Developing ethnic minority sports: Not given due attention

(Baonghean) - Nghe An has 6 ethnic minorities (Thai, Tho, Thanh, Mong, Kho Mu, O Du) living in 11 mountainous districts and towns, so customs, practices as well as folk games and traditional sports are quite rich and diverse.

Crossbow shooting competition at Bua Cave Festival 2014.

Conservation efforts…

In addition to competing at festivals in the West, since 1992, every year, mountainous districts organize cultural and sports festivals of ethnic groups, in which, in addition to cultural activities, there are also competitions in sports typical of ethnic minorities. And every two years, the Department of Physical Education and Sports organizes the Mountainous Ethnic Sports Festival, in which the above typical sports account for the majority of the competitions. Every four years, at the District Sports Festival, all mountainous districts (including Thai Hoa Town) include crossbow shooting and stick pushing in the competition program. In particular, stick pushing, although originating as an ethnic minority sport, is also included in the competitions of the Sports Festival by the plains districts.

At the 7th Nghe An Provincial Sports Festival in 2014 held last May, among the 17 competitions, there were 2 ethnic minority sports: crossbow shooting and pole pushing. At the national level, from 2005 to now, Nghe An ethnic minority athletes have participated in the Regional Ethnic Minority Sports Festival I 5 times (held every 2 years), ranking from 3rd to 7th overall. The notable achievements of the Nghe An delegation at these competitions were all in crossbow shooting, with athlete Lo Van Kien winning a silver medal in 2005 and athlete Luong Thi Duyen winning a silver medal in 2013. In addition, athlete Lo Van Kien won a gold medal in crossbow shooting at the 5th National Sports Festival in 2006; athlete Nguyen Thi Thuy won a silver medal in pole pushing at the National Pole Pushing Championship in 2008.

In recent times, schools in mountainous districts have focused on bringing ethnic minority sports into schools. In Quy Chau district, teacher Vo Thi Loc - Head of the district's Department of Education and Training said: "Since 2010, the Department of Education has directed primary and secondary schools in the district to bring folk games into schools, including ethnic sports such as tug of war, sack jumping, stick pushing, etc., which have been enthusiastically received by teachers and students. Many students, thanks to being familiar with stick pushing at school, have been very active in practicing this sport and participating in competitions at festivals and sports events of the school and district." As for crossbow shooting, since 2012 it has been included in the competition program of the Phu Dong Sports Festival at the provincial level, so secondary and high schools in mountainous districts have also focused on including this sport in the physical education program, typically Con Cuong, Ky Son, Que Phong districts... At the recent 7th Provincial Sports Festival, the crossbow shooting team of Con Cuong district, although having many athletes who are secondary school students such as: Ha Thi Thuong, Lo Thi Thuong, Lang Thi Huyen Dieu... but created an interesting surprise when surpassing the Tuong Duong team - the unit with the number 1 "general" Lo Van Kien and famous shooters such as: Lo Thi Dinh, Lo Thi Trang, to take first place on the overall ranking with 5/8 gold medals.

… and many more concerns

However, the development of ethnic minority sports in Nghe An is still facing many difficulties, first of all in terms of policy. Mr. Luong Ba Vien - Director of the Cultural and Sports Center of Nghia Dan district said: "On August 22, 2007, the Provincial People's Committee issued Decision No. 3245/QD-UBND approving the Project on developing the mountainous sports movement, preserving and promoting ethnic sports in the Western region - Nghe An in the period of 2006 - 2020. In addition to solutions on upgrading facilities, sports institutions, building forms of mass sports activities... in mountainous districts; for the preservation and promotion of ethnic sports, the Project clearly states: "For the Thai ethnic group: Focus on developing the sports of pushing sticks, shooting crossbows, throwing cones, walking on stilts, and to lo; For the H'mong ethnic group: Shooting crossbows, climbing mountains, and fighting; For the Tho, Khmu and other ethnic groups: Stick pushing, crossbow shooting, throwing cones, walking on stilts, mountain climbing... However, the project lacks complete statistics on the number of ethnic sports in the province, which are the strengths and which localities these sports belong to, leading to a lack of accurate development orientation for these sports.

In fact, in our province today, organizing tournaments for ethnic minority sports faces many difficulties in mobilizing support resources from the community. Athletes participating in tournaments are mainly selected from festivals and are rarely trained systematically. Investment in facilities, training and coaching for athletes at the grassroots level has not received due attention and is still spontaneous. Athlete Nguyen Thi Thuy (Quynh Luu) - pole pusher confided: "Although Quynh Luu is the strongest locality in pole pusher, we have not received any formal training in this sport. Only when competing in the district, the province or national tournaments do we focus on practicing for a few days and practicing and competing is almost entirely based on instinct and experience."

In addition, in recent years, ethnic minority sports have been gradually removed from the competition program of the National Sports Festival. If at the 5th National Sports Festival in 2006, the Nghe An delegation could still participate in 2 events: stick pushing and crossbow shooting, then at the 6th Congress, only stick pushing remained and at the 7th Congress in 2014, held in Nam Dinh this coming December, stick pushing was no longer included in the competition program. In addition, according to Mr. Lo Trung Thanh - Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism: "In addition to the events that have been legalized and included in annual competitions such as stick pushing, tug of war, crossbow shooting, stilt walking, in the mountainous districts of Nghe An, there are also a number of other sports such as: to lo, gourd fighting, swinging... which are loved by the people, but because there are no specific rules, it is very difficult to organize tournaments".

To preserve and develop ethnic minority sports, it is thought that for the sports that have been included in the competition program, the Sports and Physical Training sector needs to take measures to mobilize social resources to organize more tournaments, establish crossbow shooting and stick pushing clubs in the districts. On the other hand, mountainous localities need to further enhance their initiative and positivity in organizing sports tournaments with traditional sports of ethnic minorities... For sports that have not been included in the competition program, it is necessary to study the law to have a basis for organizing tournaments. In addition, it is necessary to strengthen the construction of facilities in villages and hamlets; increase the opening of professional training courses for grassroots sports officials and especially have a preferential treatment regime for excellent athletes in ethnic minority sports, artisans making ethnic sports equipment to further promote their role in developing the movement of practicing ethnic sports in the community.

Minh Quan