Promoting the value of national intangible cultural heritage.

Every year, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism (VH,TT&DL) coordinates with various departments, agencies, and localities to organize the teaching, performance, and introduction of cultural heritage...

Báo Lai Châu•03/02/2026

The Thai ethnic cuisine of Lai Chau province will be recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2025.

In mid-July, the people of Lai Chau province were even more proud when four ethnic cultural heritage sites were honored and awarded certificates at the ceremony announcing the decision of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism recognizing the list of national intangible cultural heritage sites in 2025, organized by the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism in coordination with the People's Committee of Khong Lao commune. These were: the Then Kin Pang festival of the Thai ethnic group in Lai Chau province; folk knowledge about healing of the Dao people in Phong Tho, Tam Duong, and Sin Ho districts (formerly); the cuisine of the Thai ethnic group in Lai Chau province; and the Coming-of-Age Ceremony of the Tuyen Dao people in Phong Tho, Tam Duong, and Sin Ho districts (formerly).
People's Artisan Nong Van Nao from Phong Tho commune (who has made significant contributions to the research and practice of Thai ethnic cultural rituals in Phong Tho and Khong Lao communes) happily shared: "I am very happy that the Thai ethnic group in the province has many cultural heritage sites recognized at the national level. This is a source of pride and motivation for the people to continue to unite and preserve the beauty of our traditional culture. As an artisan, I will try to teach the younger generation the rituals of the Nang Han and Then Kin Pang festivals."
It is known that previously (on June 27th), the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism issued decisions announcing the list of national intangible cultural heritage. Among them, Lai Chau province had 7 more intangible cultural heritages added to the list. Besides the 4 cultural heritages that received certificates at the event held in Khong Lao commune, the province has 3 more cultural heritages to be certified in the near future: the Xoe dance of the Ha Nhi people (in the former districts of Muong Te, Nam Nhun, and Phong Tho); the Xa Nha Ca performance of the Ha Nhi people (in the communes of Mu Ca, Ka Lang, and Thu Lum, in the former Muong Te district); and the weaving craft of the Lu people.
Lai Chau province is home to 20 ethnic groups. Each group possesses distinctive cultural characteristics in terms of cuisine, music , clothing, folk knowledge, festivals, etc., creating a rich and unique cultural resource for this border region of the country. Over time, despite strong cultural exchange, the people in the area have always preserved, protected, and promoted the cultural values – the soul of their ethnic groups.
Mr. Tran Manh Hung, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said: Currently, the province has 11 heritage sites included in the national list of intangible cultural heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and 2 heritage sites inscribed by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage of humanity. To preserve and spread the value of these heritage sites, in recent years, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has advised the Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial People's Council, and the Provincial People's Committee to issue resolutions and projects on preserving and promoting the beautiful traditional cultural identity of ethnic groups associated with tourism development in the province for the period 2021-2025, with a vision to 2030. Every year, the department presides over or coordinates the organization of cultural heritage training classes in the community; develops mass cultural and artistic movements; and performs and introduces typical and characteristic cultural heritage through organizing and participating in cultural, sports and tourism events for officials and the people. In addition, the committee advises on awarding the titles of People's Artisan and Distinguished Artisan in the field of intangible cultural heritage. This aims to promote the role of artisans in teaching and spreading heritage values through festivals. Simultaneously, it will apply technology in preservation and artifact collection.
From 2021 to the present, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has organized 41 classes to teach traditional ethnic cultures; advised on the completion of the process for proposing the awarding of 1 People's Artisan and 5 Outstanding Artisans in the field of intangible cultural heritage for the fourth time in 2025; coordinated with localities to restore and maintain the organization of 3 festivals on a provincial scale: the Gau Tao Festival of the Mong people, the Then Kin Pang Festival of the Thai people, and the Le Thai To Temple Festival, attracting tens of thousands of domestic and international tourists. In the province's festivals, in addition to performing rituals, there are also attractive competitions in ethnic cuisine and sports.
Dr. Pham The Hung, an aesthetician (a tourist from Hanoi), shared: "Attending the Thai festival in Lai Chau, I was impressed with the culinary competition. Not only were the dishes unique, but the presentation also bore the strong imprint of the highland culture. The cuisine of the Thai people is truly wonderful; from the products of the mountains and forests, through the skillful hands and creativity of the women, they become masterpieces of art."
Building on the achievements, in the coming period, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism will continue to advise and propose to the province long-term policies aimed at linking preservation with the dissemination and sustainable development of national intangible cultural heritage; and improving the spiritual life of the people. It will also strengthen the promotion and introduction of cultural heritage through mass media and social media platforms to domestic and international tourists, highlighting Lai Chau – a land rich in cultural identity.