The northwestern mountainous province of Dien Bien will expand the modelof building cultural hamlets to develop its tourism following asuccessful pilot in a Thai ethnic hamlet, according to radio The Voiceof Vietnam (VOV).
Together with 20 other hamlets across Vietnam,Che Can hamlet in Dien Bien district was selected in 2009 for a projectto preserve Vietnam’s traditional cultures.
Che Can was given450,000 USD to restore the local Thai people’s traditional houses,festivals, musical instruments, and brocade weaving.
"Thanks toan investment in 2010 from Dien Bien district's Division of Culture todevelop brocade and rattan weaving, we have set up weaving groups withup to six people and an artisan in each group," head of Che Can hamletCa Van Oi told VOV.
Brocade weaving classes have been organisedevery year, he said, adding that the products are displayed intraditional houses as souvenir.
Members of the weaving groups inChe Can are now skilled enough that they are able to completecomplicated brocade products such as Pieu scarves, bags, blankets, andmattress covers.
Women in the hamet now often practice brocadeweaving when farm work slows and have become more aware of theimportance of preserving their traditional craft of brocade weaving.
VillagerLo Thi Chung said: "Our craft would have fallen into oblivion withoutthis effort and our children would have no memory of it someday. We havedone a lot to promote the weaving craft by introducing it to both localpeople and visitors. This trade has raised our incomes and helps us payfor our children’s education."
The model of developingcultural hamlets for tourism has proved to be a good solution for newrural development in Muong Phang commune, too.
Secretary of theMuong Phang Party Committee Lo Van Bien said: “We are trying to developthe local economy by growing fruit trees, developing the craft ofbrocade weaving, and creating our own tourist products for visitors. Forexample, we’ve organised cultural exchanges to introduce our historyand our unique cultural identity to visitors through brocade weaving andthe local cuisine."
Dien Bien province has applied this model ineight other hamlets, in which art troupes have been established toentertain visitors, promote the local culture and arts, and generatemore income for local residents. The hamlets are being helped to developthe model of community-based tourism.
To attract more visitors, local people have altered their habits to preserve a green, clean environment.
LoVan Un, chief of Ten hamlet in Dien Bien district, said that theyunderstand the goal of building a cultural hamlet and are now more awareof preserving their unique culture and actively participating in localcultural and art movements. Local authorities have paid a lot ofattention to persuading people to maintain a green, clean environmentand encouraging them to donate land for new roads.
Dien Bien province has approved a project to build cultural hamlets to develop provincial tourism by 2015.
Inaddition to the eight Thai hamlets, 10 hamlets of the H'Mong, Kho Muand Ha Nhi minority people will also receive funds to develop this newmodel of cultural tourism.
Home to 21 ethnic minority group, DienBien province has long been a popular tourist destination with manyhistorical places closely associated with the 1954 Dien Bien Phuvictory.-VNA
Together with 20 other hamlets across Vietnam,Che Can hamlet in Dien Bien district was selected in 2009 for a projectto preserve Vietnam’s traditional cultures.
Che Can was given450,000 USD to restore the local Thai people’s traditional houses,festivals, musical instruments, and brocade weaving.
"Thanks toan investment in 2010 from Dien Bien district's Division of Culture todevelop brocade and rattan weaving, we have set up weaving groups withup to six people and an artisan in each group," head of Che Can hamletCa Van Oi told VOV.
Brocade weaving classes have been organisedevery year, he said, adding that the products are displayed intraditional houses as souvenir.
Members of the weaving groups inChe Can are now skilled enough that they are able to completecomplicated brocade products such as Pieu scarves, bags, blankets, andmattress covers.
Women in the hamet now often practice brocadeweaving when farm work slows and have become more aware of theimportance of preserving their traditional craft of brocade weaving.
VillagerLo Thi Chung said: "Our craft would have fallen into oblivion withoutthis effort and our children would have no memory of it someday. We havedone a lot to promote the weaving craft by introducing it to both localpeople and visitors. This trade has raised our incomes and helps us payfor our children’s education."
The model of developingcultural hamlets for tourism has proved to be a good solution for newrural development in Muong Phang commune, too.
Secretary of theMuong Phang Party Committee Lo Van Bien said: “We are trying to developthe local economy by growing fruit trees, developing the craft ofbrocade weaving, and creating our own tourist products for visitors. Forexample, we’ve organised cultural exchanges to introduce our historyand our unique cultural identity to visitors through brocade weaving andthe local cuisine."
Dien Bien province has applied this model ineight other hamlets, in which art troupes have been established toentertain visitors, promote the local culture and arts, and generatemore income for local residents. The hamlets are being helped to developthe model of community-based tourism.
To attract more visitors, local people have altered their habits to preserve a green, clean environment.
LoVan Un, chief of Ten hamlet in Dien Bien district, said that theyunderstand the goal of building a cultural hamlet and are now more awareof preserving their unique culture and actively participating in localcultural and art movements. Local authorities have paid a lot ofattention to persuading people to maintain a green, clean environmentand encouraging them to donate land for new roads.
Dien Bien province has approved a project to build cultural hamlets to develop provincial tourism by 2015.
Inaddition to the eight Thai hamlets, 10 hamlets of the H'Mong, Kho Muand Ha Nhi minority people will also receive funds to develop this newmodel of cultural tourism.
Home to 21 ethnic minority group, DienBien province has long been a popular tourist destination with manyhistorical places closely associated with the 1954 Dien Bien Phuvictory.-VNA
