Quang Tri: Preserving the culture of the Chut people associated with tourism development

Quang Tri province is implementing many solutions to preserve, restore and promote the traditional cultural values of the Chut ethnic group, associated with tourism development. This direction is sustainable, opening up opportunities to improve the lives of people in the highlands.

The Chut people in the old Quang Binh province, now Quang Tri province, currently have about 1,860 households with more than 7,800 people, residing concentratedly in remote communes and border areas.

Through the process of survival and development, the people have created and preserved many unique material and spiritual cultural values, contributing significantly to the richness of the Vietnamese national cultural treasure.

In the spiritual life of the Chut ethnic group, sacred forests and rocky mountains are not only places of survival but also cultural origins. The Ruc people are a group of Chut ethnic groups who used to live in caves and deep forests, with many unique rituals and customs. In particular, the Giang Son worship ceremony takes place in the ninth lunar month every year to pray for good crops, peaceful villages, community cohesion, and remind the younger generation of their responsibility to protect forests and preserve cultural identity. This is a precious intangible cultural feature of the Ruc people in particular and the Chut people in general that Quang Tri province is making efforts to preserve.

Mr. Dinh Van Cho, an artisan in Hoa Luong village (Hoa Son commune, Minh Hoa district, Quang Binh province), now Kim Dien commune, Quang Tri province, said that the Chut people no longer live isolated in deep forests and caves like before. However, the spirit of attachment to the mountains and forests and their roots is still present in their singing, worshiping ceremonies, and traditional stories.

If these cultural features are not preserved, they will gradually disappear, but if they are promoted, they can become valuable assets and resources for socio-economic development, arousing pride and community awareness.

To preserve the nation's culture, over the years, Mr. Dinh Van Cho and many artisans, village elders and village chiefs have diligently collected lost folk melodies, restored traditional festivals and taught them to the community, especially the young generation - those who play a key role in preserving culture in the future.

Besides religious rituals, the Chut people also preserve many folk songs, folk dances, and folk music with the sound of the great forest. Songs in ethnic languages performed during festivals, new rice offerings, housewarmings, weddings, etc. always resound in the mountains and forests, blending with the sound of the Cho-ra-bon, the only traditional musical instrument still preserved today. Although simple and without modern accompaniment, the lyrics and singing of the Chut people contain deep emotions.

Mr. Dinh Xuan Ban, Yen Hop village, Kim Dien commune, is passionate about collecting Chut ethnic culture. Over the years, he has participated in many cultural events, sharing tunes, songs, rituals, ancient customs, and encouraging the community to preserve their identity in daily life.

“During the days of offering new rice, the Chut people gather together and sing songs in their ethnic language to the sound of the Cho-ra-bon or the gong. Along with the unique and melodious sound of the instrument, the songs of the Chut people also have a special identity, like the confidences of relatives or about the beauty of life,” Mr. Dinh Xuan Ban shared.

Combining the preservation of Chut ethnic culture with tourism development is a suitable direction, helping people preserve their identity, create livelihoods, and develop the economy. Currently, many localities in Quang Tri have begun to exploit cultural values to build models of community tourism, eco-tourism, and experiential tourism.

Preserving ethnic culture is not simply about retaining traditional features but also creating connections with present and future life. For the Chut ethnic group, this journey requires the participation of the entire community, from artisans, people to all levels of government.

Mr. Mai Xuan Thanh, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Quang Tri province, said that the folk cultural treasure of the Chut people is very rich, from music, festivals to cuisine and village architecture.

In the coming time, the cultural sector will continue to invest in building cultural, spiritual, cave and ecological tourism models associated with the cultural values of the Chut ethnic group.

Quang Tri also pays special attention to ethnic groups such as the Ruc and Arem, communities with small populations and isolated residences. They still retain many primitive cultural features.

Establishing folk culture clubs in villages is a way for people to proactively preserve and pass on culture right in the community. These activities, when combined with tourism development, not only contribute to preserving unique cultural features but also bring stable income and livelihoods to people./.

(Vietnam News Agency/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/quang-tri-gin-giu-net-van-hoa-cua-dong-bao-chut-gan-voi-phat-trien-du-lich-post1055124.vnp