Preserving heritage values, enriching cultural identity: Living in the breath of the community.

The artisans and village elders are responsible for passing on cultural heritage to the younger generation.

Amidst the vast mountainous region west of Da Nang , where clouds still cling to the mountain slopes and community life is closely intertwined with the forest, streams, and communal houses, the cultural preservation efforts are showing promising signs.

In the Co community in Thanh Binh commune and the Co Tu people in the western highland communes, conservation is carried out through transmission, practice, and the active participation of the local people themselves.

In Thanh Binh commune, the training course on building a model folk song and dance club for the Co ethnic group, which recently took place, was not simply a grassroots activity.

This is a concrete implementation step of Decision No. 2317/QD-BVHTTDL of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on building the cultural life of ethnic minorities by 2025, focusing on restoring community cultural activities at the grassroots level.

Over 100 trainees, including grassroots officials, artisans, and Co people, have directly received instruction in unique folk songs and dances from Meritorious Artisan Duong Lai and other Co artisans.

Notably, the training course went beyond simply "learning to sing and dance"; it also included guidance on organizing club activities, skills in maintaining folk cultural activities, and the dissemination of regulations on building culturally exemplary families and villages, as well as civilized lifestyles in weddings, funerals, and festivals.

The artisans and village elders are responsible for passing on cultural heritage to the younger generation.

Traditional culture is therefore not detached from modern life, but becomes an integral part of community life, contributing to the building of a healthy and sustainable cultural environment.

Further west, the story of the transmission of the Co Tu people's intangible cultural heritage takes on the form of a quiet yet powerful chronicle.

There, artisans and village elders – "living human treasures" – are preserving and practicing precious cultural heritage, from the sounds of gongs and drums, the Tâng Tung Da Dá dance, to the spoken and sung folk songs, forms that have been included in the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

A readily apparent common trait among Co Tu artisans is their strong sense of community responsibility.

They didn't keep the heritage to themselves, but proactively opened classes and directly taught the younger generation in Hung Son, Avuong, and Tay Giang communes.

Artists like Bling Tal, Zơrâm Nhơn, ALăng Chrốh, ALăng Thị Tel, A Lăng Reo, Jđêl Thị Sâm… are the “rhythm keepers” ensuring that culture continues to resonate in contemporary life.

In the simple classroom setting, the sounds of drums and gongs resound. The young people are given gongs, drums, and opportunities to practice dancing and singing, learning to understand the meaning of each rhythm and movement.

It is this process of "working together - living together" that prevents heritage from being reduced to mere formality, allowing it to continue to exist as a natural part of the community.

The artisans and village elders are responsible for passing on cultural heritage to the younger generation.

Current efforts to preserve the culture of mountainous regions have brought the community back to the center.

In this model, the state plays the role of policy maker and resource provider; the cultural sector acts as a bridge; and the true subjects of preservation are the artisans and the people.

Heritage only has lasting vitality when it is practiced regularly and passed on with pride and responsibility.

Another approach being explored by highland communities is linking cultural preservation with livelihood development.

The establishment of the Co folk song and dance club in Thanh Binh is oriented towards combining with the exploitation of landscapes and scenic spots such as Loc Yen ancient village, Bat Cave, and Lo Thung to create community-based cultural tourism products.

In Hung Son commune, Co Tu cultural activities are increasingly becoming a highlight in community events, attracting tourists to learn about local life.

When culture creates economic value, people have more motivation to preserve and pass it on to future generations.

These training courses and quiet transmission sessions today are ways for the Co and Co Tu cultures to not only remain in memory but also continue to resonate in the vast forests, affirming the enduring vitality of the ethnic identity of the mountainous communities of Da Nang.

Source: https://baodanang.vn/bao-ton-gia-tri-di-san-lam-giau-ban-sac-van-hoa-song-trong-hoi-tho-cong-dong-3316247.html