The competition, organized by the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the liberation of Southern Vietnam and the reunification of the country, attracted a large number of skilled artisans in the fields of weaving, basketry, and culinary arts.
In the traditional crafts category, each artisan brought two products to the competition: one complete for display and one unfinished to demonstrate their crafting techniques. Products were judged based on their applicability, tradition, aesthetics, and creativity—criteria reflecting the ability to transform cultural values into tourism products that can be used, displayed, or given as gifts.
Gifts from the village
The brocade weaving competition is a miniature stage showcasing the life of the Central Highlands. From scarves and shoulder bags to tablecloths, each product is a piece of culture bearing the personal imprint of the artisan.
Artisan Rơ Châm En (Bàng village, Ia Nhin commune, Chư Păh district) spent more than half a month weaving a piece with content commemorating the National Reunification Day (April 30). Her scarf prominently displays the inscription "Commemorating 50 years of the liberation of Southern Vietnam and national reunification, April 30, 1975 - April 30, 2025." Along with that, images of soldiers and working people are vividly depicted in each colored thread, like a heroic anthem woven with her pride for this day of peace .
"I wove for more than half a month without rest, because this brocade fabric carries the pride of a Central Highlands person on this day of national celebration," she said.
In another corner, young artist Luăn (Dak Doa town, Dak Doa district) chose a gentler way of telling stories through a tablecloth titled "The Bahnar Village." Images of stilt houses, people pounding rice, the ceremonial pole, and familiar animals from everyday life appear simply yet vividly. "When spread on the table, the entire village space emerges like a painting," she shared about the idea behind her artwork.
For Ms. Luan, brocade is not only beautiful but also tells the story of the village, providing a profound cultural experience for tourists. “The artisans participating in the competition are all very skilled. But to create products for tourism, you need ideas to make the products more attractive and applicable to many aspects of life, not just for making clothes or for decoration,” she said. With this idea, the young female artisan excellently won first prize in the weaving skills competition.
In the weaving competition, the richness of techniques and designs reflected the boundless creativity of the artisans. From baskets to improved items like handbags and vases, everything exuded rustic beauty and high functionality.
Artisan Dinh Van Ring (Kbang district) won first prize with his traditional woven basket, featuring meticulously crafted patterns, tight weaving techniques, and thin, evenly shaped bamboo strips – the culmination of a lifetime dedicated to the craft. Distinguished artisan Dinh Bi (Kbang district) created elegant flower vases from bamboo strips, preserving the essence of the traditional craft while meeting modern aesthetic demands.
Another impressive product is the backpack made by artisan Hyoi (Dak Doa district). He recounted: “When I was little, my father wove a backpack for me to use when herding cattle. Inside, I could hold rice, a raincoat, and some other items. The backpack hugged my back, allowing me to easily move with the herd of cattle. It's also an item closely associated with my childhood memories.”
According to Mr. Hyoi, each type of basket is made for a specific purpose: open baskets for carrying water, closed baskets for storing rice in the fields, small baskets used in festivals, or backpacks for going into the forest… With experience and weaving skills honed over the years, artisan Hyoi can create many diverse designs to serve daily life. “To create products as souvenirs for tourists using traditional crafts, I added patterns so that the products are both functional and aesthetically pleasing,” he said.
From village kitchens to tourist banquet tables
Cuisine is the soul of living culture, and in this competition, each meal tells a story about the life, customs, land, and history of a community.
The competition requires presenting a traditional meal consisting of dishes such as bamboo-cooked rice, grilled chicken, grilled fish, grilled meat, stir-fried cassava leaves with bitter melon, stir-fried or boiled vegetables, soup, rice wine, and local fruits.
The team from Ia Nhin commune (Chư Păh district) introduced a dish made from steamed tadpoles caught in streams, steamed with chili, salt, and betel leaves – a folk dish reflecting the skillful use of natural resources. They also brought bamboo shoot wraps – a dish made from bamboo shoots, rice flour, basil leaves, peanuts (or substituted with macadamia nuts), and crushed crab, left overnight. This dish is indispensable in family rituals or community festivals, embodying the full color, aroma, flavor, and culinary customs of the Jrai people in the western part of the province.
The team from Tú An commune (An Khê town) attracted attention with their dishes of stir-fried bamboo shoots and rattan shoots, and grilled stream fish wrapped in crab. The team from Ia Piar commune (Phú Thiện district) introduced a dish of yellow ant-infested eggplant – a unique dish believed to cure hangovers – along with the nearly extinct "nhăm dao" dish, made entirely from herbs and plants, without salt or industrial seasonings. "All the sweetness and saltiness are extracted from the plant stems, and it takes weeks of processing to achieve the authentic nhăm dao flavor. Therefore, this dish only appears at major community festivals," said Nay H'Loan.
Meanwhile, the team from Ia O border commune (Ia Grai district) presented a refreshing uoi fruit soup, while Glar commune (Dak Doa district) introduced grilled pork trotters pounded with galangal—and many other dishes pounded with various unique herbs and spices. Chefs from the community tourism villages of Mo Hra-Dap and Kgiang (Kbang district) impressed with their rustic, traditional Bahnar dishes, presented attractively and reflecting a modern culinary approach aimed at developing them into tourism products.
Krông Pa district participated with two teams showcasing different culinary styles, but all dishes reflected the unique character of this hot region, with a harmonious blend of sour, salty, sweet, bitter, and astringent flavors. In particular, the sun-dried beef combined with yellow ant salt has become a signature dish of this "fiery" region's cuisine.
Ms. Nguyen Quyen Anh Chau (Phu Can commune, Krong Pa district), representing the team that won first prize in the culinary competition, shared: “Cuisine, like beauty, is difficult to define; it depends on taste and perception. But the more I learn about Gia Lai cuisine, the more surprised I am by its richness, uniqueness, and something very distinctive. Through each competition, I learn more dishes to add to my restaurant menu and my family's meals.”
Mr. Nguyen Tan Thanh, Chairman of the Tourism Association and a member of the judging panel, commented: “The dishes were not only appealing in taste but also beautifully and creatively presented, demonstrating a deep understanding of culinary traditions and the skills of local chefs. In particular, some teams even gave lively presentations about the origins and cultural significance of their dishes. The competition also contributed to honoring and promoting traditional culinary culture to the community and tourists.”
According to Ms. Le Thi Thu Huong, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism: The competition was organized to concretize the task of developing rural tourism associated with building new rural areas. This is the second year the competition has been held, continuing to affirm the important role of cultural values in tourism development, both encouraging the community to preserve traditional crafts and creating sustainable livelihoods.
At the end of the competition, the Organizing Committee awarded 11 main prizes for 3 competition categories. Artisan Luăn (Dak Doa town, Dak Doa district) won first prize in brocade weaving. Artisan Đinh Văn Ring (Kong Long Khong commune, Kbang district) won first prize in basket weaving.
In the culinary competition: first prize went to Phu Can 2 commune (Krong Pa district), second prize to Glar commune (Dak Doa district), and third prize to Ia Nhin commune (Chu Pah district). The remaining 7 teams received a 1 million VND incentive each from the Gia Lai Tourism Association and the Ksor Hnao Artisan Restaurant.
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Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/van-hoa-chap-canh-cho-du-lich-gia-lai-post321207.html
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