Nestled in the lush green valley of Sung La commune, Tuyen Quang province, Lung Cam village has long been considered a "cultural oasis" amidst the gray rocky landscape of the Dong Van karst plateau.
This is where the Hmong community, along with some Hoa, Nung, and Giay households, have lived for generations, creating a unique cultural space where architecture, customs, and landscapes have retained their rare originality amidst the strong commercialization trend of highland tourism .
The traditional houses with their earthen walls, handcrafted stone fences, and flowerbeds stretching along the mountainside not only create a peaceful beauty but also serve as vivid evidence of the community's unwavering commitment to conservation.
The traces of the past "remain" amidst the flow of change.
According to records from the Sung La commune government, Lung Cam is a settlement with a history spanning hundreds of years. Unlike many other villages on the Dong Van Karst Plateau – where migration and changes in livelihoods have caused the traces of the past to fade – Lung Cam has preserved its traditional settled lifestyle.
The fields are cultivated steadily, the traditional rammed earth houses are preserved in their original state, and many rituals and customs are maintained through generations.
Mr. Nguyen Van Tho, Chairman of the People's Committee of Sung La commune, commented: "The strongest point of Lung Cam is its originality. The people engage in tourism but do not disrupt the village structure or change customs. The government only supports infrastructure and training, while preserving the cultural identity is entirely up to the community to consciously and independently implement."
In reality, despite being located on the famous tourist route of the UNESCO Global Geopark Dong Van Karst Plateau, the village still retains its distinct traditional atmosphere: the hearth fire always burns brightly every morning, the smoke from the stoves blends with the scent of freshly cooked corn, and the rhythmic sound of linen weaving fills the air every evening.
According to many cultural experts, these images are the "most valuable asset" of a community-based tourism destination.
Preserving culture through the voluntary participation of the community.
Not only architecture and daily life, but also intangible cultural values are preserved by the people of Lung Cam with a very clear sense of responsibility.
The traditional festivals of the Hmong people are still celebrated according to ancient rituals. The songs, the sound of the Hmong flute, the dances, the linen weaving craft... no longer exist merely as "showcases" for tourists, but remain an essential part of community life.
One of the village's biggest attractions is the traditional Mua family house, which was featured in the film "Pao's Story."
Remarkably, as observed by the reporter, the house has not been renovated for commercial purposes at all. The rough stone-paved courtyard, the moss-covered yin-yang tiled roof, the corn mill on the porch, and the smoky kitchen with its corn seedlings remain exactly as they were decades ago.
It is this "unedited" quality that makes the space vibrant and authentic, evoking strong emotions in visitors.
Conservation for development - a sustainable path for Lung Cam.
According to statistics from Sung La commune, Lung Cam receives tens of thousands of visitors each year. This is a remarkable number for a remote, disadvantaged village in the highlands, demonstrating that community tourism can become an important economic resource if combined with conservation efforts.
Instead of expanding services en masse, the people of Lung Cam have chosen a cautious approach: developing homestays based on traditional rammed-earth houses, introducing distinctive cuisine, reviving traditional crafts, and producing gifts from local materials such as brocade, corn wine with leaf yeast, buckwheat wine, and traditional cakes. As a result, tourism has become an "outlet" for local culture, rather than a cause of its decline.
Mr. Vang Se Vang, a respected figure in the village, remarked: "The earthen houses, stone fences, linen skirts... are all the soul of the village. When developing tourism, we must show that soul to our guests. If we preserve our roots, guests will appreciate us and return."
Mr. Vang's opinion reflects the general sentiment of the community: not sacrificing identity for short-term profit. This is considered a crucial foundation that helps Lung Cam develop more sustainably than many other community tourism destinations in the region.
Regional connectivity - a promising direction for the future.
Following the direction of the local government, Sung La commune is promoting the connection of Lung Cam with famous nearby tourist destinations such as Pho Bang, the Vuong family mansion, and Lung Cu flagpole...
The goal is to create a seamless chain of cultural, historical, and scenic experiences, contributing to longer stays and increased spending by tourists.
Simultaneously, the commune is focusing on improving transportation infrastructure, upgrading roads leading to the villages, and providing support in tourism skills, communication skills, and service management for the local people. All of this aims to make Lung Cam a "model cultural destination" of the UNESCO Global Geopark.
Tourism experts believe that the Lung Cam model could become a prime example of community-based tourism development based on the principle of "conservation as the foundation - economic development following," and is particularly valuable as a reference for highland villages in the North facing the challenge of preserving their cultural identity.
Beauty comes from enduring preservation.
Unlike many commercialized tourist destinations, Lung Cam village doesn't seek noise or ostentation. The village has chosen a more difficult but sustainable path: preserving its cultural essence, maintaining its landscape and architecture, and developing tourism based on existing resources.
In the journey of exploring the rocky landscape of Ha Giang, Lung Cam thus becomes a valuable tranquil spot – a place where tourists can stop, listen to the breath of local life, and feel the resilience of Mong culture through each house, each stone-paved path, and each sound of the flute echoing through the valley.
And it is in that moment, standing amidst that space, that one understands why Lung Cam is not only a tourist destination, but also a symbol of a community that knows how to preserve the past to build the future.
Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/lung-cam-diem-sang-bao-ton-van-hoa-giua-thung-lung-sung-la-post1079590.vnp
Comment (0)