Preserving traditional crafts

Việt Nam•12/12/2024

In the past, the S'tieng and M'nong people in Binh Phuoc regularly pounded rice with pestles to process it into a staple food for their daily lives. Nowadays, with the development of society, the practice of pounding rice with pestles is rarely practiced by these ethnic groups. They mainly maintain the craft to serve tourism and preserve the unique aspects of their ethnic culture.

Searching for the sound of rice pounding.

Mentioning the sound of rice pounding in Binh Phuoc province, everyone will immediately think of Bom Bo hamlet, Binh Minh commune, Bu Dang district. However, nowadays, rice pounding is mainly for the sightseeing and experiential needs of tourists visiting the S'tieng ethnic cultural conservation area in Bom Bo hamlet.

What's remarkable is that besides Bom Bo hamlet, in village 7, Doan Ket commune, Bu Dang district, the sound of pestles pounding rice ("cắc cùm cum") still resonates regularly and persists in the daily lives of the S'tieng people.

The people of Hamlet 7, Doan Ket Commune, Bu Dang District still maintain the tradition of pounding rice, a beautiful aspect of their labor.

After the first pounding, the rice is poured into a winnowing basket to separate the husks from the grains.

We visited Ms. Thi Khe's house, where the elders of Hamlet 7, Doan Ket Commune, often gather to drink tea, chat, and take turns pounding rice. Ms. Thi Khe took the opportunity to sift and winnow the freshly pounded rice while chatting with us. Although tired, she was very happy that someone showed interest in asking about the rice-pounding tradition of her people. She shared: "I learned to pound rice when I was 12 years old. Back then, my parents often went to the fields, and I stayed home to look after my younger siblings and pound rice to cook meals for them. Now, sometimes when I have free time at home, I still bring out the mortar and pestle to pound rice for fun."

According to the 2024 inventory of 67 locations in Binh Phuoc province where the traditional hand-pounding rice-making craft of the S'tieng and M'nong ethnic groups still exists, conducted by the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, only one location in Hamlet 7, Doan Ket Commune, continues to maintain this craft. Hamlet 7 has 90 S'tieng households, of which more than 60 still practice the traditional hand-pounding rice-making craft. Mr. Dieu An (61 years old), a resident of Hamlet 7, said that all the elderly people in the hamlet know how to pound rice. The people here mainly grow rice in paddy fields, with two harvests a year. When the rice ripens, they harvest it and, in addition to selling it to traders, they store it in warehouses for later consumption.

Let the rhythm of the pestle resound forever.

Today, pounding rice is not just about getting rice for cooking, but a way for people to preserve the beautiful traditional culture of their ethnic group. Currently, every family here, rich or poor, still retains a set of tools including a mortar, two wooden pestles, two winnowing baskets, a carrying basket, a large earthenware pot, a bamboo tube, etc., used to hold rice, pound it, and sift it. Family members can all do this work, and they are encouraging young people to participate. Mr. Dieu Khang, Secretary of the Party Branch of Hamlet 7, Doan Ket Commune, said: "We encourage people to educate their children about traditional ethnic crafts to preserve them. Whenever they have free time, they should diligently practice doing it; usually, the children will work alongside the adults."

Young people are also encouraged to participate in the rice pounding process.

Rice that has undergone several sifting and winnowing processes is ready for use.

Recognizing that this traditional craft is at high risk of disappearing, the process of recognizing hand-pounding rice as a national intangible cultural heritage is being urgently carried out by cultural authorities at all levels. Mr. Pham Anh Tuan, Director of the S'tieng ethnic cultural conservation area in Bom Bo hamlet, said that in addition to preserving the cultural features of the S'tieng people, Hamlet 7, Doan Ket commune, is also one of the locations supporting the cultural sector of Bu Dang district and the Provincial Museum, and the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism in conducting research and preparing dossiers to submit to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for recognition of the hand-pounding rice craft of the S'tieng and M'nong ethnic groups as a national intangible cultural heritage.

In the past, on this land, generations of ancestors rhythmically pounded rice day and night, contributing food to feed the army. Today, that image remains a source of pride not only for the S'tieng and M'nong people but also for the people of Binh Phuoc. The preservation of this traditional craft by the people affirms the simplicity of their daily lives, yet it embodies the rich cultural and historical values of the nation. And they are striving to ensure that the sound of rice pounding in their homeland is passed down to future generations.

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