Preserving and promoting the value of Cham ceramic heritage

In 2022, “Cham pottery art” was listed by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage in need of urgent protection. This is a joy for the Cham people of Bau Truc pottery village in particular and the people of Khanh Hoa province in general. Along with the enthusiasm and responsibility of the community that owns the heritage, in recent years, the provincial authorities and sectors have also carried out many activities to preserve and promote the value of this heritage.

The art of pottery making is unique and distinctive.

Bau Truc pottery village (Ninh Phuoc commune) is one of the oldest traditional craft villages in Southeast Asia. The villagers have been involved in this craft for hundreds of years. According to artisan Truong Thi Gach, who has over 60 years of experience in pottery making in the village, the main materials used to make Bau Truc pottery are clay and fine sand. The clay is sourced from fields near the Quao River, mixed with fine sand, and then kneaded by hand or foot to create the necessary plasticity and binding properties. Unlike most pottery villages in Vietnam, Bau Truc pottery makers work entirely by hand. The artisans walk around the clay mass while simultaneously shaping it to create the desired product. After shaping, the pottery is dried and fired outdoors using firewood or straw. The firing process lasts from a few hours to a day, depending on the size of the product. Therefore, each Bau Truc pottery product is a unique work of art, showcasing the talent and creativity of the potter.

Artisan Truong Thi Gach demonstrates the techniques of making Bau Truc pottery.

Bau Truc pottery is diverse in design and type, divided into household, artistic, and spiritual pottery lines. The pottery produced is shipped according to orders from businesses and establishments; products are sold online and are available for tourists to visit and purchase directly at Bau Truc.

Preserving and developing traditional crafts.

To preserve and promote the value of traditional pottery making, cooperatives, companies, production facilities, artisans, and pottery-making households in Bau Truc have undertaken many practical activities, contributing to creating new vitality and spreading more strongly the "flow" of this intangible cultural heritage. Mr. Phu Huu Minh Thuan - Director of the Bau Truc Cham Pottery Cooperative, said: To meet the needs and tastes of consumers, the cooperative constantly diversifies designs and improves the quality of pottery products. In addition to traditional household pottery products, the cooperative is promoting the development of high-value art pottery such as decorative ceramic lamps, bedside lamps, vases, water towers, flower pots, water jugs, teapots, and spiritual pottery products such as Shiva statues and Apsara dances... Currently, decorative ceramic lamps are the cooperative's main product, with hundreds of designs ordered in large quantities by many resorts nationwide. Among them, the Shiva lamp is a product that achieved a 3-star OCOP (One Commune One Product) rating at the provincial level and was honored by the Ministry of Industry and Trade with a certificate as a typical national rural industrial product in 2023. To develop the craft village, the cooperative focuses on linking the production and sale of household, spiritual, and artistic ceramic items with the promotion and development of tourism, organizing services such as performances of traditional Cham musical instruments, experiencing the pottery-making process under the guidance of artisans, and introducing Cham culture... to attract tourists. The cooperative will continue to improve designs and enhance the quality of ceramic products; at the same time, it aims to build tourism programs and allocate a separate space to display unique products... to better serve the needs of tourists. The unit hopes that the authorities at all levels will soon support the planning of raw materials, continue to support human resource training, and have policies on loan capital to help pottery makers feel secure in their production and committed to the craft.

Tourists visit the Bau Truc pottery village in Ninh Phuoc commune. Photo: Hong Lam

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Linh, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, in order to preserve and promote the value of the intangible cultural heritage "Cham pottery making art," in November 2024, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, in coordination with the local authorities, organized two training courses on Cham pottery making art for 60 students at Bau Truc pottery village. The Provincial People's Committee also encouraged Party organizations, mass organizations, departments, agencies, and localities to consider selecting and using Cham pottery products as gifts for delegates and guests attending important events of agencies, units, and localities; Actively promoting and creating favorable conditions for artisans, potters, and businesses producing and trading Cham pottery to participate in demonstrations and product introductions at conferences, seminars, investment promotion, and tourism events inside and outside the province... Currently, the Provincial People's Committee has also developed and finalized the draft Project on Preserving and Promoting the Value of the Intangible Cultural Heritage "Cham Pottery Making Art" for the period 2023-2028 and subsequent years, which has been submitted to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for consideration. Based on the opinions of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the department will incorporate the feedback, finalize the project, and submit it to the Provincial People's Committee for signing and promulgation as a basis for implementation.

LAM ANH

Source: https://baokhanhhoa.vn/van-hoa/202508/bao-ton-phat-huy-gia-tri-di-san-gom-cham-8221040/