Unlocking the cultural potential of ethnic minorities.

The culture of ethnic minorities is an inseparable part of the richness and diversity of the unified Vietnamese culture. Recognizing this, Quang Ninh province has invested significant resources in the preservation and promotion of the cultural values ​​of ethnic minorities. This has not only contributed to preserving ethnic identity but also unlocked valuable potential for tourism development, creating momentum for comprehensive socio-economic development in ethnic minority areas.

Binh Lieu district is organizing a space to showcase and introduce the culture of the ethnic groups in Binh Lieu district within the framework of the Culture - Tourism Week and Golden Harvest Festival in 2024.

With over 96% of its population being ethnic minorities, Binh Lieu district, with its centuries-old history, has formed a unique cultural treasure. Each ethnic group here has its own language, costumes, customs, and festivals, contributing to the diverse cultural landscape of Binh Lieu. The restoration and annual organization of traditional festivals such as the Luc Na Temple Festival, the Kieng Gio Festival, the Soong Co Festival, along with new festivals like the So Flower Festival, the Golden Harvest Festival, and the Binh Lieu District Ethnic Groups' Cultural and Sports Festival, have become highlights in the local efforts to preserve culture and develop tourism.

Building upon its traditional culture, Binh Lieu has gradually developed unique tourism products, such as: San Chi women's football, tours exploring Then Binh Lieu, and homestays with traditional architecture offering accommodation, cuisine , and experiences of local life... Through these efforts, the province has contributed to establishing its tourism brand.

Not only Binh Lieu, but many other localities such as Ha Long, Uong Bi, Van Don, Tien Yen, Mong Cai… are also actively implementing tourism development models associated with the preservation of the culture of ethnic minorities. Notable examples include Ky Thuong Am Vap Farm tourist area (Ha Long City), Thanh Y Dao ethnic minority cultural village (Uong Bi City)…

In addition, regularly organized festivals and traditional cultural events have contributed to promoting the cultural and tourism image of localities, such as: the Ban Vuong Festival and the Lang Da Village Temple Festival in Ba Che district; the San Chi ethnic group's cultural and sports festival in Dai Duc commune, the Dong Dinh Festival, and the Tay ethnic group's cultural and sports festival in Phong Du commune, Tien Yen district; and the Dai Phan Festival of the San Diu people in Van Don district….

The San Chi ethnic group's living space is on display at the San Chi Ethnic Cultural House (Dai Duc commune, Tien Yen district).

The province has piloted a model for building, preserving, and promoting cultural values ​​associated with community tourism development in four ethnic minority villages: the Tay village in Ban Cau (Luc Hon commune) and the San Chi village in Luc Ngu hamlet (Huc Dong commune) of Binh Lieu district; the Dao Thanh Y village in Po Hen hamlet (Hai Son commune, Mong Cai city); and the San Diu village in Binh Dan commune (Van Don district). Of these, the San Diu Ethnic Culture and Tourism Village in Binh Dan commune officially commenced operations in December 2024. The remaining localities are also actively developing plans, restoring traditional houses, crafts, rituals, festivals, and cultural and sports activities, thereby raising community awareness in cultural preservation and increasing the attractiveness of the destinations.

In particular, many cultural heritages of ethnic minorities in the area have been ranked and included in the National Intangible Cultural Heritage list, which has unleashed the potential for tourism development, such as: the Soóng cọ folk singing performance art of the Sán Chỉ people; the Soọng cô folk singing performance art of the Sán Dìu people; the Wind-Avoiding custom of the Dao people in Đồng Văn commune, Bình Liêu district; the Coming-of-Age Ceremony of the Thanh Y Dao people; and the New Rice Celebration Ceremony of the Tày people. Among these, the Then heritage of the Tày people in Quảng Ninh is one of 11 provinces with Tày, Nùng, and Thái Then traditions in Vietnam that have been inscribed by UNESCO on the list of representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

The coming-of-age ceremony of the Dao Thanh Phan people in Khe Vang village, Don Dac commune, Ba Che district. Photo: Nguyen Tuyen (Contributor)

In order to continue restoring, preserving, and promoting the cultural values ​​of ethnic minorities in conjunction with community tourism development, the Provincial People's Committee has issued Plan No. 125/KH-UBND on the implementation of Project 6 "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 in the period 2021-2030. This plan identifies the surveying, inventorying, collecting, and documenting the traditional cultural heritage of ethnic minorities; organizing the preservation and promotion of typical traditional festivals of ethnic minorities; and exploiting and developing products to serve tourism development as key tasks to be implemented immediately in 2025.

Preserving the culture of ethnic minorities not only contributes to enriching the cultural identity and people of Quang Ninh but also serves as a valuable resource for the development of tourism and cultural industries, aiming for sustainable development.

Duy Khoa

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/danh-thuc-tiem-nang-van-hoa-cac-dan-toc-thieu-so-3353829.html