Announcing the National Heritage of the Khmer people's crown and mask making craft

On November 1, at the celebration of Vietnam Cultural Heritage Day (November 23) associated with the Culture, Sports and Tourism Week celebrating the Ok Om Bok Festival 2025 taking place in Nguyet Hoa ward, Vinh Long province, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the province announced the decision of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on including the handicraft "Mao (hat) and mask making of the Khmer people" in the List of national intangible cultural heritage.

Speaking at the ceremony, Vice Chairman of the Vinh Long Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Quynh Thien requested the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the province and relevant levels and sectors to strengthen information and propaganda work on the significance and importance of heritage in the socio- economic development of the locality; develop a project to preserve and promote the value of the Khmer people's crown and mask making profession, and link tourism development programs with manufacturing facilities to spread heritage values.

At the same time, the units regularly organize a variety of practical activities and vocational training; research, select, and propose to award honorary titles to artisans.

The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the province has researched and harmoniously combined two traditional crafts that have been recognized as national intangible cultural heritages, namely Ca Hom mat making and crown and mask making, to build unique cultural-tourism products of Vinh Long province.

In addition, the Department coordinates with the Department of Education and Training to research and gradually incorporate cultural heritage education into the curriculum at all levels, creating opportunities for students in the province to learn about traditional cultural values, especially access to intangible cultural heritages of the Khmer people, to promote, practice and pass on heritage.

Students visit and learn about Khmer crowns and masks. (Photo: Thanh Hoa/VNA)

Mao and mask are two traditional handicraft products closely associated with the cultural and artistic life of the Khmer people in the South, formed more than 2 centuries ago, serving various types of cultural and folk art activities, commonly folk dance, traditional dance, religious dance, and opera.

The products not only carry strong folk cultural values but also represent the sacred elements in the spiritual life of the community. The manufacturing process is entirely manual, requiring the artisan to have knowledge, understanding of art, creativity, meticulousness and dexterity. This profession has been maintained and continued continuously through many generations to serve folk art forms.

According to Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vinh Long province, Thach Boi, the province has a very rich treasure of tangible and intangible cultural heritage with 45 national relics, 167 provincial relics, along with 19 intangible cultural heritages and 3 national treasures.

Over the past time, Vinh Long Museum has researched, collected and preserved about 48,300 artifacts and documents related to the formation and development process of the province through many historical periods.

On this occasion, Vinh Long Museum received many artifacts donated by collectors; at the same time, it displayed more than 250 artifacts that are national treasures, artifacts related to the culture of ethnic groups, feudal dynasties, and ethnic costumes... at the Khmer Culture Museum, serving the needs of tourists and Khmer people to visit and learn about the culture of ethnic groups on the occasion of Ok Om Bok Festival./.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/cong-bo-di-san-quoc-gia-nghe-lam-mao-mat-na-cua-dong-bao-khmer-post1074268.vnp