Promoting the cultural identity of ethnic minorities associated with community tourism development

Pilot projects for building, preserving and promoting the cultural values of ethnic minority villages associated with community tourism development in the 2023-2025 period include: Tay village in Ban Cau, Luc Hon commune, San Chi village in Luc Ngu, Binh Lieu commune; Dao Thanh Y village in Po Hen, Hai Son commune and San Diu village in Vong Tre, Van Don Special Zone.

Each village is a unique cultural space with its own identity, requiring a new approach to both preserve its identity and open up a sustainable development direction. To do this, the province has chosen to awaken and bring culture back to life. What used to be memories is now awakened through concrete actions such as inventory, restoration, teaching, performance and especially closely linked to community tourism activities. Then singing melodies, Tinh lute of the Tay people, Soong Co singing of the San Diu people, Cap sac ceremony of the Dao Thanh Y people or Soong Co singing of the San Chi people... and also customs, rituals, languages, cuisine , crafts, traditional costumes are all preserved in a lively way, inseparable from the daily life of the people.

People of Ban Cau village, Luc Hon commune, next to their traditional houses. Photo: Hoang Quynh

Specifically, in Ban Cau, Luc Hon commune, the Tay people here have renovated their houses into tourist attractions for tourists who want to learn about the cultural life and traditional residential architecture of the Tay people . Tay households in Ban Cau village maintain traditional customs and good practices during festivals, Lunar New Year, the 5th day of the 5th lunar month, the 14th day of the 7th lunar month, the New Rice Celebration ceremony... The Then singing club not only performs, but is also a place to teach Tinh zither to the young generation. Luc Hon commune also mobilizes households in the village to maintain the traditional language, to pass it on and teach it to the younger generation, especially to maintain the language in communication. The book "Learning Tay Binh Lieu" is being completed, showing the effort to restore the mother tongue, which is the soul of the ethnic culture here.

In the San Chi village in Luc Ngu, Binh Lieu commune, the ancient houses of the San Chi people are preserved as living evidence of a culture. Traditional costumes are encouraged to be worn in daily life and production, and traditional clothing sewing establishments of the San Chi people are maintained... The Soong Co Festival is held regularly, associated with tourism activities, creating a unique mark for community tourism here.

No less vibrant is the activity of preserving and promoting San Diu culture in Vong Tre of Van Don Special Zone. The Soong Co Club is maintained regularly, attracting a large number of young people and students to participate. Hanh Quang dance, the Cap Sac ceremony, folk games, traditional cuisine such as khau nhuc, humped Chung cake... are restored and included in festivals. Notably, at the People's Committee of the commune, San Diu ethnic cadres and civil servants maintain wearing San Diu ethnic costumes on Mondays to salute the flag and work. It is the widespread participation of the people, cadres and civil servants that has created a widespread vitality for the model.

At the northernmost point of the country, the Po Hen historical relic site in Hai Son commune has completed its national ranking. More than 150,000 tourists will come here in 2024 to visit the relic site, explore the Dao Thanh Y culture, admire traditional costumes, listen to antiphonal singing, participate in the cap sac ceremony, and the festival of going to the fields, which is the clearest evidence of the success of local cultural preservation efforts and the attraction of community tourism. Efforts to compile books to teach the Dao language, organize classes at community centers, and promote the wearing of ethnic costumes in daily activities and festivals have created a clear change in preserving identity. The locality has also built infrastructure, inaugurated and put into operation the Po Hen market, which operates twice a month in the first and third weeks of the month and on holidays.

These conservation efforts do not stand alone, but are closely linked to economic development through community tourism. Investment in planning and developing cultural tourism villages in Ban Cau, Luc Hon commune and Luc Ngu, Binh Lieu commune; San Diu Ethnic Cultural - Tourism Village in Van Don Special Zone; and community tourism village in Hai Son commune have yielded many sweet fruits. These locations have welcomed thousands of visitors in the first 6 months of 2025.

Many agricultural production models associated with experiential tourism have also been implemented such as: planting Peony grapes, Tam Hoa plums, grafted anise in Luc Hon commune, Hoanh Mo; planting oranges in Van Don Special Zone, tea in Duong Hoa commune, Cao Son flower garden in Hoanh Mo commune... These models not only bring economic efficiency but also create highlights for the development of agricultural tourism and craft villages. Up to now, the whole province has 405 OCOP products reaching 3-5 stars, 100% of products are put on e-commerce platforms. Many pioneering cooperatives combine agriculture with community tourism, becoming attractive destinations such as: Green Agricultural Medicine Cooperative, Binh Lieu Flower Cooperative, Van Yen Orange Cooperative; Yen Duc Countryside Tourism; Ceramics Experiential Tourism; Pearl Farming Area...

Localities are also actively restoring and developing traditional craft villages, preserving intangible cultural heritage, contributing to enriching tourism products and spreading the cultural values of ethnic minorities to tourists.

Ngoc Khoi

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/quang-ninh-bao-ton-va-phat-huy-gia-tri-ban-sac-van-hoa-dan-toc-thieu-so-gan-voi-phat-trien-du-lich-c-3367103.html