"Touching the Cham culture" - touching traditional culture.

Indigo – a somber color associated with the lives of the people of Northwest Vietnam – is being approached by students at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Economics in a very different way: not just by looking at it, but by directly touching, experiencing, and recounting it in the project "Touching Indigo - Leading the Way".

Touching upon identity, soul.

In the modern era, many traditional cultural values ​​are facing the risk of disappearing, especially crafts closely associated with community life.

Driven by this concern, a group of first-year students majoring in Communication Design at the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City developed the project "Indigo Touch - Leading the Way," inspired by the indigo dyeing craft of the people in Northwest Vietnam.

Huynh Nguyen Duong Khanh, a project member, shared: "The group realized that our country is rich in natural resources, and our people have a rich spiritual life with many precious traditions. However, time has somewhat eroded these traditions, including the traditional indigo dyeing craft of the people in the Northwest region. This is what motivated the group to develop this project."

Visitors viewing the exhibition "Cham Art - Leading the Way" at the General Science Library (69 Ly Tu Trong Street, Ben Thanh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City) (PHOTO: Provided by the interviewee)

From the outset, the group defined "Leading the Way" as a long journey, with each stage representing a cultural slice. "Touching the Cham" was chosen as a representative touchpoint, where the craftsmanship, indigenous knowledge, and spiritual life of the highland community converge.

Nguyen Ngoc Linh, a member of the project, shared: "Our group chose the word 'Touch' with the hope that people can truly feel it, not just observe from afar. 'Touching Cham' means touching the identity and the soul of Vietnam."

The spirit of "touch" is concretized through experiential activities: learning about the materials, observing the dyeing process, and directly practicing making products from indigo fabric. As a result, heritage is no longer a distant concept but becomes a vibrant, accessible experience, especially for young urban dwellers.

"Retelling the legacy" in a new language.

A notable aspect of the project is its approach, which is distinctly youthful: flexible, multi-platform, and focused on interaction. The project is implemented through a combination of online communication and in-person activities.

Tran Tan Tai, a project member, said: "The group designed media posts to provide information from the origin and materials to the artisans… and then organized an exhibition combined with a workshop on indigo dyeing and keychain making. In addition, content such as minigames and educational articles also contributed to spreading information on social media."

From a student project, "Touching the Cham Heritage - Leading the Way" shows that when heritage is approached with creativity and responsibility, traditional values ​​can be fully "awakened" in today's life, contributing to nurturing and spreading national cultural identity among the younger generation.

Over a period of about two months, the project was carried out systematically, from research and assignment of tasks to organizing the exhibition, which took place in mid-April at the General Science Library (69 Ly Tu Trong Street, Ben Thanh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City).

The exhibition space became a connecting point, allowing the public to directly participate in the journey of discovering the traditional indigo dyeing craft of the Northwest region. However, to achieve such success, the implementation process also presented many challenges, especially the lack of accurate documentation about the indigo dyeing craft.

To overcome this challenge, the team sought support from artisans and designers, and also received collaboration from the Ho Chi Minh City General Science Library. This connection not only helped ensure authenticity but also demonstrated the role of cultural institutions in supporting young people's initiatives.

From the project's practical experience, a positive direction can be seen: heritage is not only preserved but also "retold" in a new language. Through storytelling, creative design, and hands-on experience, young people are contributing to bringing heritage closer to the community.

“Through methods that resonate with young people, we hope to contribute to bringing traditional indigo dyeing art closer to the community, thereby awakening in each person a sense of curiosity and awareness of the value of traditional heritage. However, the most important aspect of this process is ensuring respect for original values, while building connections based on learning and a conscious effort to preserve traditional art forms,” Tran Tan Tai shared.

LIBRA

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/cham-cham-cham-vao-van-hoa-truyen-thong-post850725.html