Preserving the Dao ethnic culture

The Dao ethnic people in Suoi Tut village, Quang Chieu commune, perform traditional Dao folk art.

Thach An village, Cam Thach commune, has 88 households and 400 inhabitants, mainly of the Dao ethnic group. Along with the Dao language used in daily communication, Dao women's traditional clothing is worn on special occasions and festivals. In May 2022, Thach An village also established a club for preserving Dao folk songs and dances with 21 members, meeting twice a month to teach members the songs and dances of the Dao ethnic group. In addition, the club collaborates with the village's women's association to encourage women to learn the traditional embroidery craft of the Dao ethnic group.

Ms. Phung Thi An from Thach An village, an active participant in the club's activities, said: "Recognizing my responsibility in preserving and promoting traditional cultural values, I regularly encourage women in the village to learn embroidery, folk songs, and dances of the Dao ethnic group. As a result, the number of women in the village who know how to embroider and sing folk songs is increasing."

Chairman of Cam Thach Commune People's Committee, Ha Thanh Son, said: "Currently, the Dao ethnic people in Cam Thach commune live in Thach An, Binh Yen, and Binh Son villages. To preserve and promote the traditional cultural values of the Dao ethnic people, the commune organizes an annual arts festival for Dao ethnic groups to participate in, thereby finding new talents to serve as successors in preserving the identity of the Dao ethnic people. At the same time, the commune focuses on encouraging people to learn the Dao Nôm script, learn embroidery; wear traditional clothing, and speak the Dao language..."

In Quang Chieu commune, along with focusing on economic development and improving the people's lives, the commune has proactively developed annual plans to promote and encourage the people to preserve the traditional cultural values of the Dao ethnic group. Two cultural and artistic clubs have been established in Suoi Tut and Con Dao villages to pass on folk songs and dances to the younger generation. The commune has also collaborated with the Thanh Hoa Provincial Association of Ethnology and Anthropology to organize four classes teaching Dao Nôm script to 120 students.

Currently, the Dao ethnic minority has over 7,000 people living in the communes of Nguyet An, Ngoc Lac, Thach Lap, Cam Thach, Cam Van, Quang Chieu, and Pu Nhi. Over the years, localities inhabited by the Dao ethnic minority have consistently focused on promoting the preservation of their cultural identity. As a result, traditional cultural values such as language, writing, clothing, cultural activities, beliefs, and spirituality have been preserved within the community. Furthermore, localities have actively encouraged people to learn the Dao Nôm script. From 2017 to the present, the Thanh Hoa Provincial Association of Ethnology and Anthropology has collaborated with communes inhabited by the Dao people to organize 32 Dao Nôm script classes with 1,175 participants. Thanks to this, the number of people who can read and write the Dao Nôm script is steadily increasing.

The Dao ethnic group has built and developed a unique culture that has been preserved through generations. However, the process of innovation and the impact of the market economy are causing changes in the traditional culture of the Dao people, both positive and negative. Therefore, the involvement of local Party committees, authorities, mass organizations, and cultural management agencies at all levels in guiding and providing resources for preserving and promoting the ethnic cultural identity and raising the self-awareness of the Dao people is extremely necessary.

Text and photos: Manh Hai

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/gin-giu-van-hoa-dan-toc-dao-268894.htm