Attention to preserving traditional Raglai cultural values

Over the past 10 years, the mountainous district of Khanh Son has had many practical and effective activities to preserve the traditional cultural values of the Raglai ethnic minority. The beauty and unique cultural identity of the ethnic minority that have been preserved not only enriches the spiritual and cultural life, but also serves as a product for the increasingly developing tourism activities in the locality.

Preserving unique cultural values

Khanh Son district's traditional art troupe performs at the 2024 Vietnamese Ethnic Culture Day of Khanh Hoa province.

Khanh Son district has 12 ethnic groups living together, of which the Raglai people account for the largest number with more than 70.5% of the district's population. For generations, the Raglai people in Khanh Son have built up a traditional cultural capital with festivals, customs, the art of singing epics, performing traditional musical instruments, culinary culture... However, there was a time when those traditional cultural beauties and values were less interested and gradually faded away. "There was a time when in the villages of the Raglai people, the elderly no longer sang epics, played the ma la, the young only liked to listen to modern music. Traditional festivals were rarely held, alau singing, lullabies, the sound of stone instruments, chapi... gradually disappeared. That situation left many worries and concerns for those working in cultural work, those who are passionate about Raglai culture", said Meritorious Artisan Mau Quoc Tien.

Promptly recognizing that alarming situation, Khanh Son district has made efforts to implement synchronous solutions to preserve the fine traditional cultural values of the Raglai people. The locality has opened 6 classes to teach the skills of using ma la musical instruments, 3 classes to teach lithophone playing, 3 classes to teach epic singing for local youth; actively researched and collected folk songs and dances, recorded Raglai folk songs and epics, translated books about Raglai people and culture in Khanh Son... The district has completed the production of 10 sets of lithophone musical instruments to hand over to communes and towns for use; organized the restoration of the thanksgiving ceremony for parents; opened classes to teach basket weaving, crossbow making, and chapi making for young people.

Every year, the locality organizes mass art performances, cultural village festivals, cultural heritage competitions, and ethnic cultural days... Through these, it focuses on recreating traditional festivals and customs of the Raglai people, performing songs, dances, and music with the cultural characteristics of the Raglai people. Communes and towns in the district have established traditional art troupes to perform art performances for the people and tourists. “Currently, Son Hiep commune has established two art troupes in Hon Dung and Ta Gu villages, each consisting of 15 members, who can skillfully perform singing, dancing, and traditional musical instruments of the Raglai people. The commune also sends many young people to participate in handicraft production classes and ma la classes organized by the district. At the traditional long house in Hon Dung village, there have also been activities to recreate the new rice celebration and the thanksgiving ceremony for parents organized by the district People's Committee,” said Mr. Nguyen Doan Dat - Vice Chairman of Son Hiep Commune People's Committee.

Spreading cultural beauty

Raglai people in Son Hiep commune reenact the new rice celebration.

It can be seen that folk art forms such as folk singing, epic singing; traditional handicrafts such as weaving, making traditional musical instruments, making rice wine; culinary culture characteristics such as bamboo-tube rice, grilled chicken in bamboo tubes, and vegetable soup... are preserved in the life and activities of the community in Khanh Son. The locality has also invested in building cultural and sports facilities and equipment in 29 villages and residential groups; supported the activities of 12 traditional art troupes in the villages; organized 2 training courses, fostered expertise, skills, and taught intangible culture; restored 1 typical traditional festival...

From now until 2030, the district will continue to restore typical traditional festivals of the Raglai ethnic group; annually organize classes to teach lithophone and ma la musical instruments; build a community tourism model in Hon Dung village associated with promoting the cultural, historical values, customs and good practices of the Raglai people; build a Khanh Son district exhibition house to display cultural artifacts and antiques to promote local tourism products. In addition, the district will maintain the organization of performances of lithophone and ma la musical instruments, folk songs, traditional folk singing and dancing at the long house in Hon Dung village; effectively carry out the work of preserving intangible cultural heritage of the Raglai ethnic group, including: Traditional costumes, folk literature, folk performing arts, traditional festivals, traditional crafts...

According to Mr. Cao Minh Vy - Vice Chairman of Khanh Son District People's Committee, the preservation and promotion of traditional cultural values of the Raglai people in the coming time requires the active participation of functional agencies, especially the self-awareness and sense of responsibility of the local community. Along with that, the district will develop and implement plans, projects and projects to preserve and promote the cultural heritage values of the locality; continue to effectively implement the socio-economic development policy in the ethnic minority and mountainous areas to ensure a stable life for the people; raise awareness of cultural preservation and cultural management in the ethnic minority and mountainous areas, especially for the younger generation.

The district will also review and improve the organization, functions and tasks of management agencies in the direction of streamlining, improving the efficiency of preserving and promoting the cultural values of ethnic minorities; regularly training and updating knowledge in the new situation for the team working on ethnic affairs and managing ethnic minority culture; constantly recreating and transmitting cultural heritage values from generation to generation through word of mouth, craft, performance and other forms in the community. In addition, there is a mechanism to promote the role of artisans, village elders and village chiefs in preserving and promoting traditional cultural values; encouraging the community to participate in preserving unique traditional cultural values, preventing the risk of fading, distorting or losing them...

Giang Dinh/Khanh Hoa Newspaper

Source: https://baophutho.vn/khanh-son-quan-tam-bao-ton-gia-tri-van-hoa-truyen-thong-raglai-216384.htm