Experience making Do paper paintings of Mong ethnic people, Hua Tat village, Van Ho commune, Van Ho district.

Keep the national culture alive

A small house in Sao Do 1 sub-area, Van Ho commune, where Mr. Ban Van Duc, the only outstanding artisan of the district, has preserved the Nom Dao script and traditional rituals of his people. In addition to his efforts to teach the language, folk songs, and folk dances to the younger generation, he has also turned traditional wedding rituals and the Dao Tien ordination ceremony into national intangible cultural heritage. Over the past 25 years, he has organized nearly 20 classes to teach writing, folk songs, and folk dances to more than 1,000 students in Van Ho, Moc Chau, and Phu Yen districts of the province and Mai Chau district of Hoa Binh province.

Mr. Duc shared: The cultural values ​​of our nation need to be preserved and passed on to the next generation. I hope that the younger generations will understand their origins and develop those traditional beauties in modern life, contributing to making intangible cultural heritage a unique local tourism product.

Community tourism development

A Chu Homestay in Hua Tat village, Van Ho commune, owned by Mr. Trang A Chu, is a resort and also a place for tourists to explore Mong ethnic culture through costumes, decorations in the homestay, or experience making Do paper, beeswax painting, and pounding sticky rice cakes.

Mr. Trang A Chu said: Working in tourism has helped me participate in preserving national culture and improving the lives of my family and community. In 2024, A Chu Homestay welcomed nearly 3,200 visitors, of which 35% were international visitors. The homestay has created jobs for many local workers with a stable income of 4-7 million VND/person/month.

Ms. Inbal Meyuhas, a tourist from Israel, shared: I did not expect the Son La mountainous region of Vietnam to be so beautiful. The winding roads in the mist, the long hills of white and yellow flowers, the warm wooden houses, the friendly and lovely people here. I learned about A Chu homestay through Google, this trip gave me and my family memorable experiences.

Previously, Trang A Cua's family maintained the profession of making do paper to serve their family and clan. With the support and encouragement, his family planted flowers, used pumpkins to decorate the garden, continued making do paper, and opened the door to welcome visitors to visit and experience. Initially, simply introducing the traditional process and products did not attract tourists. After receiving feedback from tourists and villagers, he had the idea of ​​making paintings from do paper combined with flowers and leaves around the house for visitors to experience and have products to bring home as gifts. On average, each week, his family welcomes about 7-10 groups of tourists to experience, bringing a stable income to the family.

Tourism products associated with indigenous culture

Chieng Di 1, 2 villages; Hua Tat village, Suoi Lin village, Van Ho commune; Phu Mau village, Na Bai village, Chieng Yen commune and relics and scenic spots such as Hang Mieng Temple, Quang Minh commune; Tang Me tomb cave, Suoi Bang commune; Tat Nang waterfall, hot spring, Chieng Yen commune; Nang Tien waterfall, Bang Muong Temple, Chieng Khoa commune; Co Doi Thuong Ngan Temple, Song Khua commune; Moc Ha revolutionary base... are typical locations in Van Ho district that have been developing tourism products, associated with national cultural identity. Crafts such as brocade weaving, musical instrument making, or Do paper making have been restored, both preserving traditional culture and serving visitors. Local specialties such as tangerines, peaches, sticky rice, stream fish... contribute to creating tourism products, creating highlights in the visitors' experience.

Currently, Van Ho district has more than 100 art troupes, regularly practicing, organizing exchanges, and performing for tourists. At the same time, the district has established folk singing and dancing clubs in community tourism villages; recreating festivals and folk cultural activities to serve tourism development.

In 2024, Van Ho district welcomed nearly 332,000 visitors, with tourism revenue reaching 233.5 billion VND. Mr. Ngo Van Du, Head of the district's Department of Culture and Information, said: We identify culture as the root for tourism development. In particular, artisans and cultural cores are the subjects of culture, responsible for "keeping the fire" for the traditional culture of the nation. Along with honoring cultural values; praising the contributions of artisans who are preserving, spreading and teaching traditional cultural knowledge and folk arts, the district organizes training for human resources in the tourism industry, especially ethnic minorities. At the same time, building a variety of tourism products associated with preserving and promoting national cultural identity through restoring traditional rituals, building traditional craft villages, and handicrafts in community tourism villages.

With the right direction, Van Ho district strives to become an attractive destination, contributing to bringing the culture of the Northwest ethnic groups to tourists, creating sustainable livelihoods for local people.

Article and photos: Thu Thao