Het Cha Festival, Ang village, Dong Sang commune, Moc Chau district.

Spreading heritage values ​​from the community.

In early 2023, the art of creating patterns on the traditional clothing of the Dao Tien ethnic group was one of three heritage items of Son La province included in the list of national intangible cultural heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Visiting the villages of the Dao Tien people in Moc Chau and Van Ho districts, one can easily see women diligently embroidering and drawing patterns with beeswax on their traditional costumes. This is also a job that has been with them from their youth to becoming grandmothers and mothers, and then the intricate patterns of brocade are passed down and continued to subsequent generations.

Introducing her ethnic group's traditional clothing, Ms. Dang Thi Hien from Suoi Khem village, Phieng Luong commune, Moc Chau district, shared: "Making a Dao women's traditional outfit involves many steps, such as cutting fabric, drawing patterns with beeswax, dyeing with indigo, and piecing together fabrics... The patterns on the skirt are created in the shape of coins, horizontal lines, rectangles, and waves. These brocade patterns are not only a highlight of the outfit but also reflect the Dao people's worldview and beliefs, depicting daily life, mountains, rivers, and aspirations for a prosperous and happy life."

Along with the art of creating patterns on the costumes of the Dao Tien people, two other heritages of the province, Mo Muong and the Xe Pang A ceremony of the Khang ethnic group, were also recognized as intangible cultural heritage in 2023. This is not only a source of pride but also a motivation for the community and people to play a leading role in preserving and continuing the cultural traditions of their ethnic groups. Encouraging community participation in heritage preservation activities, from teaching to participating in cultural festivals, helps prevent the values ​​of heritage from fading over time.

Distinguished artisan Lo Thi Phua, from Chieng On commune, Quynh Nhai district, shared: "Preserving and safeguarding traditional customs and cultural features is a source of national pride and a duty of the present generation to the future. This also reflects the vibrant culture of the ethnic groups in Son La, contributing to the diverse cultural landscape of the entire country."

Connecting heritage with tourism

Son La province currently has 17 national intangible cultural heritage sites. Connecting and promoting cultural heritage with tourism development is one of the important solutions the province is focusing on. In its role of researching, preserving, and disseminating the heritage values ​​of the province's ethnic groups, the Provincial Museum has organized many attractive and highly educational cultural experience programs, attracting the attention of the people.

Mr. Nguyen An Dai, Deputy Director of the Provincial Museum, informed: Every year, the unit plans to organize 3-4 programs to experience the cultural spaces of the Thai, Muong, Mong, and Dao ethnic groups with many activities, such as introducing various types of heritage, recreating festival spaces, traditional crafts, and folk games, helping people, especially young people, to learn about and experience the beautiful cultural values ​​of the ethnic groups in the province.

In recent years, cultural tourism has become increasingly popular among tourists. Many tourist destinations such as Homestay A Chu, The Nordic Village Van Ho, Moc Chau Island, etc., regularly collaborate with travel companies to organize experiential tours where tourists can directly participate in cultural activities, join locals in traditional dances, and learn how to create patterns on traditional costumes. These experiences not only provide close interaction but also help tourists gain a deeper understanding of the cultural values ​​of each ethnic group in Son La.

In addition, some localities in the province are implementing digital technology in promoting heritage; developing smart tourism applications that provide detailed information about intangible cultural heritage, helping tourists easily learn about and experience it when visiting Son La.

Promoting the value of heritage

Recognized cultural heritage contributes to raising awareness among the community, fostering national pride, and promoting responsibility in preservation and conservation. Effectively utilizing cultural heritage will contribute to tourism development and increase income for local people.

Mr. Pham Hong Thu, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said: "Over the years, the Department has advised the Provincial People's Committee to issue and implement many schemes, programs, and projects to preserve and promote the value of listed heritage. These include focusing on investing in and implementing tasks to promote and introduce the province's cultural heritage to domestic and international friends; proposing the development of policies and mechanisms to encourage artisans to actively participate in the protection, transmission, and promotion of heritage. Since the beginning of the year, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has coordinated with localities to organize more than 40 training programs for nearly 1,500 cultural and artistic leaders in communes and villages on performing Thai Xoe dance; Hmong flute and reenactment; and recreating and restoring 10 traditional festivals of ethnic groups. In addition, ethnic cultural clubs in the province are also developing strongly and widely, with thousands of members participating."

Thanks to the efforts of the government and the people, the province's intangible cultural heritage is flourishing and shining brightly. This is an important condition for Son La to make its heritage a driving force, promoting tourism and cultural development, and contributing to the socio-economic development of the locality.

Source: Son La Newspaper