Preserving ethnic minority cultures in conjunction with tourism.

Quang Ninh province has 43 ethnic groups, including 42 minority groups with 162,531 people, accounting for 12.31% of the province's total population . Over the years, closely following the province's orientation in cultural and human development, mountainous and ethnic minority areas have proactively and effectively exploited their potential in indigenous culture and ethnic identity, creating a foundation for sustainable tourism development and making a practical contribution to improving people's lives and promoting local socio-economic development.

The San Diu people's "Hành Quang" dance at the 2023 San Diu Ethnic Culture and Sports Festival in Tien Yen district.

Promoting the leading role of the people.

In recent years, localities with large ethnic minority populations such as Binh Lieu, Ba Che, Tien Yen, Hai Ha, and Dam Ha have recognized and promoted the cultural values of ethnic minorities, along with the beautiful natural values of the mountainous and border regions, to develop attractive and unique tourism products that attract tourists to explore and experience. In this process, the role of the people as the main actors has been continuously enhanced. They are not only creators, practitioners, performers, and preservers of culture, but are also gradually spreading and bringing the unique traditional cultural features of their ethnic groups to develop tourism.

Ethnic minority people in Binh Lieu regularly participate in folk games during traditional festivals.

Accordingly, people of ethnic minorities in all localities have actively and proactively implemented cultural, artistic, and sports movements; participated in traditional folk dance and singing clubs, taught traditional costume sewing and embroidery to the younger generation; and developed community tourism models… During festivals and cultural and sports events of the Tay, Dao, San Chi, and San Diu ethnic groups, the ethnic minorities are also the main force participating in recreating traditional rituals, performing arts, sports, and folk games. In particular, from this, many aspects of the cultural life of ethnic minorities have been developed into unique tourism products of Quang Ninh, loved by tourists, such as: San Chi women's football in Binh Lieu, Tien Yen.

An exhibition showcasing the living space of the San Chi ethnic group is being held at the Dai Duc Commune Cultural Center (Tien Yen).

Contributing to the preservation, safeguarding, and promotion of cultural values and national identity are the outstanding artisans from ethnic minority groups, such as: Mr. and Mrs. Luong Thiem Phu, Hoang Thiem Thanh, Hoang Thi Vien, Vi Thi Me (Tay ethnic group) in Binh Lieu; Mrs. Nong Thi Hang (Tay ethnic group), Mr. Tran Van Sec, Mr. Ly A Sang (San Chi ethnic group), Mr. Hoang Van Hoa (Dao ethnic group) in Tien Yen; Mrs. To Thi Ta, Truong Thi Choong, Truong Thi Truc (San Diu ethnic group) in Van Don; Mr. and Mrs. Ban Thi Vinh, Truong Thi Quy, Ly Van Ut, Truong Thi Hoa, Dang Van Thuong, Tran Xuan Bich, Dang Thanh Luong (Dao ethnic group) in Ha Long…

Beyond their love and pride for traditional culture, artisans have been nurturing and passing on these values to the younger generation, resulting in many intangible cultural values being recognized as national and international intangible cultural heritage. Notably, the Then ritual of the Tay people in Quang Ninh, with Binh Lieu as a prime example, was recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2013. In 2019, the Then practice of the Tay, Nung, and Thai people in Vietnam (including the Tay people in Quang Ninh) was officially inscribed by UNESCO on the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Provide adequate attention and investment.

On June 21, 2023, the Provincial People's Committee issued Plan No. 161/KH-UBND on piloting the construction, preservation, and promotion of cultural identity values in four ethnic minority villages associated with community tourism development in mountainous areas, giai đoạn 2023-2025. These are the Dao village in Po Hen hamlet, Hai Son commune (Mong Cai), the Tay village in Ban Cau hamlet, Luc Hon commune, and the San Chi village in Luc Ngu hamlet, Huc Dong commune (Binh Lieu), and the San Diu village in Vong Tre hamlet, Binh Dan commune (Van Don).

