Developing community tourism in Tuong Duong: Potential and human resource problem
Tuong Duong district has many ethnic groups living together in the area, creating a rich and diverse cultural identity. The mountain and river landscape here is majestic, the district advocates promoting this advantage to develop community tourism.
In Tuong Duong district, there are 6 ethnic groups (Thai, Mong, Kho Mu, O Du, Tay Poong and Kinh) living together. The symbiosis of many ethnic groups creates a rich cultural life in both tangible and intangible aspects.
However, over time, the cultural characteristics of each ethnic group are at risk of being lost, in addition, the process of economic and social exchange also brings the risk of assimilation of the identity of some ethnic minorities. Aware of this, Tuong Duong district identifies the preservation of ethnic cultural identity as one of the strategic tasks in the local socio-economic development.
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Cruise on Ban Ve Lake. |
Tuong Duong focused on directing 137 villages in the district to establish a mass art troupe, organize the restoration of the ancient wedding of the Thai people in Chan village (Thach Giam commune), restore the cultural festival of the Mong people in Tam Hop commune, research and restore the Xang Khan festival of the Thai people in Cha Luan village (old Luan Mai commune) and the Van-Cua Rao Temple festival (Xa Luong commune). At the same time, restore some cultural characteristics of the Kho Mu people in Xop Pot village (old Kim Da commune), open classes to make and instruct on the use of some ethnic musical instruments, organize classes to popularize the O Du language in Vang Mon village (Nga My commune) and 5 classes to popularize the Thai Lai Pao language. The district People's Committee also directed the successful compilation of the work "Geographical Records of Tuong Duong district" and established the Literature and Arts Club, publishing the magazine "Muong Xung" with the aim of researching and promoting the unique features of ethnic cultures.
Every year, the Department of Culture organizes folk song, music, dance and folk game competitions to raise the sense of responsibility and passion of the entire community. From there, the folk songs of the Thai people such as xuoi, xap, lam, nhon, the tom songs of the Kho mu people, the cu xia, lu tau songs of the Mong people, the Du du dieng dien songs of the Tay Poong people, and the games of throwing con, pushing sticks, and boat racing have the opportunity to be revived and developed.
The district also invests in building traditional houses, organizing the collection and preservation of objects, musical instruments, and costumes of ethnic groups residing in the area. The model of purely ethnic cultural villages has been replicated, creating favorable conditions in terms of space for the work of preserving cultural identity. At the same time, the district also advocates the restoration and expansion of a number of traditional occupations such as brocade weaving and weaving in the communes of Thach Giam, Xa Luong, Nga My...
Along with diverse cultural identities, Tuong Duong is also blessed with many beautiful and interesting natural landscapes. That is the Sang Le forest (Tam Dinh commune) with an area of over 70 hectares (expected to expand to 300 hectares), a forest that still retains its primeval characteristics. In addition, Tuong Duong also has a dwarf forest in Tam Quang commune, a primeval cold forest in Tam Hop commune (belonging to Pu Mat nature reserve), which are ideal places to develop eco-tourism. Tuong Duong also has the Ban Ve hydroelectric reservoir with the largest area in the North Central region, and in the near future, the Khe Bo hydroelectric reservoir, which are tourist attractions.
In particular, Ban Ve Lake has countless oases, streams, and Tham Nam Cave with a system of stalactites of many shapes and colors. Inside the cave, there is an underground stream and cool, clear water that attracts many tourists when they come to enjoy and explore the majestic beauty of the lake. In addition to Tham Nam Cave, in Tuong Duong there are also many beautiful caves such as Tham Keo (Huu Khuong commune), Tham Cung (Tam Dinh commune), Tham Cong (Tam Quang), Tham Tau (Yen Thang), Tham Ang (Xa Luong)...
In the Cua Rao area, where the Nam Non and Nam Mo rivers converge to form the Lam River, there is a sacred temple, located in a beautiful location with poetic scenery, that is Van-Cua Rao Temple. The temple worships Doan Nhu Hai (General of the Tran Dynasty) and Tam Toa Thanh Mau.
In early spring, local people hold festivals to pray for favorable weather, national peace and prosperity, and organize folk games and cultural and artistic exchanges to meet and exchange feelings. Ethnic groups residing in Tuong Duong still preserve their identities, typically the O Du with the New Year's thunder welcoming ceremony, the Thai with their unique wedding ceremony, the Khmu with their housewarming ceremony, and the Mong with their spring buffalo fighting festival...
Some villages such as Chan village, Mac village, Lau village, Phong village (Thach Giam commune), Xoong Con village, Luu Phong village (Luu Kien commune), Huoi To village (Mai Son commune) still preserve the beauty of the village space and the beautiful customs of the Thai ethnic group. In addition, Tuong Duong also has products with the strong flavor of the mountains and forests and have become specialties such as catfish, cool fish, black pig, bitter bamboo shoots, green squash, mango...
The potential for tourism development in Tuong Duong is undeniable, but in reality, human resources to turn potential into reality, contributing to the development of life and poverty reduction is still a problem that needs to be solved soon.
According to the assessment of the District People's Committee, the team working in culture and tourism from the district to the commune is still very limited in terms of qualifications and capacity, most of them do not have the knowledge and ability to organize tourism business activities. Therefore, in order to develop community tourism to bring about practical results soon, Tuong Duong district needs to focus on training and improving the qualifications of the staff in the culture and tourism sector to meet the requirements of the tasks in development and integration.
Cong Kien
