Dam Ha District: Promoting traditional cultural values of ethnic minorities

Over the years, Dam Ha has always focused on preserving and promoting traditional cultural values, including traditional cultural values of ethnic minorities in the area.

Booth selling traditional Dao costume embroidery products at Quang Lam Market — Stall selling traditional Dao costume embroidery products at Quang Lam market.

Quang Lam is a highland commune with 98% of ethnic minorities living there, including Dao, San Diu, San Chi, Kinh, Tay, Hoa, Thai, Muong, and La Ha. In 2002, Quang Lam commune invested in building a market from the 135 program capital. Over time, Quang Lam market has not operated as effectively as before, and the infrastructure has been invested for a long time and is now degraded. In early January 2025, Quang Lam commune market (Dam Ha) was restored to promote and introduce OCOP products, typical products of the commune, attract tourists, and promote local tourism services. Participating in Quang Lam market are 30 booths displaying and introducing OCOP products, typical agricultural products, food, typical medicinal herbs, and traditional craft products; Hand-sewn and embroidered products of ethnic minorities, ginger, groundnut, honey, local chickens, geese, snails, fish, bamboo shoots, stream fish, potato wine, leaf-fermented wine, bathing leaves, etc. Cultural activities, customs and practices, folk games also take place at the market, thereby contributing to preserving and promoting traditional cultural values, exploiting the inherent advantages of the locality to create products for community tourism development.

Dao people's initiation ceremony performance at Quang Lam fair — Performance of Dao people's initiation ceremony at Quang Lam fair.

In Quang An commune (Dam Ha), there are 9 ethnic groups living, of which ethnic minorities account for over 74% of the total population. Quang An pays special attention to preserving and promoting the cultural identity of ethnic minorities in the commune. The commune has developed a project to develop community tourism in the area; established ethnic costume sewing and embroidery clubs; organized a program to San Co region to attract people and tourists to participate in order to stimulate tourism; collected and restored some typical rituals of ethnic minorities, developed ethnic sports , implemented models: Ba Nhat market and Cau Tinh culinary area; community tourism model in Tam Lang village; happy village model in Mao San Cau village... Thereby, contributing to promoting traditional cultural values associated with tourism development in the commune.

Traditional Costume Embroidery Club of Quang An Commune — Traditional costume embroidery club of Quang An commune.

Not only in Quang Lam and Quang An communes, traditional cultural values of ethnic minorities are preserved and promoted. To encourage and support ethnic minorities to preserve and develop traditional culture, Dam Ha district issued Resolution No. 23-NQ/HU dated April 24, 2019, directing the synchronous implementation of the task of preserving and promoting traditional cultural values among ethnic minorities. Along with that, the district focuses on effectively implementing Resolution 06-NQ/TU dated May 17, 2021 of the Provincial Party Committee "On sustainable socio -economic development associated with ensuring solid national defense and security in communes, villages, and hamlets in ethnic minority, mountainous, border, and island areas for the period 2021-2025, with a vision to 2030"; Resolution No. 17-NQ/TU, dated October 30, 2023 of the Provincial Party Executive Committee on "Building and promoting cultural values and human strength of Quang Ninh to become an endogenous resource and driving force for rapid and sustainable development"...

Bach Van waterfall tourist destination, Quang An commune.

Along with paying attention to investing and perfecting the system of facilities and equipment of village cultural houses and commune-level cultural and sports centers; associated with exploiting traditional cultures of ethnic groups in the direction of developing experiential tourism, increasing income for people, Dam Ha district has promoted propaganda, mobilization, raising people's awareness of the importance of preserving the diversity of ethnic cultures; implementing civilized lifestyles in weddings, funerals and festivals, building a healthy cultural environment, pushing back superstitions; Restoring and preserving traditional costume embroidery, performing traditional costumes, performing Then singing, San Co singing, spinning top competitions, crossbow shooting, stick pushing, ethnic wrestling...

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