Promoting the cultural identity of ethnic minorities in Nghe An
In recent years, the implementation of programs, projects and plans on preserving and promoting the cultural identity of ethnic minorities in Nghe An province has been focused on and effectively implemented by relevant sectors and localities.
Typical models
Following the introduction of Ms. Bui Thi Ly - Cultural Officer of Nghia Xuan Commune (Quy Hop), we visited the Folk Arts Club of Dot Va hamlet - where there are 239 households and 974 people, of which Tho ethnic people account for 84%. People's income is mainly from farming, life is still difficult but the love for culture and arts, especially the desire to preserve, maintain and promote the values of traditional culture, is still strong.Turkish cultural identityalways burning in every local resident. In 2012, with the support of the Party Committee, People's Committee and Nghia Xuan commune, the Tho ethnic folk arts club of the hamlet was born.
Over the past 12 years, the Club's activities have been bustling. Up to now, the Club has 45 members, of which 100% know how to play gongs, 50% know how to play the cymbals, 50% know how to sing Tho folk songs and play traditional musical instruments. Twice a month, the Club members and the people gather at the village's cultural house to sing, dance, practice and teach folk songs and dances together. From the activities, the Club's artisans have restored and put new lyrics to folk songs with the melodies "En en ac ac", "Du du dieng dieng", "Tang khang le", "Xay eng", "Da oi"...
Not only that, the Club has also created many performances and art programs to serve the political, cultural and social tasks of the commune, district and province. Besides folk songs and dances, the Club also collects ways of preparing and practicing some ethnic dishes of the Tho people such as: Canh Mon cooked with buffalo skin, Cheo Phaa fish sauce with bamboo shoots and sticky rice, Canh Boi La Giang cooked with chicken, Canh Boi La Bo...
The club will continue to nurture the flame of passion, develop more members to participate in activities to contribute to preserving the cultural identity of the Tho ethnic group.
Ms. Truong Thi Tuyen - Head of Dot Va Hamlet Club, Nghia Xuan Commune.
It is known that in Quy Hop district, there are currently 16 ethnic minority cultural clubs with a total of more than 500 members. In addition to the Dot Va hamlet club, a number of other clubs are also actively operating, contributing positively to the development of the local cultural and artistic movement such as the Tho ethnic cultural club in Mo Moi hamlet, Nghia Xuan commune, Thai ethnic folk culture club in Chau Cuong commune, etc.
According to Ms. Truong Thi Kim Chi - Deputy Head of the Department of Culture and Information of Quy Hop district, every year, the district's cultural sector sends staff to support ethnic minority cultural and artistic clubs, teams and groups with basic knowledge of organizing activities and performing skills; coordinate with departments, branches and organizations to organize many cultural and artistic activities according to each theme and event... to create conditions for the clubs to perform, thereby nurturing the love of ethnic culture of the members.
In Thanh Son commune (Anh Son), in 2023, the Bong village Folk Song, Folk Music and Folk Dance Club, Thanh Son commune was selected by the Department of Culture and Sports to build a provincial-level cultural model.
Ms. Lu Anh Tuyet - Club President said: "Established in 2019, the club currently has 62 members divided into 4 groups (singing group, dancing group, musical instrument group and composition group). In recent years, the club has actively built cultural and artistic programs to serve the political, cultural and social tasks of the commune and village; participated in festivals, mass art performances of the commune and district and cultural exchanges. The club also cooperated with the Thanh Son Commune Youth Union to open classes to teach folk dance and how to play instruments.Thai traditional musical instruments; open brocade weaving classes, prepare dishes to promote culinary cultural values".
Need more specific policies
According to Ms. Quach Thi Cuong - Deputy Director of the Department of Culture and Sports, in recent years, the implementation of programs, projects and plans to preserve and promote the cultural identity of ethnic minorities in the province has been focused on and implemented effectively, typically the Project "Preserving and promoting folk performing arts of ethnic minorities in Nghe An province in the period of 2018-2025".
After the project was issued, since 2018, the Provincial People's Committee has provided funding to support the construction of models for preserving traditional ethnic cultures in the districts of Que Phong, Quy Hop, Quy Chau, Con Cuong, Ky Son, Anh Son, with an average budget of 600 million VND/model/year. The support includes speakers, sound, lighting, musical instruments, props, traditional costumes, training in club activities and performances for grassroots cultural officials, artisans, village elders, and prestigious people in the community. In addition, since 2018, the Department of Culture and Sports has organized training courses to implement policies, laws, and provide professional support, improve the capacity of cultural officials, artisans, village elders, village chiefs, and prestigious people in preserving and promoting culture with more than 150 participants.
In addition, implementing Project 6 "Preserving and promoting the fine traditional cultural values of ethnic minorities associated with tourism development" under the National Target Program on socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas for the period 2021-2030, the Department of Culture and Sports has provided equipment for cultural and sports activities for 105 cultural and sports institutions in villages and hamlets; coordinated with local authorities to deploy ethnic minority cultural models in mountainous districts.
Along with implementing programs, projects and plans of the Central and the province, the Department of Culture and Sports also presides over organizing activities to protect and promote the values of traditional cultural heritage of local ethnic groups such as: Vietnamese Ethnic Culture Day, Western Spring Festival, establishing Art Troupes to participate in the Ethnic Culture Festival organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism...
However, the process of implementing programs, projects, and plans to preserve and promote the traditional cultural values of ethnic minorities still faces difficulties and shortcomings. First of all, some local Party committees and authorities have not yet fully recognized the role of culture in socio-economic development, so they have not paid attention to investing in leading, directing, and organizing resources for cultural development.
The investment budget and support for the work of preserving and promoting the traditional cultural values of ethnic minorities from the provincial to district levels are still limited and do not meet practical needs; facilities, infrastructure, and equipment for cultural activities are still lacking and not commensurate. Models for preserving the traditional culture of ethnic minorities are still spontaneous, with limited content and lack of depth...
In the overall policies on ethnic groups, there should be specific policies focusing on the field of preserving traditional cultural values of ethnic minorities, in which attention should be paid to training and building a team of ethnic minority cadres, preferential treatment for artisans organizing the transmission of cultural heritage, and especially specific policies to attract investment sources from socialization for cultural and artistic activities in ethnic minority and mountainous areas.
Ms. Quach Thi Cuong - Deputy Director of Department of Culture and Sports.