A place where cultural values ​​and tourism potential converge

(Baothanhhoa.vn) - Doan Street Market (Pu Luong Commune) has long been a unique cultural meeting place in the West of Thanh Hoa. Each market session is not only a place to buy, sell and exchange goods, but also an opportunity for Thai, Muong, Mong, Kinh people... to meet, exchange and connect. Amidst the modern pace of life, the market still retains its rustic, rich identity and becomes a potential highlight in the development of community tourism in Pu Luong.

People and tourists come to shop at Doan market.

According to the elders, Doan Street market is often called Don Street market by the locals, which has existed since the French colonial period, closely associated with the trading needs of the people of Lung Niem, Thanh Son, Thanh Lam, Lung Cao, Co Lung communes... in the old Ba Thuoc district and the surrounding areas. The market usually takes place on Thursdays and Sundays every week. Every time the market comes, from early morning, all the roads leading here are bustling with footsteps and the cheerful laughter of people in traditional costumes. People with baskets of goods on their backs and burdens on their shoulders follow the people bustlingly to Doan Street. They bring to the market all kinds of local products such as Doi seeds, Mac Khen seeds, sticky rice, honey, wild vegetables, hill chickens, stream fish... All create a colorful picture, where each product is not only a commodity but also carries a story about the land, the people, and the highland lifestyle.

What makes the Doan market so attractive is not only the variety of goods but also the community atmosphere, where people meet each other with friendly, warm smiles. People who come to the market also take the opportunity to visit, make friends, and tell each other stories about their fields, crops, and children's education. The market thus becomes a "stage" of social life, where cultural identity is preserved and reproduced.

Ms. Ha Thi Giao, owner of a vegetable and fruit stall at the market, said: “The Doan market is a long-standing activity of the people here. Today, people still maintain the habit of going to the market not only to buy and sell but also to meet, visit, and strengthen village and communal ties. For us, each market session is a joy, a unique traditional cultural feature.”

The good news is that local people are increasingly aware of the value of the market for socio -economic development. Many families maintain their participation in the market while developing homestay services, introducing tourists to traditional crafts such as brocade weaving, basketry, and ethnic cuisine processing. This combination not only helps increase income but also creates motivation to preserve lifestyles and customs. Thanks to that, in recent years, community tourism has become an important direction in Pu Luong commune and Doan market is the highlight in the journey to explore indigenous culture of many tourists. This place is already famous for its pristine natural scenery, traditional stilt houses, passionate khap and xoe dances, and the market is the glue that connects, helping tourists have a real experience. Coming to the market, visitors can enjoy rustic dishes such as bitter bamboo shoots, grilled stream fish, five-color sticky rice, buy brocade items woven by Thai women and chat with the locals. These are values ​​that cannot be found in modern urban markets.

With its unique cultural “material”, many community tours to Pu Luong Community Ecotourism Area have included the Doan Street market in their journey of discovery. Domestic and foreign tourists have expressed their delight at experiencing a vibrant cultural space, where they are not only spectators but also become part of the market.

Ms. Phan Thi Ha (Le Gia Trade and Tourism Joint Stock Company) commented: “The Doan market needs to be identified as holding a particularly important position in preserving the cultural identity of ethnic minorities. Currently, in most of the Pu Luong experience tours, we have put the Doan market into operation. After the programs, the feedback from tourists is very good. If well planned and promoted, this will be an attractive destination, contributing to increasing income for the people, while spreading the beautiful image of Pu Luong to a large number of tourists.”

According to Ms. Ha, the problem is how to preserve the cultural space of the market while effectively exploiting the tourism value in modern life. On the one hand, it is necessary to preserve the cultural and natural values ​​of the market, not turning the market into a place of display or excessive commercialization. On the other hand, there needs to be solutions to improve the quality of services, from environmental sanitation, security and order to traffic infrastructure, so that the market can increasingly attract tourists. In particular, the role of local authorities in guiding and supporting people to promote products and connect with tourism businesses is very important.

It can be said that Doan market is a place where traditional values ​​and new development opportunities converge. This is a cultural space that both carries the breath of the past and opens the door to the future through sustainable community tourism. In the movement of time, the voices of the Thai people, the colors of their clothes, and the flavors of the mountains and forests... at Doan market still resonate, lingering like a piece of music, contributing to enriching the cultural treasure of Thanh land, making Pu Luong a bright spot for community tourism.

Article and photos: Le Anh

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/noi-hoi-tu-gia-tri-van-hoa-nbsp-va-tiem-nang-du-lich-260924.htm