The Dao ethnic people of Hai Son commune (Mong Cai city) introduced the beauty of their traditional culture to tourists at the 2024 Border Sim Flower Festival.

After more than a year of implementing the plan, localities have actively restored and preserved many unique cultural activities and festivals of ethnic minority communities. For example, Mong Cai City has developed a detailed 1/500 scale plan for a community-based cultural tourism village in Po Hen hamlet, Hai Son commune; restored the Po Hen market, and preserved culture in conjunction with tourism development through the Border Sim Flower Festival in Hai Son commune.

Van Don District is currently preparing the construction consultancy documents for the San Diu Ethnic Cultural Village Project, including the following items: village gate, parking lot, expansion of internal village roads; construction of a cultural house for preservation, display of artifacts, and development and promotion of tangible and intangible cultural spaces. Previously, the district also issued the Project "Preservation and Promotion of the Traditional Folk Culture Values of the San Diu Ethnic Group in Van Don District, Quang Ninh Province".

In addition to maintaining and organizing traditional festivals and celebrations of the Tay, Dao, and San Chi ethnic groups, Binh Lieu District has submitted a dossier to request recognition of the Soong Co folk singing art of the San Chi people in Quang Ninh province and the new rice celebration ritual of the Tay people as National Intangible Cultural Heritage. Of these, Soong Co singing was recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2023.

Locals and tourists learn about the ritual objects used by the shaman in Binh Lieu during the scientific conference "Preserving and promoting the heritage of shamanic performances in the context of community tourism development in Binh Lieu district, Quang Ninh province".

With the aim of restoring, preserving, and promoting traditional cultural values; fostering and training cultural cadres; and supporting cultural facilities and equipment for ethnic minority and mountainous areas to enhance cultural enjoyment for ethnic minorities in conjunction with community tourism development, on May 10, 2024, the Provincial People's Committee issued Plan No. 125/KH-UBND on the implementation of the Project “Preserving and promoting the fine traditional cultural values of ethnic minorities in conjunction with tourism development” under the National Target Program for socio-economic development of ethnic minority and mountainous areas giai đoạn 2021-2030, Phase I from 2021-2025 (implementation in 2024-2025).

Over the two years from 2024-2025, Quang Ninh will implement 15 key tasks, focusing on: surveying, inventorying, collecting, and documenting the traditional cultural heritage of ethnic minorities; organizing the preservation and promotion of typical traditional festivals of ethnic minorities, exploiting and developing products to serve tourism development; developing policies and supporting ethnic minority folk artisans and outstanding artisans in preserving and disseminating traditional cultural activities and training and nurturing successors. Along with this, support will be provided for investment in building typical tourist destinations in ethnic minority and mountainous areas; support will be given for the widespread promotion of the typical traditional cultural values of ethnic minorities, combined with research and surveys of tourism potential, and the selection and development of characteristic tourism products for ethnic minority and mountainous regions…

The Tay ethnic group's lion-cat dance was recently revived at the first Tay Ethnic Culture Festival in 2023, held in Dap Thanh commune, Ba Che district. Photo: Pham Hoc

Initially, the Provincial People's Committee directed departments, agencies, and localities to focus on implementing and completing several tasks: Assigning the Department of Culture and Sports to prepare three dossiers on intangible cultural heritage to submit to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for inclusion in the national list of intangible cultural heritage, including: the harvest prayer ceremony of the San Chi ethnic group, the traditional costume of the San Chay (San Chi) ethnic group of Quang Ninh province, and the traditional costume of the Dao Thanh Y ethnic group.

In addition, the People's Committee of Binh Lieu district is tasked with developing a heritage model linked to community-based heritage tourism routes for ethnic minorities in Binh Lieu district; the People's Committee of Van Don district is tasked with constructing and displaying a traditional San Diu ethnic room at the Binh Dan commune cultural house (Van Don district); and the People's Committee of Ba Che district is tasked with organizing and promoting the San Chay ethnic cultural festival (Thanh Son commune) in conjunction with tourism development and repairing the Dao ethnic cultural house in Hai Son village (Nam Son commune).

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