Cultural preservation associated with tourism development

(Baonghean) -In many aspects, the lives of people in the Western districts still face many difficulties, but this place is blessed by nature with many famous landscapes and landscapes to develop eco-tourism.

These are Pu Mat National Park, Khe Kem waterfall, Giang River - Pha Lai Dam in Con Cuong; Sang Le forest, cold forest and Ban Ve Hydroelectric Reservoir, Khe Bo in Tuong Duong; Muong Long Heaven Gate with quite ideal climate conditions in Ky Son; Bua Cave, Tham Om Cave in Quy Chau and Sao Va Waterfall in Que Phong...

These scenic spots are the pride of the local people, but objectively speaking, they have long been in the form of potential. Because these scenic spots all have poetic and majestic beauty, and are located in the world biosphere reserve, but have not yet attracted a large number of tourists and brought revenue to the locality.

Brocade products of Thai people in Ky Son are popular with tourists.

For tourists, in addition to exploring the beauty of nature such as mountains, forests, rivers, and caves, there is also a need to explore and learn about the cultural values ​​that are unique to each region. Realizing this, localities have actively developed projects to preserve and promote national cultural identity in conjunction with tourism development.

Tuong Duong district is the leading locality in grasping the issue and developing and implementing the project. As a locality with up to 5 ethnic minorities living together, Tuong Duong has the strength of the diversity of cultural life of the residential communities. Each ethnic group has its own customs and practices to distinguish it from other ethnic communities.

This is the key point to attract the attention and the need to learn and explore cultural values ​​of tourists. However, with the rapid development of society and the communal life, the cultural identity of ethnic groups is at risk of being lost.

Faced with that reality, Tuong Duong district has initially implemented the restoration and embellishment of the historical and cultural relic system and the restoration of festival organization. Notably, the upgrading of Cua Rao temple and the annual organization of the festival in early spring have attracted tens of thousands of tourists, bringing significant income to the local people.

Along with that, Tuong Duong is making efforts to re-establish the cultural space typical of each ethnic group to aim at preserving identity and meeting the cultural needs of tourists. The project also focuses on restoring and developing brocade weaving, restoring some lost customs such as: Xang Khan Festival of the Thai ethnic group, the New Year Thunder Ceremony of the O Du ethnic group, and the New House Celebration of the Kho Mu ethnic group. At the same time, attention is paid to musical identity, preserving and collecting unique folk songs, folk dances and unique musical instruments of ethnic groups. Special dishes and mountain and forest products are also on the list of preserved for tourism development.

Similarly, Con Cuong district is currently developing a project to preserve and promote the cultural identity of the Thai ethnic group in conjunction with exploiting the potential and developing tourism. The core spirit of the project is to maintain and develop folk song and musical instrument clubs to preserve musical identity. At the same time, develop brocade weaving and famous specialties such as bamboo rice, cool fish, wild bamboo shoots... After exploring the beauty of Pu Mat National Park, bathing in Khe Kem waterfall, and cruising on the Giang River, visitors will enjoy dishes with the rich flavor of the mountains and forests that have long been passed down through the song "Muong Qua rice, Giang River fish".

After that, tourists visit brocade villages to witness the skillful hands and sophistication of Thai women through their weaving products and choose to buy some souvenirs. At night, tourists can visit villages, enjoy folk songs, folk dances, and immerse themselves in the bustling atmosphere of the festival, to remember it forever and want to come back again...

As a remote border district facing many difficulties, Ky Son is also making efforts to survey and develop a tourism development strategy, focusing on exploiting the cultural values ​​of ethnic groups. Mr. Moong Thai Nhi - Deputy Head of the Culture Department of Ky Son district said: "To attract tourists to Ky Son, we determine that it is not only based on climate conditions and international border gates, but also the rich cultural features imbued with the identity of the Mong, Kho Mu and Thai ethnic groups". Residing in remote terrain, the ethnic groups in Ky Son still preserve unique cultural features such as the bull fighting festival of the Mong ethnic group, the drinking wine of the Kho Mu people and the praying for a good harvest festival of the Thai people. In addition, the Pu Nha Thau Temple Festival and the Ban Canh Ban Da Temple have been restored, creating important highlights in the cultural and spiritual life. These are important conditions for the Ky Son Culture Department to develop a tourism development strategy.

Tuong Anh