Seminar to feature cultural identity of 16 smallest ethnic groups in Vietnam

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(Cinet)- On the morning of August 06, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism organized a seminar “Some measures to maintain and develop cultural identities of 16 smallest ethnic groups in Vietnam”. Deputy Minister Huynh Vinh Ai attended the seminar.

There are 16 ethnic groups with populations below 10,000, namely Si La, Pu Peo, Ro Mam, Brau, O Du, Pa Then, Co Lao, Lo Lo, Mang, Lu, Cong, Bo Y, Chut, Ngai, La Ha and La Hu.

Participating into the seminar is some representatives from 08 provinces in the northern mountainous provinces of Son La, Dien Bien, Lai Chau, Ha Giang, Lao Cai and Cao Bang; central Nghe An province; and the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum.

The event aims to preserve the ethnic groups’ traditional cultural values and give some concrete measures to improve awareness of the entire community instead of focusing on protecting some festivals or customs.

Speaking at a conference in the capital city yesterday (Aug 6), some representatives said one of the reasons their culture was disappearing and their people losing their identity was the deep integration of people from various ethnic backgrounds in mountainous regions and border areas.

Huynh Vinh Ai, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said his ministry would consult with leading people from these groups before adopting policies to preserve their cultural values.

He also asked local authorities to adopt measures to encourage knowledgeable people from ethnic groups to share their experiences with young generations and encourage them to maintain and preserve their traditional cultures.

At the seminar, participants pointed out that they traditionally live in mountainous and rural areas and near other ethnic groups, leading to the integration of cultural values. The development of modern cultural and entertainment forms has also dwarfed traditional identities. They agreed on the need to conserve and protect the culture values of small ethnic groups, particularly their mother tongues, costumes and traditional arts.

The representatives also stressed that traditional identities should be preserved through practice in the daily life of each community. Authorities and sectors should encourage the elderly to impart their knowledge to the younger generation and support the youth in speaking their mother tongue, wearing traditional attire and performing traditional arts.

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