese and Khmer people; build products, services, connect tours and routes to attract tourists.

To preserve and promote the value of the Khmer folk dance performing art form, many villages in the Nine Dragons region regularly organize dances in community activities. (Photo: Phuong Nghi)

Promoting traditional cultural and artistic values

Currently, Soc Trang has 8 intangible cultural heritages, of which 5 are of the Khmer people: Ngo boat racing festival, Du Ke stage performance art, Rom vong folk dance performance art, Ngu Am music performance art, and Ro Bam stage art. Of these, the most famous is the Ok Om Bok festival - Ngo boat racing, held in the 10th lunar month every year at the end of the crop season.

In the joy and pride of the Khmer people in Soc Trang, the Khmer folk performing art of pentatonic music and Rom vong dance is a type of culture and art that was formed and associated with cultural activities and festivals in areas with a large population of Khmer people to meet the spiritual and cultural needs of the Khmer people.

Mr. Luu Thanh Hung, Head of the Khmer Art Troupe of Soc Trang province, said: “Recently, the Khmer Art Troupe of Soc Trang province organized 2 classes to teach the art of Ro bam stage, Ngu am music and Rom vong dance, for 153 students. The students are actors, students, musicians and people passionate about dance and music from teams and cultural and artistic venues at Khmer pagodas and ethnic boarding schools...

“Through this training and teaching, we aim to equip students with more complete knowledge about the traditional arts of the Khmer people, in order to preserve, conserve and promote the fine traditional values ​​of national intangible cultural heritages,” Mr. Hung shared.

The art of performing Pentatonic music always creates attraction and attracts a large number of locals and tourists. (Photo: Phuong Nghi)

Recognizing the unparalleled cultural values ​​in the colorful culture of the Khmer people, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Soc Trang province directed specialized units to advise on the development of a Project to Preserve and Promote the Value of this Folk Performing Art. First of all, it is necessary to urgently conduct a complete inventory to better understand the culture of the Khmer people in order to propose a plan to preserve and conserve the cultural heritage values ​​so that they do not fade away.

According to Mr. Son Thanh Liem, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Soc Trang province, Khmer pagodas in the province are currently aiming to build complete cultural institutions. From the villages and hamlets of the Khmer community in Soc Trang, the sound of the Five-tone music and the passionate Rom vong dance still resonate... In recent times, Soc Trang has actively supported Khmer pagodas in terms of facilities and funding to build them into gathering places for community cultural and religious activities, in order to contribute to preserving and conserving typical traditional cultural heritages and discovering new talents for the province's ethnic culture and arts.

The graceful, gentle and soft Rom vong dance is an indispensable spiritual food after working hours. (Photo: Phuong Nghi)

“Currently, Soc Trang province has opened Rom vong dance classes at the Cultural Center, Library, Museum and Freshwater Lake Cultural Exhibition Center. The Department (Culture, Sports and Tourism of Soc Trang) organizes a Khmer community dance class in Soc Trang province. Trainees are instructed by the Khmer Art Troupe of the province on basic dance skills in the community activities of the Khmer people,” said Mr. Liem.

Thanks to the attention and focus on improving the spiritual life, the work of preserving and promoting the traditional cultural values ​​of the Khmer people, also associated with creating livelihoods for ethnic minorities through conservation projects associated with tourism development and services for tourists.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/du-lich-bat-tay-van-hoa-khmer-tren-vung-dat-chin-rong-267651.html