Spreading the culture of ethnic minorities in the Central Highlands.

Over the past 10 years of implementing Resolution No. 33-NQ/TW of the 11th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam on building and developing Vietnamese culture and people to meet the requirements of sustainable national development, Kon Tum province has achieved a number of important accomplishments, especially in ethnic minority areas.

A performance showcasing the traditional culture of the Central Highlands people. Photo: VNA

The results are noteworthy.

Located in the northern part of the Central Highlands region, Kon Tum province has a population of approximately 590,000 people belonging to 43 ethnic groups; of which, ethnic minorities account for 54%.

Over the past 10 years, the Kon Tum Provincial Party Committee has developed numerous programs and plans, thoroughly implementing Resolution No. 33-NQ/TW and other Party guidelines on the construction and development of Vietnamese culture and people to meet the requirements of sustainable national development. Based on this, all levels and sectors have disseminated, thoroughly understood, concretized, and implemented these guidelines in accordance with the actual situation of their localities and units, using diverse and rich forms suitable for each target group.

Women in traditional costumes perform the xoang dance at the Rơ Ngao people's Water Offering Ceremony. Photo: Khoa Chương – VNA

By the end of 2023, the province had over 122,000 culturally exemplary households, reaching 87%; 723 out of 756 residential areas were recognized as culturally exemplary, reaching 95%; and 957 out of 980 agencies, units, and businesses registered to build culturally exemplary agencies, units, and businesses for the 2023-2027 period, reaching 97.65%. The province had developed 1,276 exemplary models and effective methods in studying and following the example of the great President Ho Chi Minh; 49 out of 85 communes met all 19 criteria for new rural communes, including 44 communes that were officially recognized as achieving new rural commune status.

Regarding cultural development, to date, Kon Tum province has 27 classified relics and 29 relics included in the inventory. Besides the Central Highlands Gong Culture Space, recognized by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, the province has also been recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism with three national intangible cultural heritage sites: the Ba Na - Rơ Ngao Epic (2015); the Et Đông Festival (the festival of eating the bamboo rat, 2021); and the traditional handicraft weaving of the Ba Na ethnic group (2023).

By the end of 2023, Kon Tum province had nearly 2,400 sets of gongs and drums, including 358 sets belonging to collectives and 2,034 sets belonging to individuals; an increase of 178 sets compared to 2020; 437 out of 503 ethnic minority villages in the province had communal houses (Rong houses). The provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has restored 22 typical rituals and festivals of ethnic minorities such as: the New Rice Festival, the Buffalo Eating Festival, the New Communal House Celebration, the Traditional Wedding Festival of the Bahnar, Gie Trieng, Xo Dang, and B'Rau ethnic groups; the Funeral Rites Festival, the New Rice Festival of the Ro Mam and Sa Thay ethnic groups... This has contributed to preserving and promoting the traditional cultural values ​​of ethnic minorities in the province.

“Over the past 10 years of implementing Resolution No. 33-NQ/TW in the province, encouraging results have been achieved. The awareness of all levels, sectors, and people about the position, significance, and role of building and developing Vietnamese culture and people in the new situation has undergone many positive changes; emulation movements in culture have been built and spread widely, and have been actively supported and participated in by the people,” affirmed U Huấn, Deputy Secretary of the Kon Tum Provincial Party Committee.

Socializing investment in culture.

Despite achieving many encouraging results, Deputy Secretary of the Kon Tum Provincial Party Committee U Huấn noted that the implementation of Resolution No. 33-NQ/TW in the province still has some shortcomings and limitations that need to be addressed. For example, investment in cultural institutions, infrastructure, and equipment for cultural development remains challenging; the socialization of cultural, sports, and literary-artistic activities in the province is limited; cultural products serving tourism and services are not yet diverse and abundant; and international exchange, cooperation, and promotion of the cultural identity of ethnic groups in the province are not carried out regularly.

Analyzing these shortcomings and limitations, Mr. Phan Van Hoang, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Kon Tum province, stated that currently, the funding for activities to preserve, restore, and promote the cultural values ​​of ethnic minorities in general, and historical and cultural relics in particular, is limited. Meanwhile, the socialization of cultural activities, especially in the preservation and promotion of ethnic minority cultural heritage, is almost non-existent.

Furthermore, the strong impact of modern culture, especially contemporary music, radio, television, science and technology, and information networks, greatly affects the preservation and promotion of the folk literature of ethnic minorities.

Mr. Thai Van Tuong, Secretary of the Dak Glei District Party Committee, also analyzed that the district's budget for preserving and promoting traditional cultural values ​​is still limited. From 2022 to the present, the district budget has only allocated 90 million VND to open classes teaching gong and drum performance skills and traditional dance, which is insufficient to provide gongs to villages that do not yet have them. In 2024, the district allocated 255 million VND to equip 5 sets of gongs and drums for 5 ethnic minority villages that do not yet have gongs.

Artisan Y Thúy, from Đak KRăk village, Hòa Bình commune, Kon Tum city, is one of the veteran brocade weavers in Kon Tum. Photo: Dư Toán – VNA

Mr. Dao Duy Khanh, Secretary of the Kon Plong District Party Committee, expressed concern that in recent times, the negative impacts of the market economy, along with the rapid development of science, technology, and the Internet, have led to an increase in unhealthy external cultural influences, causing the indigenous ethnic minority cultures in the district to gradually disappear. Surveys show that some cultural heritage, especially folk festivals and traditional cultural festivals, are still preserved within these communities. However, some festivals with strong community structures have faded away and need to be revived to preserve and promote the unique indigenous cultural values.

To overcome difficulties and continue effectively implementing Resolution No. 33-NQ/TW, Deputy Secretary of the Kon Tum Provincial Party Committee U Huan requested that all levels and sectors continue to pay attention to investing in the construction of infrastructure and equipment serving community cultural activities; improve and enhance the quality and effectiveness of cultural institutions; preserve and promote traditional festivals of ethnic groups; build and replicate advanced models in the construction and development of literature and art; train, cultivate, and improve the quality of staff advising on literature and art, cultural staff, and cultural managers, especially at the grassroots level.

In addition, relevant units need to strengthen efforts to widely introduce and promote the image of Kon Tum's homeland, people, and distinctive cultural values; boost investment attraction to develop infrastructure, tourism products, and services, while preserving and promoting traditional cultural values ​​in the province, especially community-based tourism and experiential tourism with local people as the main participants; and gradually expand international economic integration and literary and artistic exchanges with friends in the region and around the world.

Budget (VNA)

Source: https://baophutho.vn/lan-toa-van-hoa-dan-toc-thieu-so-tay-nguyen-215669.htm