Lady of the Land Festival in Sam Mountain: Newly Honored Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

At 9:47 a.m. on December 4, 2024 (local time in Paraguay), at the 19th Session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of 2003, held in the capital Asunción, the Via Ba Chua Xu Nui Sam Festival was officially inscribed by UNESCO on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This is not only the pride of the An Giang provincial community but also a recognition of Vietnam's profound cultural values ​​in preserving and promoting precious heritages.

According to the assessment of the Intergovernmental Committee, the nomination dossier for the Ba Chua Xu Festival of Sam Mountain was carefully prepared by Vietnam, demonstrating its understanding and dedication to preserving traditional cultural values. With many years of experience in building heritage dossiers, Vietnam has made significant contributions to UNESCO's activities, especially in the 2022-2026 term. At the ceremony, the Vietnamese representative, Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu and Secretary of the An Giang Provincial Party Committee Le Hong Quang, pledged to protect and promote the value of the festival in the coming time. The Assistant Director General for Culture awarded the Certificate of Recognition of "The Festival of Lady of Sam Mountain" as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity to the representative of Vietnam - Photo: VNA.

The Ba Chua Xu Festival of Sam Mountain takes place from the 22nd to the 27th of the fourth lunar month in Chau Doc city, An Giang province. The ceremony is held at the Ba temple at the foot of Sam mountain and the stone pedestal area on the top of the mountain, where the statue of the Lady used to be enshrined. This is an occasion for the Vietnamese, Cham, Khmer and Chinese communities to express their gratitude to the Mother Goddess of the Land, the goddess who is believed to protect and bless the people with health, peace and fortune. Through religious rituals combined with folk performances, the festival creates a sacred space, clearly expressing the unique Mother Goddess worship of the Southwest region.

The belief in Ba Chua Xu Nui Sam not only reflects spiritual beliefs but is also the result of cultural exchange and creativity between ethnic communities. The synthesis between the Vietnamese Mother Goddess worship and cultural elements of the Cham, Khmer and Chinese communities has formed a heritage of synthesis, both connecting the community and expressing unique identity. The rituals, customs and practical skills of the festival are passed down through generations through oral tradition and direct practice, creating a continuous cultural flow. The statue of Lady Xu is placed in the main hall. Photo: Sam Mountain Cable Car

UNESCO highly appreciates the positive impacts that the festival brings to society. The festival becomes a bridge between generations, and at the same time promotes gender equality when the role of women is honored through the image of Ba Chua Xu - a symbol of benevolence and protective power. In addition, the festival contributes to raising public awareness of environmental protection, sustainable economic development and strengthening social cohesion, when people of all ages, genders and classes actively participate in the activities.

To protect the heritage, the local government and community have taken many practical measures. The Via Ba Chua Xu Festival on Sam Mountain has not only been included in the list of National Intangible Cultural Heritage but has also become a teaching content in local high schools. Artisans and communities practicing the festival always actively pass on knowledge and skills through annual activities, ensuring that unique cultural values ​​are preserved and promoted sustainably. Many documentation projects, documentaries and publications have been carried out to promote this heritage to the general public.

The decision to inscribe the Via Ba Chua Xu Festival on Sam Mountain into the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity has affirmed the great value of this heritage, while promoting dialogue and understanding between cultures. Thereby, the festival becomes a living testament to the spiritual cultural creativity of the Vietnamese people and a bridge connecting Vietnam with Southeast Asia and the world. This pride is not only for An Giang but also belongs to the whole nation, affirming the position of Vietnamese culture in the flow of human heritage.

Hoang Anh- SEAP