An Giang: Pay attention to preserving and promoting traditional cultural values ​​of the nation

After implementing the arrangement of administrative units, An Giang province continues to pay attention to the work of preserving traditional festivals of ethnic communities living in the area, especially ethnic minorities, as a basis for building and developing An Giang in a sustainable and long-term manner.

An Giang province has an area of ​​nearly 9,889 square kilometers, a population of nearly 5 million people, and is a province with many ethnic groups living together, of which ethnic minorities account for nearly 10% with prominent communities such as Khmer, Chinese, Cham... Each ethnic group has its own cultural identity, customs, and beliefs, creating diversity and richness in the community picture.

In the residential area of ​​An Giang province, the Khmer ethnic group is the most populous in the province (nearly 8%), the Cham community of more than 21,000 people is an ethnic community with a rich cultural life and still maintains unique traditional rituals such as Ramuwan festival, Roya Hadji festival... famous for brocade weaving, Halal food processing. The Chinese people mostly live in urban areas, have a tradition of being attached to commerce, actively contribute to economic development and still maintain traditional festivals such as Nguyen Tieu, Mid-Autumn Festival and folk religious activities.

Pagodas bearing the unique cultural features of the Khmer people (photo: Ha Long)

Land of unique traditional festivals and famous tourist destinations

An Giang, the land of unique cultural exchange of the Kinh, Khmer, Cham, Hoa ethnic groups... is famous for its many unique and large-scale traditional festivals in the Mekong Delta. The most prominent are: Via Ba Chua Xu Sam Mountain Festival (Chau Doc), Bay Nui Bull Racing Festival (Bay Nui - Tri Ton area), Ok Om Bok Festival (Moon worshiping ceremony), Sene Dolta Festival (Ancestors worshiping ceremony), Chol Chnam Thmay Festival (Khmer New Year), Cham Cultural, Sports and Tourism Festival, National Hero Nguyen Trung Truc Commemoration Festival (Rach Gia)...

An Giang also has many famous tourist attractions, diverse from spiritual culture, river nature to typical landscapes such as: Ba Chua Xu Temple on Sam Mountain, Tay An Pagoda, Hang Pagoda (Phuoc Dien Tu), Thoai Ngoc Hau Tomb, Cam Mountain (Thien Cam Son) is the highest mountain in That Son region, Lau Pagoda (Phuoc Lam Tu), Koh Kas Pagoda; Tra Su Melaleuca Forest, Ta Pa Lake, Soai So Lake (Tri Ton District), Ta Pa Rice Fields, An Hao Solar Power Tourist Area located at the foot of Cam Mountain, Chau Giang Cham Village, Chau Doc Floating Village or Chau Doc Market - one of the most famous markets in the West, where many types of fish sauce, dried products and other specialties are sold.

To protect and promote the value of traditional festivals of ethnic minorities (Khmer, Cham, Chinese, etc.) in recent times, An Giang has implemented many solutions. In particular, the province has always paid attention to building support policies, linking conservation activities with tourism development and encouraging the role of the community as a subject.

The province pays special attention to ethnic affairs and religion, considering them as important factors, an inseparable part of the province's development strategy, to consolidate politics, promote sustainable socio-economic development. The province has synchronously implemented ethnic policies such as supporting residential land, production land, vocational training, issuing insurance cards to ethnic minorities, paying attention to investing in transport infrastructure, education, health care in disadvantaged areas, and areas with large ethnic minorities.

In the context of deep integration, digital transformation and sustainable development being the common trend of the whole country, An Giang province has set out key tasks in ethnic work such as: focusing on fully and synchronously implementing policies; prioritizing the development of ethnic minority areas, especially in education, health care, employment and infrastructure development; Preserving and promoting traditional culture of ethnic groups, turning heritage into assets, serving the development of cultural and spiritual tourism; Promoting the role of prestigious people and religious dignitaries in propaganda work, mobilizing people to actively participate in protecting security and order, preserving the environment and developing the economy and society...

Performing arts at tourist areas

Focus on preserving and promoting traditional cultural values ​​of the nation

In the next phase, to ensure that traditional festivals are not only preserved in the community but also promoted in contemporary life, contributing to local socio-economic development, An Giang province continues to implement comprehensive solutions as well as develop plans for implementation.

In particular, implementing the plan to allocate funds and effectively deploy Project 6 on "Preserving and promoting the fine traditional cultural values ​​of ethnic minorities associated with tourism development" under the National Target Program on socio-economic development of ethnic minority and mountainous areas, period 2021-2030. The province also has a Plan to implement the Project "Preserving and promoting the values ​​of folk songs, folk dances, and folk music of ethnic minorities associated with tourism development in the period 2023-2030", implemented in localities with ethnic minorities and mountainous districts in the province.

In addition, to pass on cultural values ​​to the next generations, the province pays attention to training the young generation by organizing classes to teach and foster knowledge and skills in traditional culture and arts (folk songs, folk dances, folk music). At the same time, there are policies to support artisans and prestigious people in the community so that they can pass on rituals, songs, dances, and musical instrument making techniques to the next generations. Funding is provided for the renovation and embellishment of cultural and religious institutions (mosques, Khmer pagodas) to serve festival activities and community cultural activities.

The province pays attention to propaganda and awareness raising. Promote propaganda and dissemination of laws related to cultural preservation among ethnic minorities. Create consensus by raising community awareness of traditional cultural values, encouraging people to proactively participate in activities to preserve and promote their ethnic cultural identity.

Identifying traditional festivals and scenic spots as an advantage for tourism development, the province regularly has guidelines for organizing festivals. Major festivals such as Ok Om Bok Festival (Khmer), Kathina Festival (Khmer) or life cycle rituals of the Cham Islam are held periodically, not only serving the spiritual and religious needs of the people but also becoming tourist events that attract visitors.

The province also focuses on promoting unique cultural values ​​such as Aday dance, Khmer pentatonic music or Chau Phong brocade weaving of the Cham people to attract tourists, create income for the community, and help people have more motivation to preserve culture.

Phu Quoc Clock Tower - new iconic building in South Phu Quoc Island, An Giang

Source: https://bvhttdl.gov.vn/an-giang-quan-tam-bao-ton-va-phat-huy-gia-tri-van-hoa-truyen-thong-cua-dan-toc-20251113162154792.htm