The Co Tu ethnic community in Da Nang has made great efforts to educate the young generation about their unique culture, while actively developing community-based tourism to spread culture to tourists at both home and abroad.

Co Tu people in the mountainous commune of Hoa Bac, Hoa Vang District, Da Nang performing the 'tung tung-da da' dance to serve the group of international students from Singapore. Photo: N.PHUON

Restore traditional crafts       

The Co Tu people in Hoa Vang District mainly make a living from agriculture and forestry. A few people are currently working in tourist sites in the district and industrial parks in the city.

Vice Chairman of Hoa Phu Commune People's Committee Huynh Tan Sinh said, in addition to focusing on economic development, the local government always actively encouraged Co Tu people to preserve and promote traditional cultural values.

According to Mr. Sinh, thanks to great efforts of authorities at all levels, the traditional winemaking craft of the Co Tu people has gradually recovered and developed. In addition, the local brocade weaving and wood carving crafts are preserved by the people.

However, the unstable output of handicraft products is one of top concerns among local authorities, village elders and people. Only a small amount of products are consumed by tourists, so people's income is still unstable.

Mr. Le Van Nghia, Head of Phu Tuc Village, Hoa Phu Commune, shared that about 100 jars of ‘ruou can’ (rice wine drunk out of a jar through pipes) are sold mainly in tourist areas in the commune every year. Accordingly, an average of 30-35 jars will be sold every month, bringing an income of VND3 - 5 million for winemakers.

Regarding brocade weaving, although villagers invest a lot of time in making products and the output is still limited, they always try to maintain and pass it on to their descendants to prevent it from being danger of disappearing.

According to Mr. Nghia, traditional festivals such as the Buffalo Stabbing Festival, the New Rice Festival, the Village Building Festival, the Guol House Building Festival, and traditional 'Tung tung da da' dances, are actively taught by the elders in the village for the young generation.

In particular, pupils at the Phu Tuc site in the Hoa Phu Primary School are being taught traditional dances of the Co Tu people apart from main lessons in class.

Besides, Co Tu children are also oriented to comprehensively develop ethnic minority culture, as well as are encouraged to preserve and honour the voice and writing of the people, and wear traditional costumes when going to school or participating in festivals.

Do tourism to preserve culture

When it comes to Da Nang, tourists will often immediately think of the beautiful beaches. Few people know about the Hoa Vang land with their own unique cultural beauty where the Co Tu people are living.

Taking advantage of a geographical location not too far from famous tourist areas in Da Nang, Thua Thien Hue and Quang Nam Province, Co Tu people in Hoa Vang District are concentrating on developing community-based tourism to introduce national cultural identity, and the wild beauty of the land blessed by nature with a fresh climate.

Coming to Hoa Bac Commune, Hoa Vang District, Mrs. Chu Yee, a tourist from Singapore noted "I am very impressed by the land and people here. The Co Tu people’s dance is very unique, making my friends and I enjoy swaying and immersing ourselves in the melody. The costumes of the Co Tu people look quite simple at first glance, but I do not expect that it would take so much time and efforts to make such a costume”.

Giving many compliments when traveling and experiencing culture in Ta Lang village, Hoa Bac commune, Mr. Phan Hua, a tourist from China expressed: "I have gone to many places such as Ho Chi Minh City, Vung Tau Chinese, but when I came to Hoa Bac commune, I had a completely different feeling. The air is fresh, the people are friendly and most especially, the costumes of the people are very beautiful."

Mr. Dinh Van Hin, Head of Ta Lang Village, Hoa Bac Commune, said that developing community-based tourism in Hoa Bac Commune helped the locality retain the uniqueness of the landscape, people and typical culture of the Co Tu people, and helped local people earn more income.

“In addition to economic production, the local government and the Hoa Bac Community Ecological Agriculture and Community-based Tourism Cooperative lay an emphasis on widely publicising and training on how to combine community-based tourism with performances of Co Tu people's traditional dances and songs to tourists. For the time being, more groups of domestic and foreign tourists visit the locality and enjoy cuisine and culture, bringing a source of income for local people to develop their economy," Mr. Hin said.

Witnessing positive changes in the journey of preserving and developing national culture, Mr. Bui Van Sieng, an elder of Gian Bi Village, Hoa Bac Commune, shared "We are very happy as the young generation in the village are adopting the cultural identities left by their ancestors. Moreover, the local government has also had timely policies and support, as well as created trust and motivation for people to feel secure in production, economic development, and traditional preservation".

Reporting by NGOC PHUONG - Translating by M.DUNG