1. During the Tet Offensive of 1968, many officers and soldiers from our units bravely sacrificed their lives. Afterwards, the enemy gathered about 200 bodies of our soldiers and buried them in several pits, forming a mass grave in Hoi Phu ward. To commemorate and contribute to the education of revolutionary historical traditions, in 1993, the Party Committee, government, and people of Pleiku City established a mass grave to commemorate the martyrs there. In 2004, the mass grave was expanded into the Hoi Phu Martyrs' Memorial Temple. In 2007, the Memorial Temple was recognized as a provincial-level historical relic.
Mr. Vo Pham Xuan Nam is explaining the list of martyrs inscribed at the Hoi Phu Martyrs' Memorial Temple. Photo: Dong Lai
Since the age of 14, Vo Pham Xuan Nam (born in 1992, Group 3, Hoi Phu Ward) has followed his father, Vo Phuoc Sanh (born in 1957), to the Hoi Phu Martyrs' Memorial Temple to help with sweeping, tending to plants, burning incense, opening the doors to welcome visitors, and looking after the temple.
Nam's maternal grandfather was martyr Pham Cuong (who died in 1961). His father was also a witness to the Tet Offensive battle of 1968 in Pleiku. From this "source," his family has always cherished revolutionary traditions and is ready to contribute to honoring the martyrs. His family has donated land twice (in 1993 and 2004), totaling 600 m², for the construction of a tomb and then the Hoi Phu Martyrs' Memorial Temple.
“Land is a valuable asset, but when the local authorities initiated this initiative, my father didn't hesitate to donate a portion of our family's land to contribute to this very meaningful cause. Moreover, my maternal grandfather was also a martyr, so our family sees this as a way to show gratitude and maintain a connection with the fallen heroes,” Nam shared.
After nearly 20 years of familiarity with the place, in 2024, Mr. Nam officially took over all the work his father handed down at the Memorial Temple. "The job requires me to be on duty day and night, so I have little time for my family. But my pride and responsibility to my ancestors mean I never think about giving up," Mr. Nam confided.
2. Ms. Dinh Thi Lan, an employee of the Culture, Sports and Information Center of Dak Doa commune (formerly an employee of the Culture, Sports and Information Center of the old Dak Doa district), has dedicated many years to contributing to the construction of the Wừu Hero Memorial Area (Dak Somei commune, formerly part of Dak Doa district).
Ms. Dinh Thi Lan introduces the life and indomitable fighting spirit of Hero Wuu to youth union members at the Memorial Site. Photo: Provided by the interviewee.
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The temple roof preserves the soul of history.Located not far from the Vietnam-Cambodia border, the Buu Son Ky Huong Pagoda, a historical revolutionary site in Vinh Xuong commune, possesses a simple and serene beauty. Behind its moss-covered tiled roof lie historical stories intertwined with the local revolutionary movement during the two wars of resistance against French colonialism and American imperialism. Bana ethnic hero Bok Wừu (born 1905) made many contributions to the resistance war against the French and died in 1952. In 1956, he was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces.
To commemorate and preserve the historical landmarks associated with him, Ms. Lan and her colleagues began researching and compiling a dossier on Hero Wừu in order to apply for recognition of the memorial site in his hometown as a historical monument.
“At that time, there was very little documentation about Hero Wừu, and much information could only be found through the stories of the elderly. From 2015 to 2018, we tirelessly traveled throughout the villages, met with witnesses, and searched for every photograph and every artifact. At times, it seemed like a dead end, but in the end, we still managed to collect more than 300 artifacts and 51 folk wooden statues to display at the memorial site,” Ms. Lan recalled.
In 2018, the Wừu Hero Memorial Area was recognized as a provincial-level historical site. After investment in construction and renovation, the memorial area was officially completed and opened to visitors in 2020.
Since then, even though her home is more than 26 km from the Memorial Area, and the road is rough and slippery during the rainy season, Ms. Lan has never shied away from the difficulties, traveling long distances to prepare and meticulously attend to every aspect of welcoming and explaining the site. For groups of students and youth union members, she usually dedicates more time, choosing a relatable and vivid way of telling the story so that they can easily understand.
Ms. Lan shared: “Meeting a veteran who fought alongside Hero Wừu left a deep impression on me. His simple story motivated me to stay connected with the Memorial Area. Because a historical site only truly comes alive when people preserve it and tell its story. I want every young person who comes here to feel proud, grateful, and responsible to their country.”
Currently, Ms. Lan no longer directly manages the Wừu Hero Memorial Area, but she still considers it an integral part of herself. "Whenever the local community needs me, I'm always ready to return and help, from guiding tours and caring for artifacts to organizing promotional activities," Ms. Lan affirmed.
3. The Pleiku prison was built by the French colonialists in 1925 and later continued to be used by the American imperialists as a place to imprison and torture thousands of revolutionary fighters and patriotic citizens... This site was classified as a national historical monument in December 1994.
Mr. Rmah Kawan (on the right) introduces visitors to historical documents and artifacts at Pleiku Prison. Photo: Dong Lai
Mr. Rmah Kawan (born in 1994, Ia Tul commune) started working at the Pleiku City Cultural, Sports and Information Center in 2017. Since 2018, he has been assigned to night duty at Pleiku Prison. In mid-July 2025, he officially took on the responsibility of overseeing and guiding visitors at the historical site.
“In the early days, I faced many difficulties, such as a lack of historical knowledge and a fear of being alone in a quiet space. Thanks to the dedicated guidance of my colleagues, I independently sought out documents, listened to stories from knowledgeable people, and gradually my fear disappeared, replaced by a passion for sharing history with others,” Kawan recalled.
Kawan also has the advantage of having studied vocal music and performing on stage, so he communicates well and conveys emotion in each narration, recreating the atmosphere of the tenacious struggle of the revolutionary soldiers who were imprisoned and tortured here.
Visiting Pleiku Prison, tourist Nguyen Van Nhanh ( Ho Chi Minh City) was moved: “I had read many documents about this place, but only after hearing the explanation firsthand did I fully understand the sacrifice and resilience of our ancestors. Thanks to the guide, we understood and appreciated the value of this historical site even more deeply.”
Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/giu-hon-di-tich-truyen-lua-cach-mang-hao-hung-post565151.html
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