Touching the heritage, connecting the future

Amidst the hustle and bustle of life, traditional craft villages in the province are not only memories preserved in every house, but have also become "living heritages", where visitors can touch, watch, listen and create with the quintessence of the land.

After the merger, Lao Cai is like a brilliant brocade, woven from the majestic natural landscape and priceless cultural treasures of the local ethnic groups. On the hillsides, the Mong and Dao people diligently weave and craft silver; on the banks of the stream, the Tay people skillfully weave bamboo and rattan and do many other handicrafts. The whole province currently has 64 craft villages, traditional craft villages and traditional occupations, a cultural ecosystem rich in potential.

The whole province currently has 64 craft villages, traditional craft villages and traditional occupations.

However, for a long time, many products, although beautiful, still lack depth and do not have a story that is moving enough. Many artisans have not truly become “storytellers” to infuse their products with soul, causing tourists to buy products without bringing back memorable memories. Therefore, shifting from pure production to experiential tourism is not only a new direction, but also a journey to awaken heritage, turning each craft village and traditional craft into a living museum, where visitors can participate, touch and live with traditional values.

In recent times, many localities have cleverly exploited their advantages, combining conservation with development. From the talented hands of artisans, handicraft products with strong identities have been revived, wearing a "new coat" of experiential tourism, becoming attractive destinations for domestic and foreign visitors.

In De Thanh village, Mu Cang Chai commune, Mr. Ho Cho Ly has been involved in the blacksmithing profession for nearly 20 years. In the small furnace, the flickering fire clearly shows the sweat on his tanned face. He hammers steadily, shaping each hoe blade and knife, not only to earn a living but also to preserve the "soul" of his ancestors. "Now many visitors come to see with their own eyes, to try using a hammer. I hope the blacksmithing profession will both serve production and become a highlight for visitors to remember and come back," Mr. Ly shared.

Mr. Giang A Tang, Vice Chairman of the Commune People's Committee, said that every year Mu Cang Chai welcomes more than 82,000 visitors, with service revenue reaching over 122 billion VND. In addition to terraced fields, the commune also develops community tourism associated with forging, embroidery, making Mong flutes, bamboo and rattan weaving, etc. "Tourism is a key economic sector, but it must be sustainable; the community is the subject, culture and environment are placed at the center" - Mr. Tang emphasized.

Coming to Ta Phin commune, tourists not only shop, but also learn how to make brocade and embroider patterns according to the traditional process of the Dao and Mong people. Each piece of fabric, each needle and thread becomes a story about the life, beliefs and love of the mountains and forests of the Red Dao people. Thanks to being associated with community tours, Ta Phin brocade and many other localities have gone beyond the scope of a souvenir, becoming a "cultural ambassador", helping people have a stable income.

On the ancient tea hill of Suoi Giang, Giang B village, Van Chan commune, visitors walk under the canopy of hundred-year-old tea, touch the young buds, listen to stories about the history and significance of Shan Tuyet tea trees to the Mong people. The traditional craft village of growing, processing and preserving Suoi Giang tea is always bustling. Visitors can pick the tea by themselves, choose the young buds still covered with morning dew, roast the tea on a hot cast iron pan, listen to the sizzling sound and smell the fragrant aroma, then enjoy a hot cup of tea made by themselves.

Not only in Mu Cang Chai, Ta Phin or Suoi Giang (Van Chan), many Lao Cai craft villages have "added soul" to their products by inviting visitors to participate in the production process. Workers become tour guides, artisans become storytellers, turning handicrafts into a piece of memory for visitors to take home. These models demonstrate that heritage and tourism are not opposed, but go hand in hand and complement each other.

Tourism brings income, retains artisans, and inspires the younger generation; craft villages develop thanks to experiential services, homestays, and cuisine; Lao Cai tourism has more unique products, helping visitors stay longer, spend more, and bring back memorable stories.

For this development path to go far and firmly, there needs to be a close connection between craft villages, tourism businesses and the government. Digital technology must be utilized to promote and expand the market. More importantly, it is necessary to educate the community and tourists so that each trip becomes a journey of learning about heritage, understanding, appreciating and preserving.

Developing craft villages in Lao Cai is not only an economic story, but also a journey to preserve culture and ignite pride. Each product, each needle and thread, each tea bud, each hammer sound… contains a story and aspiration. Each time visitors “touch the heritage”, they continue to write the story of the land, so that the flame of heritage burns forever, like the flame in a traditional forge that is durable and warm through each season.

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/cham-vao-di-san-ket-noi-tuong-lai-post881208.html