Preserving the profession to create a tourist village

Encourage community heritage conservation

Kon Jot, Kon Nak, Kon Pơdram are three particularly disadvantaged villages in Ha Dong commune, Dak Doa district. 95% of the population here are Bahnar people with unique cultural values. The project to train the traditional handicraft skills of weaving and making crossbows of the Bahnar people for these three villages was implemented from the end of December 2024, not only teaching traditional crafts to the community but also opening up new directions in livelihood and tourism development.

The project is part of the “Small Grants for Conservation and Sustainable Management of ASEAN Heritage Parks (AHP)” program chaired by the General Department of Environment, with the participation of ASEAN National Parks: Ba Be, Hoang Lien, Chu Mom Ray and Kon Ka Kinh. The Women’s Union of Ha Dong commune is the project host, and Kon Ka Kinh National Park is the monitoring agency.

The young generation of Ha Dong commune (Dak Doa district) is taught the craft in school to raise awareness of preserving traditional crafts. Photo: HN

Implementing the project, from only using weaving to serve daily life, Bahnar people in the villages initially approached advanced techniques, creating beautiful and diverse products, targeting the tourism market.

According to Ms. Doat - President of the Women's Union of Ha Dong commune: Participating in the project, people are not only taught a profession but also learn how to organize a profession group, manage, operate and especially think creatively and improve products to suit new consumption trends.

In addition, students from grades 6 to 9 of Tran Kien Ethnic Boarding Secondary School (Ha Dong Commune) also participated in vocational training within the framework of extracurricular activities. Each training session lasted 4 days, directly instructed by artisans from Ngom Thung weaving village (Ia Pet Commune).

Artisan Hyoi said: “We show them how to sharpen bamboo strips, weave baskets, create patterns, make the bottom and mouth of the baskets… Many people have now created complete products that are very beautiful and technically correct. From this basic technique, those who know the craft can create many other woven products.”

In particular, the project's activities also focus on helping people understand how to exploit and process natural resources sustainably - a necessary factor to create livelihoods while conserving forest resources.

People in Ha Dong villages (Dak Doa district) - in the buffer zone of Kon Ka Kinh National Park - are taught traditional crafts to create sustainable livelihoods. Photo: HN

Creating a tourist village

The formation of craft groups and teams in Kon Jot, Kon Nak, and Kon Pơdram villages is not only a step to restore and preserve the craft, but also aims to build an eco-tourism craft village associated with Kon Ka Kinh National Park.

Ms. Vu Thi Chinh - Representative of Kon Ka Kinh National Park Management Board, the project supervisor - affirmed: "When forming experiential tourism services from the buffer zone villages, it will connect to serve tourists from the center of the National Park to Bahnar villages - where they can participate in experiencing handicrafts, immersing themselves in a unique cultural space".

To prepare for this ecosystem-culture-craft village connection tour, the National Park also surveyed and evaluated the attractiveness and experience to build tourism products.

According to Ms. Chinh, from the center of the National Park, visitors will trek through the forest to reach the peaceful Bahnar villages located in the middle of the Kon Ka Kinh mountains. If there were more activities to experience the craft villages guided by the community, this tour would increase the attractiveness of this tour.

To create a spread, the project organized for people to visit the model of Ngom Thung weaving village - where there are many highly skilled artisans, an effective model of organizing craft groups. People in the buffer zone villages have the opportunity to learn from experience, techniques and how to organize production and consume products.

According to the Chairwoman of the Women's Union of Ha Dong Commune, this is the first time that households in the commune have been exposed to how to make products for tourism. "Previously, people followed customs and habits, without paying attention to appearance. Now they know how to make durable products, focusing on utility value and aesthetic value. Some products such as baskets, trays, handbags, etc. are sent to us for introduction and promotion," said Ms. Doat.

After the course was guided by the artisan, the students created beautiful products from the weaving craft. Photo: HN

However, the biggest difficulty is still the output for the product. Although the profession has been taught techniques, the workers need stability and easy access to the market. Therefore, the project has deployed marketing channels such as setting up Zalo sales accounts, Facebook, TikTok Shop; linking with tourist destinations, registering to participate in cultural fairs to introduce products.

“We expect that products from the village will quickly reach tourists. When there is an experience tour from the National Park to the village, visitors can participate in weaving, listen to cultural stories, and choose to buy products as gifts,” said Ms. Chinh.

Products such as woven baskets, trays, models of communal houses, crossbows, etc. are not only household items but also contain the unique cultural values ​​of the Bahnar people. Each product is a story about the long-lasting connection between people and the natural environment through many generations.

Therefore, although it has just begun, the project has created positive changes: the first craft groups were established, people learned how to organize production and create a variety of products.

When traditional culture contributes to improving livelihoods, especially through experiential tourism, material and spiritual values ​​will resonate, creating a solid foundation for developing community tourism in the buffer villages of Kon Ka Kinh National Park.

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/giu-nghe-de-tao-dung-lang-du-lich-post322354.html