Linking Khmer cultural preservation with tourism development: Shining with brilliant colors

Not stopping at preventing the loss of traditional cultural values, the work of preserving and promoting Khmer cultural identity in the province has been and is being linked with solutions to build tourism products. Thanks to the investment resources of the State and the responsible participation of the community of all parties, especially the promotion of the role of creative subjects of the people, it has contributed to helping the cultural picture of the Khmer people in Bac Lieu shine with brilliant colors.

INVESTMENT WITH DEPTH

One of the policies that has received great support from ethnic minorities nationwide in general and Bac Lieu in particular is Project 6 "Preserving and promoting traditional cultural values ​​of ethnic minorities associated with tourism development". The project is considered a popular policy, in line with the reality of preserving traditional cultural identities among ethnic minorities, which is at risk of breaking the continuity and transmission. After nearly 5 years (2021 - 2025) of implementation in the province, the project has invested in many practical and in-depth items to create the "glue" connecting the preservation of Khmer culture with tourism development.

Up to now, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has installed a stage, decorated the performance area, purchased equipment for performances, and recreated traditional cultural festivals of the Khmer people at Xiem Can Pagoda (Vinh Trach Dong Commune, Bac Lieu City). The pagoda's art troupes have also been supported with funding for costumes, a new five-tone orchestra, and training and performance costs to create unique art programs for visitors. In addition, the Department has coordinated the production of two documentaries on preserving traditional festivals of Bac Lieu's ethnic minorities to promote andeducate people's pride, awareness, and responsibility for preserving and promoting national cultural identity.

From now until the end of 2025, Project 6 will continue to carry out many tasks, focusing on completing and forming typical tourist destinations in areas with a large number of ethnic minorities. With the goal of preventing the loss of unique cultural values, the Department also organizes training courses to improve the expertise and skills of teaching the intangible culture of the Khmer people; skills in welcoming tourists, serving tourists, operating tours, guiding tours... for the people.

The Xiem Can Pagoda art troupe performs at the traditional festival of the Khmer people. Photo: HT

ATTRACTIVE TOURISM PRODUCTS

Up to now, Bac Lieu has not had a truly attractive tourism product exploiting the traditional culture of the Khmer people. Although Xiem Can Pagoda has been recognized as a typical tourist destination in the Mekong Delta region, this product is still monotonous, lacking typical services and has not mobilized the participation of the people in tourism. Therefore, the implementation of Project 6 in the period of 2026 - 2030 is expected to create a tourism product imbued with the cultural colors of the Khmer people.

To overcome the shortcomings of the scattered and fragmented investment in the recent period, the province will implement an art program to recreate the traditional festivals of the Khmer people into tourism products. At the same time, organize traditional sports competitions of the Khmer people (Ngo boat racing) in festivals and celebrations to attract tourists; carry out the work of inventorying, collecting, and documenting the traditional cultural heritage of the Khmer people to have a direction for conservation and tourism exploitation.

The implementation of Project 6 has contributed to adding more vibrant colors to the cultural picture of the Khmer people in Bac Lieu. From the investment of this policy, cultural preservation activities and artistic movements in the area with a large Khmer population have become increasingly vibrant and diverse. In particular, the combination of cultural preservation with tourism has gradually created more attractive tourism products with higher economic and cultural value. Conversely, tourism development will also help localities have more resources to preserve the vitality of traditional culture.

Long life

Source: https://www.baobaclieu.vn/van-hoa-nghe-thuat/gan-ket-bao-ton-van-hoa-khmer-voi-phat-trien-du-lich-%E2%80%8B-anh-len-nhung-gam-mau-ruc-ro-101047.html