With a rich history of traditional culture, ethnic groups in Da Bac district, Hoa Binh province still retain their own cultural identity values such as dialect languages, traditional festivals, costumes, among others. These are favourable conditions for the locals to preserve, conserve and promote traditional cultural values while building attractive and diverse tourism products to attract tourists and bolster local socio-economic development.
Tourists in costumes of Dao ethnic people in Cao Son commune, Da Bac district.
Sung hamlet, Cao Son commune is one of hamlets that keeps almost intact the lifestyle, customs, and cultural identity of local Dao Tien ethnic group in Da Bac. Dialect language, food and handicraft trades have been preserved and maintained in their daily life.
Since tourism has been promoted in the locality, local Dao ethnic people have selected some handicraft trades to develop them into tourism products such as brocade weaving.
Residents in Sung hamlet have invested in building a spacious hamlet while maintaining a clean landscape and environment over the years. Homestays are well-invested, and more services have been introduced to meet the sightseeing and relaxation demand of tourists.
In recent times, the hamlet has restored the craft of making Do paper, helping tourists to learn and understand about the trade while contributing to increasing incomes for local ethnic residents.
In addition, folk dances, such as bell, sword and lantern dances, and some unique rites in ritual ceremonies or the use of khen (panpipe) music instrument, among others have been added in art programmes to serve tourists.
Ban Kim Quy, Vice Chairman of the Da Bac District People's Committee, said thanks to the promotion of traditional folk materials, art performances have received warm response from tourists. Community-based tourism has been formed and developed, attracting many tourists every year, contributing to poverty reduction, and improving the locals' life.
In community-based tourism sites in the district, in addtion to promoting traditional materials to develop tourism products, more attention has been paid to the practice ofcultural heritage in the community toward sustainable tourism development.
National cultural identity has become resources for community-based tourism development. On the contrary, the more tourism develops, the more people are encouraged to preserve their traditional cultural heritage, she added.