(VOVWORLD) - Vietnam’s ethnic minority groups account for 14 percent of the population, with a vibrant diversity of cultures, languages, and livelihoods.
 The Ede prepare for their "Worship ritual of traditional pole for health". (Photo: qdnd.vn) |
Supporting ethnic people’s livelihoods is a large part of the effort to preserve their ethnic culture, according to Trinh Thi Thuy, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.
"Agencies have become more focused on preserving and promoting Vietnam’s ethnic culture by raising the awareness of and educating ethnic communities, especially the youth, about Vietnam’s cultural heritages. Two good examples of this effort are Bac Ninh province and the Central Highlands, where the local people are keenly aware of the importance of protecting their unique Quan Ho folk songs and gong culture," said Ms. Thuy.
Cultural experts agree on the decisive role of communities in preserving cultural heritages, and the fact that village heads, village elders, artisans, and shamans are behind the important cultural decisions of the community.
"Preserving and promoting heritages should be carried out collaboratively. Heritages are precious assets of the community and best preserved within the community. Only when this is recognized will heritages be safely protected and contribute to national development," Dr. Nguyen Thi Thanh Van of Hanoi’s University of Culture told VOV.
 The reenactment of the Ede ethnic group's worship ritual of the traditional pole. (Photo: qdnd.vn) |
Protecting ethnic languages, writings, musical instruments, costumes, and festivals, which are on the verge of disappearing, is of prime importance to preserving ethnic cultures, according to Master of Arts Ban Thi Quynh Giao of Literature Institute.
"For the Dao ethnic group, every traditional ceremony involves folk songs, including weddings or baby naming, and coming of age ceremonies. But folk songs are becoming less popular within the Dao community and are in need of preserving in both oral and written forms. Young people need to be encouraged to preserve their own language," said Ms. Giao.
Tran Huu Son, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Folklore Literature and Arts Association, has called for more efforts to preserve ethnic cultures in Vietnam’s northwest region, which is home to most of the ethnic groups in Vietnam.
"We need a long-term strategy to preserve the region’s diverse ethnic cultures. This mission requires a concerted effort by both local authorities and communities," said Mr. Son.
Dr. Luu Tran Tieu, Chairman of the Vietnam Cultural Heritage Association, has called for more training for culture officers who must have a good understanding of the ethnic groups’ customs and traditions. These officers should have the necessary knowledge and skills to adapt to the 4th Industrial Revolution.
"It’s important to digitalize all data and archives related to ethnic culture. This data should be made available to the public for research and promotional activities," said Mr. Tieu.