Preserving and promoting the identity of ethnic minorities in Nghe An
Nghe An mountainous region has many ethnic groups, each with its own culture, very diverse and rich, creating unique characteristics for each ethnic group. In the face of the intersection of cultures and the fading of traditional cultural identity, the preservation and sustainable promotion of cultural values as well as the spirit of ethnic minorities is an issue that needs attention.
(Baonghean) -Nghe An mountainous region has many ethnic groups, each with its own culture, very diverse and rich, creating unique characteristics for each ethnic group. In the face of the intersection of cultures and the fading of traditional cultural identity, the preservation and sustainable promotion of cultural values as well as the spirit of ethnic minorities is an issue that needs attention.
It is sad that many people are indifferent to traditional values, stilt houses are gradually being sold or replaced by built houses, artisans and people who are passionate about understanding the culture of their ethnic groups are becoming fewer and fewer. Ethnic minority students and children grow up not knowing their mother tongue. The younger generation can only speak but not write in their own language. Musical instruments such as gongs, cymbals, panpipes, and mouth flutes of the Thai, Khmu, and Tho ethnic groups; blacksmithing and weaving of the Mong, Khmu, and Odu ethnic groups are also gradually disappearing in many villages... Intangible culture such as writing, customs, and folk literature are gradually being forgotten. In the past, the Odu ethnic group had their own written language, but nowadays it is difficult to find someone who can count to 10 in their own language. The project to preserve and develop the O Du ethnic group also invested in opening classes to teach the O Du language, but because there are too few people who know the O Du language and their vocabulary is limited, the development of the language for communication often has to be borrowed. Currently, among the ethnic minorities in Nghe An, cultural heritages, both tangible and intangible, are being lost. Folk songs and dances, due to the many exchanges between regions and ethnic groups, are gradually becoming mixed. The younger generation is not interested, and the older generation, who are artisans, have few opportunities to pass them on.
The Party and State have paid attention to investing and developing the traditional cultural quintessence of ethnic minorities in recent years. The programs and policies have brought practical results for ethnic minorities.
A practice session of the Thai folk song club in Vi village, Bac Son commune (Quy Hop).
Photo: Thu Huong
In recent years, in the field of culture, Nghe An has paid attention to investing in issuing policies to support the preservation and development of ethnic minority culture, such as Decision 84/2006 on the preservation and development of ethnic minority culture, assigned to the Provincial Ethnic Committee to preside over annually. It has organized the collection and preservation of cultural values, and classes teaching Mong, Thai, and O Du languages have been effective. Thai language clubs in localities have become organized and disciplined, creating a movement to preserve and learn about ethnic culture. Many people are dedicated to preserving ancient capital, such as Mr. Sam Van Binh, Lo Khanh Xuyen, etc.
Many tangible and intangible cultural values of Nghe An province, which seemed to have been lost, have been restored: Nine-room Temple in Que Phong, Chieng Ngam Temple in Quy Chau; Vi village cultural village in Bac Son commune (Quy Hop); preservation of Huoi Tho village (a Kho Mu village in Huu Kiem commune - Ky Son), implementation of the project "Preservation of Thai people's flute" in Tuong Duong district; establishment of cultural clubs in Con Cuong district, construction and preservation of cultural villages of the Odu ethnic groups... Besides those material values, spiritual values are also constantly preserved and promoted, festivals are constantly consolidated and developed...
In recent years, Nghe An has organized competitions and festivals such as: Ethnic Minority Cultural Festival 2008, Ethnic Minority Art Performance Festival 2011, creating a healthy playground and cultural exchange among ethnic people.
Although attention has been paid to investment, preservation and development of traditional cultural values, the restoration, preservation and retention works compared to the cultural depth of ethnic minorities are very modest. Regarding tangible culture, according to preliminary statistics, the whole province currently has only 54 villages that preserve traditional cultural features (ancient villages), including 46 Thai villages, 2 Mong villages, 4 Tho villages, 2 Khomu villages...
The discovery and training of a team of literary and artistic creators, research to preserve cultural forms, and to preserve the heritage are showing many encouraging signs: Clubs teaching Thai script, using musical instruments, instruments, and folk songs and dances in communes and villages are increasingly developing. Classes teaching how to make panpipes, flutes, and other traditional musical instruments are well received by the young generation. With the column Preserving the Heritage in Nghe An Weekend Newspaper and the Government's free provision of capital to prestigious people, it has increasingly created more motivation for generations of people to be determined to preserve and conserve national cultural values.
Grassland
