VHO - The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has just issued Decision No. 1656 officially including "Folk knowledge about Ngoc Linh ginseng" in Tu Mo Rong district and Dak Glei district ( Kon Tum province) into the List of National Intangible Cultural Heritage.
This is a very special event, recognizing the efforts, dedication and valuable knowledge that the Xo Dang community has preserved and passed down through many generations in the Ngoc Linh mountain area, considered the "capital of Ngoc Linh ginseng in Vietnam".
Vice Chairman of Kon Tum Provincial People's Committee Y Ngoc said that the recognition of folk knowledge about Ngoc Linh ginseng is the result of many years of collecting, systematizing, and building scientific records. This is not only a source of pride for local people but also an important turning point in the strategy of preserving and promoting the value of ginseng associated with the cultural identity of the highlands.
According to the Vice Chairman of Kon Tum Provincial People's Committee, folk knowledge about Ngoc Linh ginseng is a comprehensive system of knowledge, including how to identify suitable land for growing ginseng, natural propagation techniques, care under the canopy of primary forests, harvesting in the right season, preservation and use in treatment and health improvement.
More importantly, this knowledge system is also closely linked to the customs, practices, and traditional rituals of the Xo Dang people, the main ethnic group residing in the two districts recognized as heritage.
“The Xo Dang people consider Ngoc Linh ginseng as a part of the soul of the forest. The exploitation or cultivation of Ngoc Linh ginseng is accompanied by rituals of worshiping the forest and ancestors. This creates a unique identity and cultural depth that cannot be found anywhere else,” Ms. Ngoc emphasized.
Tu Mo Rong District is considered the center of Kon Tum Ngoc Linh ginseng region. Currently, the whole district has more than 1,000 households growing and caring for ginseng under the natural forest canopy, contributing to the preservation of both genetic resources and rare folk knowledge.
Together with Dak Glei district, the total area of Ngoc Linh ginseng in Kon Tum province is currently nearly 3,000 hectares, most of which is located in community forests or forests managed by households according to a sustainable model.
Compared to other localities such as Quang Nam , which has just been recognized as a heritage for the Nam Tra My ginseng area, Kon Tum is still leading in terms of actual area under care, commercial ginseng output, and depth of indigenous cultural knowledge. This clearly demonstrates the role of the Xo Dang community, the "forest and ginseng guardians" over the past decades.
The recognition of folk knowledge about Ngoc Linh ginseng as a national intangible cultural heritage opens up new opportunities for Tu Mo Rong and Dak Glei districts in particular and Kon Tum province in general in economic and cultural development associated with natural resource conservation.
According to Mr. Vo Trung Manh, Chairman of Tu Mo Rong District People's Committee, in the coming time, the locality will focus on exploiting the value of this heritage through typical community tourism and eco-tourism products.
“We expect to build ginseng garden tours under the canopy of the primeval forest, where visitors can witness firsthand how ginseng is grown, cared for, and harvested using traditional methods.
Accompanying the experience are activities such as: listening to stories about ginseng, attending forest worship ceremonies, enjoying local cuisine... all will create a unique cultural journey that only Tu Mo Rong has," said Mr. Manh.
Before its medicinal value was discovered and announced in 1973, Ngoc Linh ginseng had been used by the Xo Dang people for generations as a "hidden medicinal plant" of the mountains and forests.
The recognition by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of folk knowledge related to Ngoc Linh Kon Tum ginseng as an intangible cultural heritage has marked a new development step: from a precious medicinal plant to a unique cultural resource of the nation.
This heritage is not only symbolic, but also the basis for Kon Tum province to shape sustainable economic development policies, with the direct participation of local people, both creating livelihoods, protecting forests and preserving identity.
Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/van-hoa/tri-thuc-dan-gian-ve-sam-ngoc-linh-kon-tum-duoc-cong-nhan-la-di-san-van-hoa-phi-vat-the-quoc-gia-140356.html
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