Dong Nai is a province with many ethnic minorities. Currently, there are 50 ethnic minorities in the province, accounting for over 6% of the province's population. Ethnic minorities live scattered and interspersed, but are mainly concentrated in the districts of Tan Phu, Dinh Quan, Xuan Loc, Cam My, Vinh Cuu, Long Thanh, Trang Bom and Long Khanh city.

In 2019, the whole province had 862 poor ethnic minority households and over 10,000 near-poor households. By 2023, this number decreased to 566 and 891 households, respectively.

Thanks to the investment and support of the State through programs and projects, along with the support of the community, ethnic minorities have risen out of poverty and gradually stabilized their lives. Many ethnic minorities hold important positions in the political system, become prestigious people in the community, and make increasingly practical contributions to local development.

In addition to economic development, the spiritual life of ethnic minorities is also given attention and focus. In the period of 2019 - 2024, Dong Nai has implemented many programs to preserve and promote the traditional cultural values of ethnic minorities. Every year, festivals of the people are held in the area with the traditional characteristics of each ethnic group, creating a joyful, united and friendly atmosphere in the locality, contributing to preserving the cultural identity of ethnic minorities.

Currently, Dong Nai has put into operation 16 Choro, Stieng, Ma, Cham, Muong ethnic cultural houses in the districts of Tan Phu, Long Thanh, Vinh Cuu, Thong Nhat, Xuan Loc, Dinh Quan, Cam My and Long Khanh city. These are not only places to hold festivals, but also places for people to interact and exchange experiences in doing business and escaping poverty.

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Photo: TH

From here, new policies of the Party and State reach the people through prestigious people among ethnic minorities, helping them equip themselves with knowledge and skills to avoid being lured into wrongdoings.

In October 2024, at the Ma ethnic cultural house (in Hiep Nghia quarter, Dinh Quan town, Dinh Quan district), the Department of Grassroots Culture (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) organized a training course on building a model for preserving and promoting traditional cultural values of the ethnic group.

Nearly 100 prestigious people, village elders, artisans and Ma people have been guided to build a model of community cultural activities, teach gong playing, traditional dances; the art of singing tam pot folk songs... Thereby, contributing to preserving and promoting the cultural identity and traditions of the Ma people.

The work of preserving and promoting the language and writing is also focused on by ethnic minorities. The ethnic groups: Hoa, Khmer, Cham, Choro in the province have been preserving their writing through opening classes to teach their children the language and writing.

In Vinh Cuu district, in recent years, the restoration and development of cultural values in ethnic minority areas have been promoted to serve community tourism. In particular, the locality has established procedures to support investment in the Project to Preserve the Traditional Cultural Village of the Choro Ethnic Group in Phu Ly Commune, creating resources for sustainable community tourism development. This is a meaningful work that creates new momentum in the construction and development of new rural areas in the locality, harmoniously developing the economy and culture, helping the Choro people preserve their cultural identity and improve their quality of life.

According to the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, although ethnic work in the province has received attention from the entire political system, the material and spiritual life of ethnic minorities has been constantly improved, but the traditional culture of the ethnic minorities is facing many difficulties and challenges. Among them, the fading and disappearance of some elements that are the cultural identity of ethnic groups; the process of cultural assimilation has created unhealthy concepts and lifestyles among ethnic minorities, especially among the youth. Research, collection and inventory of folk literature of ethnic minorities still have many limitations...

To continue to carry out the task of preserving and developing the culture of ethnic minorities, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has proposed that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism continue to direct and guide localities to develop programs and plans on the work of preserving and developing the culture of ethnic minorities in the period of 2025 - 2030. Support investment funding for the task of preserving and developing the culture of ethnic minorities in Dong Nai province; the funding source is maintained regularly and commensurate with the actual needs of the work.

Dinh Son