Thu Lum preserves national cultural identity

After a long journey of more than 5 hours by car from the provincial center, we arrived at the border land of Thu Lum. This place welcomed us with a shower of rain and a bit of cold. Seeing the Ha Nhi ethnic girls wearing traditional costumes smiling and greeting us, all our fatigue disappeared.

Ha Nhi ethnic women learn folk songs from elderly artisans.

Thu Lum currently has nearly 1,130 households, over 5,200 people, mainly Ha Nhi, La Hu, Dao ethnic people living there. Mr. Le Hoang Dung - Head of the Commune's Department of Culture and Society said: Immediately after operating the 2-level local government model, the department continued to advise the Party Committee and the Commune People's Committee to implement Resolution No. 04 of the Provincial Party Executive Committee on preserving and promoting the fine traditional cultural identities of ethnic groups associated with tourism development in the province in the period of 2021-2025. In particular, focusing on propagating, mobilizing, and arousing people's love for ethnic culture through preserving traditional costumes, folk songs, and folk dances; especially preserving and promoting the value of 2 national intangible cultural heritages recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, including: Xoe art and Xa Nha Ca performance of the Ha Nhi ethnic group. Maintain and organize traditional festivals of ethnic groups such as: Traditional New Year of the Ha Nhi ethnic group, Forest Worshiping Ceremony, Rainy Season Festival, New Rice Celebration Festival. Promote the role of artisans in teaching cultural beauty through songs, dances, and costume making for the young generation and students.

The beauty of costumes is always respected, preserved and developed into 3-star OCOP products by the Ha Nhi ethnic group.

Along with that, the commune integrates resources from national target programs and provincial resolutions to invest in cultural facilities, creating conditions for people to organize cultural and sports exchanges, preserving national identity. Funding support for mass art troupes to operate, purchase costumes and performance props. Every year, the commune organizes artisan groups to participate in cultural performances at cultural and tourism events of the province and the country. At the same time, it encourages people to exploit the advantages of local culture to create many attractive products to attract tourists to the locality.

It is known that in 2024, the traditional costume of the Ha Nhi ethnic group was recognized as a 3-star OCOP product. Ms. Chu Nhu Pu in Me Giong village shared: Through the propaganda and mobilization staff, I registered to participate in the OCOP product evaluation and classification program with the traditional costume of the Ha Nhi ethnic group; thereby, both preserving and promoting the good identity of my ethnic group; and contributing to increasing the income of my family and women in the village. Since being recognized as a 3-star OCOP product, many customers have ordered the costume to wear and as a souvenir. Therefore, when there are programs and events of the province such as: Culture - Tourism Week or National Achievement Exhibition, when I am called, I actively participate in performing dances, singing; making colored eggs to give to guests, embroidering costumes. I am very happy and happy that more and more people know and spread the unique identity of my ethnic group.

According to Thu Lum commune's assessment, the good traditional cultural values of the ethnic groups in the area, especially the Ha Nhi ethnic group, are being well preserved and promoted. Currently, the whole commune has 16/17 villages with art troupes, regularly performing dances and songs on major holidays, commune events, art exchange programs, celebrating the Party and celebrating Spring.

In the coming time, Thu Lum commune will continue to propagate and mobilize people to preserve and promote the traditional beauty of ethnic groups from costumes, culture, arts, music, cuisine; especially focusing on maintaining and organizing unique traditional festivals and New Year. Thereby, not only meeting the cultural enjoyment needs of ethnic groups in the new era but also creating momentum for the border area to develop tourism, building Thu Lum into an attractive destination in the journey to explore and experience the identity of Lai Chau highlands.

Source: https://baolaichau.vn/van-hoa/thu-lum-bao-ton-ban-sac-van-hoa-dan-toc-1199970