Striving to rise above poverty
For Ms. Tuyet Nhung Bkrong, the ultimate goal of knowledge has never been limited to academic titles or accolades; she always focuses on her village to preserve and continue the local culture.
Born into a family of 12 siblings in Mblơt hamlet, Ea Bông commune (formerly Krông Ana district, Đắk Lắk province), now Ea Kruế hamlet, Ea Na commune, Tuyết Nhung Bkrông's childhood was marked by hardship. Her parents were farmers, their lives dependent on their fields; working in the fields in the morning and attending school in the afternoon was the familiar rhythm of life for most children in the village.
Ms. Tuyet Nhung Bkrong becomes the first female Associate Professor and Doctor of Philosophy of the Ede ethnic group (Photo: Thuy Diem).
The days of planting rice, transplanting seedlings, digging coffee holes, gathering bamboo shoots, carrying firewood, digging wells… interspersed with evening study sessions by oil lamp have become indelible memories. Amidst hardship, her family maintained an important principle: children must not drop out of school. This unwavering commitment instilled in the young Ede girl the belief that literacy could open up a different path in life.
For Tuyet Nhung Bkrong back then, education was not only a way out of poverty, but also a way to preserve, affirm, and protect the cultural values of her ethnic group. When she entered university, she brought with her a special asset - "indigenous knowledge" nurtured from her village and from the community's memories.
She always longed to return to her indigenous community after graduating from the Faculty of Literature and Linguistics at Da Lat University, where she worked at Tay Nguyen University. She simultaneously taught and diligently pursued further studies and research.
From the hearth of her village, Ms. Tuyet Nhung Bkrong has had a remarkable journey of effort (Photo: Uy Nguyen).
In 2005, she successfully defended her doctoral thesis on "Matriarchal Culture through the Ede Epic." Afterward, she continued her diligent research and reaped the rewards, becoming the first Ede Associate Professor in the Central Highlands.
The first wooden book was written in four languages.
When mentioning Associate Professor Dr. Tuyet Nhung Bkrong, researchers cannot help but mention her works on preserving the languages of ethnic minorities.
She and her colleagues have successfully digitized numerous bilingual dictionaries: Vietnamese - Jrai, Jrai - Vietnamese; Vietnamese - Stieng, Stieng - Vietnamese; Vietnamese - M'nong, M'nong - Vietnamese; Vietnamese - Cham, Cham - Vietnamese… These works not only have scientific value but also serve as a "lifeline" for preserving languages from the risk of extinction.
Associate Professor Tuyet Nhung Bkrong (center) in traditional attire (Photo: Uy Nguyen).
Simultaneously, she participated in compiling textbooks on teaching methods for the Ede language, chaired the Jrai language teaching curriculum, wrote online Ede and Cham language teaching curricula; and edited the general curriculum on the culture of ethnic groups in the Central Highlands, which are foundational materials for training, research, and teaching.
Many of her research works have been published as books, such as " Matrilineal Culture through the Ede Epic ," " Ede Culinary Culture in Dak Lak ," "Bahnar Customary Law in Contemporary Life ," etc., making important contributions to the preservation and promotion of the cultural, linguistic, and writing systems of ethnic minorities.
Ms. Tuyet Nhung Bkrong and artisan Vo Van Hai stand next to a wooden book about "Teacher Y Jut H'wing" (Photo: Anh Nguyen).
A remarkable achievement of Associate Professor Dr. Tuyet Nhung Bkrong is the wooden book "Teacher Y Jút H'wing - An Outstanding Son of the Central Highlands," created in collaboration with artisan Vo Van Hai. Written in four languages: Vietnamese, Ede, English, and French, it holds the Vietnamese record for being the first wooden book written in four languages.
Dedicated to local culture
As someone deeply committed to the culture of the Central Highlands, Ms. Tuyet Nhung Bkrong always believed that culture is not something foreign to be displayed; it is a resource that can create livelihoods and sustainably enrich communities if properly identified and applied. In particular, the Associate Professor and Doctor always pays special attention to women from ethnic minority groups.
In many villages, she organized training courses for women in remote areas, helping them understand policies and guidelines, recognize their roles in the family and community, thereby minimizing disadvantages and increasing opportunities for development.
She was always concerned and eager to contribute to the local culture (Photo: Thuy Diem).
One of her most notable achievements was her program supporting female pottery artisans in Yang Tao commune (now Lien Son Lak commune), linking the preservation of traditional crafts with livelihood development; building and restoring the Yang Tao water source, and creating a community cultural space where memories are awakened and continued.
Not stopping there, she spent many years applying her research to real life and directly mentoring master's and doctoral students to successfully defend their dissertations; participating in training programs for respected village elders and leaders in national target programs.
For students, Associate Professor Tuyet Nhung Bkrong is a passionate and socially responsible teacher, an inspiring figure. She not only imparts knowledge but also helps students develop their inner strength, hone their research skills, and cultivate a sense of community with the belief that "a nation's culture is its foundation, and the loss of culture is the loss of its roots."
Ms. Tuyet Nhung Bkrong always pays special attention to women from ethnic minority communities (Photo: Uy Nguyen).
Driven by her concern that ethnic minority communities are often only presented as "research subjects," she persistently pursued interdisciplinary research, allowing those directly involved to have a voice about themselves.
Recently, Associate Professor Dr. Tuyet Nhung Bkrong co-organized an international scientific conference at Tay Nguyen University with the theme "From Indigenous Memory to Global Perspectives: Art and Minority Communities from a Cross-Cultural Perspective".
“In the context of increasingly profound globalization, the indigenous cultural values and artistic lives of minority communities are facing many opportunities for development alongside numerous challenges. I want indigenous people to be able to express their own thoughts and concerns without having to rely on others to speak for them,” Associate Professor Tuyet Nhung Bkrong shared.
The presentations at the aforementioned conference contributed to breaking down prejudices and stereotypes about minority communities in literature, film, and mass media; raising issues of social injustice, environmental injustice, and racial discrimination in the context of globalization.
Associate Professor Tuyet Nhung Bkrong is one of the exemplary intellectuals of the Ede ethnic group (Photo: Uy Nguyen).
The female Associate Professor of the Ede ethnic group believes that, based on her experiences, memories, and indigenous knowledge accumulated over many generations, research on ethnic minority cultures is complete when those directly involved are given a voice to speak about themselves.
From her village to the rank of Associate Professor, Tuyet Nhung Bkrong has traveled a long journey. But her ultimate goal remains steadfast in her ideal of returning to serve her village and community.
Associate Professor Dr. Le Duc Niem, Vice Rector of Tay Nguyen University, assessed Ms. Tuyet Nhung Bkrong as one of the exemplary Ede intellectuals of the university and the Central Highlands.
“Associate Professor Dr. Tuyet Nhung Bkrong serves as a member of the textbook evaluation committee for the Ede language of the Ministry of Education and Training, participating in most of the Ede language textbook projects thanks to her excellent linguistic abilities. She also actively researches and participates in many activities related to the preservation and promotion of ethnic culture in the locality, and her achievements have been recognized by many levels and sectors,” said Mr. Le Duc Niem.
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/hanh-trinh-tu-nuong-ray-tro-thanh-nu-pho-giao-su-dau-tien-cua-nguoi-ede-20260201101523552.htm
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