The flame of identity in digital space

*Young people are exploring and incorporating the Co Tu cultural space into their artistic products, attracting public attention. Photo: DANG NGUYEN*

The imprint of the "Co Tu Village"

On weekends, many people express surprise at seeing Cơlâu Cao (born in 1998, a Literature teacher at Đông Giang Ethnic Boarding Junior High School) diligently pursuing her "side job." Armed only with a smartphone, Cơlâu Cao travels throughout the villages, capturing beautiful moments of Cơ Tu culture and people, and posting them on social media.

Cơlâu Cao said that he chose his own approach in his efforts to contribute to preserving and spreading the cultural values of his mountainous homeland. In particular, he aims to bring Cơ Tu culture to social media platforms, giving viewers a fresh, comprehensive, and engaging perspective on the Cơ Tu people in western Quảng province.

All of this, arranged by the young Co Tu man in the order of a "village story" told to his audience, offers a fascinating perspective that is both contemporary and traditional.

A few years ago, when social media began to boom, Cơlâu Cao, then a recent university graduate, returned to his village and conceived the idea of creating a community page on social media platforms to introduce and promote the unique images and stories of his ethnic group.

Not long after, "Co Tu Village" - a channel specializing in providing images and videos related to the life of the Co Tu community - was launched and quickly attracted the attention of the online community.

*Cơlâu Cao, the owner of the social media channel "Làng Cơ Tu," shares many impressive videos and images about the life and culture of the mountainous region. Photo: ĐĂNG NGUYÊN*

“This idea came very naturally. As a Katu person, I have always deeply felt that my ethnic culture is both beautiful and unique, but not yet widely known among young people. I thought, instead of letting these values remain only in books or in the memories of previous generations, we can retell and spread them on social media – where young people are present every day,” Cơlâu Cao shared.

Not content with just an idea, the young Co Tu teacher persevered in this project for many years. However, the journey was far from easy.

“The most difficult thing was how to maintain the authenticity of the culture while making it relatable and accessible to young people. In the beginning, not everyone was interested or receptive, and at times I felt a little disheartened. But I persevered, telling and writing with all my heart. Gradually, people began to empathize more and share more beautiful, meaningful, and interesting stories,” Cơlâu Cao recounted about the days of effort and overcoming obstacles, determined to bring “Cơ Tu Village” closer to viewers.

To obtain authentic content, in addition to carefully researching and verifying information from local people and village elders knowledgeable about traditional customs, Cơlâu Cao dedicated a lot of time to filming and presenting, deeply introducing Cơ Tu culture to the audience.

Many stories and images shared have attracted widespread attention, with hundreds of thousands of likes and shares on each post. Cơlâu Cao plans to incorporate Cơ Tu culture into regular lessons, extracurricular activities, and experiential learning at school, helping students directly experience and be more proud of the beautiful traditional culture of their ethnic group…

Spreading community values

In recent years, many young people in mountainous areas have been using digital platforms to promote their culture, such as the Cơlâu Cao group. Some have become social media sensations and have a significant influence, such as Alăng Brắc (Bến Hiên commune), Alăng Thị Công (Sông Kôn commune), Alăng Hoàng (Sông Vàng commune), Alăng Bắc (Hùng Sơn commune), etc.

*Alang Thi Cong introduces the creative mask-sculpting culture of the Co Tu people. Photo: DANG NGUYEN*

Taking advantage of the general benefits of social media, young Co Tu people regularly post stories about their lives, especially traditional culture associated with the indigenous values of the mountainous region.

A prime example is Alang Brac, the famous Co Tu TikToker who went viral across social media and the press with his fascinating and impressive journey of "telling stories about his village."

In each video she uploads, Alang Brac skillfully recounts everyday stories from her village and the Co Tu community at the foot of the eastern Truong Son mountain range. Through her simple and unpretentious storytelling, many of Alang Brac's videos quickly go viral, reaching millions of viewers nationwide and helping to spread the cultural values of the Co Tu community far and wide.

Building on his creative vision, a few years ago, singer-songwriter Danh Zoram (real name Zoram Huu Danh, a Co Tu man from Tay Giang commune, currently living and working in Ho Chi Minh City) incorporated many scenes of mountainous culture into his music videos.

Notably, the music video "Celebrating the New Gươl" was staged and set against the backdrop of the traditional cultural life of the Cơ Tu people, creating a vibrant atmosphere.

In many interviews with the audience, singer-songwriter Danh Zoram shared that he always cherishes what belongs to his identity, especially the Co Tu cultural roots of Quang Nam province, which have inspired him to create new songs that have been well-received by many people.

“As a member of the Co Tu ethnic group, I have always considered preserving and spreading traditional culture as a source of pride and responsibility for the younger generation. In the digital age, if used correctly, social media can become an effective bridge to bring the image of the Co Tu people, customs, language, and music closer to the public both domestically and internationally.”

"I deeply appreciate those who are striving to record and recount the stories, festivals, and folk melodies of the Co Tu people through images, videos, and creative content on digital platforms. This is not only a way to preserve cultural memories, but also a way to 'breathe new life' into ethnic identity in the era of integration. Because when culture is spread with genuine heart and national pride, it will naturally resonate and touch people's hearts in a captivating way," singer-songwriter Danh Zoram shared.

Source: https://baodanang.vn/ngon-lua-ban-sac-tren-khong-gian-so-3308285.html