Preserving the cultural identity of ethnic minorities in conjunction with community-based tourism development.

The National Target Program for Socio-Economic Development in Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas (Program 1719) is being widely implemented throughout the province, aiming to narrow the development gap and improve the material and spiritual lives of the people.

In particular, preserving and promoting traditional cultural values ​​is identified as an important driving force to help restore heritage, form community tourism products and expand sustainable livelihoods.

Efforts to preserve culture

Recently, mountainous communes implementing the 1719 Program have reviewed and made a list of typical cultural forms such as traditional rituals, gong spaces, folk performing arts, crafts and community activities.

Documentation (recording, filming, digitizing) is promoted to preserve heritage in a sustainable way, while creating an important data source for tourism development. Elderly villagers and artisans are invited to teach the younger generation, contributing to maintaining the next generation and nurturing pride in national identity.

Art performance of double drums, triple gongs, and five cymbals in Xi Thoai village, Xuan Lanh commune.

In Song Hinh commune, many unique rituals of the Ede people such as the water wharf worshiping ceremony, the village head worshiping ceremony, the ring-wearing ceremony, the coming-of-age ceremony... are preserved and restored. Elder Ma Trut said that these are rituals that demonstrate the strength of the community, the cohesion of the village and the desire for development. Therefore, the community here always preserves and passes them on to the next generations.

According to Chairman of Song Hinh Commune People's Committee Nguyen Chi Hien, despite many difficulties, the locality always prioritizes resources to preserve and promote traditional cultural values. In the coming time, the commune will continue to implement the Project to preserve the cultural heritage of ethnic groups in the area, focusing on propaganda and raising awareness in the community; prioritizing funding to restore some typical festivals of the Ede people; preserving musical instruments, folk songs and traditional cultural values ​​of the people.

In Dong Xuan commune, many traditional festivals have also been restored, notably the Double Drum, Triple Gong, and Five-Chung Festival, creating a unique highlight in the cultural life of local people. Chairman of Dong Xuan Commune People's Committee Huynh Tuan An said: "The commune determines that preserving culture must go hand in hand with improving people's lives. Therefore, in addition to restoring festivals, the locality focuses on supporting artisans to teach the younger generation; at the same time, building unique cultural products to serve tourism development in the future."

Efforts to preserve the culture of ethnic minorities and mountainous areas not only help restore identity but also open up new directions for developing community tourism here.

People in Le Diem village (Song Hinh commune) build houses in the traditional style of the Ede people to develop tourism.

In Song Hinh commune, the Ede people are currently preserving a rich cultural treasure: long houses, gongs, indigenous cuisine , brocade weaving, basketry, wine brewing, etc. This is an important resource for forming sustainable community tourism products.

According to the Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religions, in recent times, the province has focused on supporting the preservation of cultural values, historical relics, cultural identities and traditional arts, while creating conditions for the community to participate in community tourism activities. Thereby improving the material and spiritual life of the people, gradually changing the awareness and perception of all classes of people in the work of preserving and promoting the fine traditional cultural values ​​of ethnic minorities.

Chairman of Song Hinh Commune People's Committee Nguyen Chi Hien said: "With 20 ethnic groups living together, the locality aims to preserve the village cultural space, restore the gong cultural space and mobilize resources to develop community tourism in a sustainable way. Currently, Song Hinh Commune People's Committee is building a set of destination descriptions, developing typical OCOP products, and opening tourism skills training classes for people ."

In Xuan Lanh commune, the heritage of “Double drums, triple gongs, and five gongs”, recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2016, continues to be effectively preserved through the Xi Thoai village community tourism group. The village maintains gong teams, brocade weaving, and culinary services and cultural performances for tourists.

Party Cell Secretary and Head of Xi Thoai Village, Le Van Khuong, said: “Thanks to support in infrastructure and tourism skills training, people have boldly participated in community tourism activities, their income has increased, and their awareness of preserving heritage and protecting the environment has also been significantly improved.”

Currently, localities want the province to continue to support funding and equipment for the preservation of festivals and traditional crafts; strengthen digital documentation, organize training; build many model community tourism models; expand skills training: reception, culinary processing, souvenir making, digital promotion, service management, etc. At the same time, it is necessary to connect communes into tourist clusters; support artisans and community groups with capital and space to display products; link cultural preservation with climate change adaptation, especially in communes that are frequently affected by natural disasters.

Source: https://baodaklak.vn/van-hoa-du-lich-van-hoc-nghe-thuat/202512/giu-gin-ban-sac-van-hoa-cac-dan-toc-thieu-so-gan-voi-phat-trien-du-lich-cong-dong-b38189e/