Kon Tum working to preserve ethnic Rong houses

Traditional Rong houses in Kon Tum province are integral to the culture and lives of local ethnic minorities. Due to management challenges and material shortages, however, many of these houses are deteriorating. To address their decline, provincial authorities have been working with local people to rebuild the Rong houses and preserve this special cultural heritage.

Kon Jơ Dri village in Kon Tum city is home to over 190 Bahnar ethnic households. To them, the traditional Rong house stands as the heart of the village as it hosts major cultural events. Over time, though, it has deteriorated, prompting the community to repair it at the beginning of 2024.

According to the Kon Tum Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, there are 479 communal Rong houses in 503 local villages. Of these, 221 Rong houses have been built using traditional materials such as wood, bamboo, and thatch. The Rong houses are not only a cultural heritage of the local ethnic groups but also attract tourists.

Renovating and preserving traditional Rong houses are crucial in the modern context, as they are the core of the culture of ethnic groups in the Central Highlands, together with the famous gong space./.