National cultural festival of Dao ethnic people wraps up

Tuyen Quang (VNA) –The first National Festival of Dao Ethnic Culture wrapped up in the northern mountainous province of Tuyen Quang on September 30.

The two-day event drew the participation of nearly 1,000 actors and actresses, craftsmen and athletes from localities resided by the Dao ethnic group across the country.

A string of cultural activities were held during the event, including an art festival, a Dao ethnic custom show, ritual ceremonies of the Dao people, sport competitions and folk games.

The festival aims to preserve Dao cultural features during the national industrialisation and modernisation process.

The same day, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the provincial People’s Committee organised a conference on preserving and promoting Dao cultural heritage in the context of global integration and national development.

As one of Vietnam’s 54 nationalities, the Dao community has an estimated population of nearly 800,000. They mostly reside in northern mountainous provinces like Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang, Lao Cai and Yen Bai. Their main economic activities are farming in rocky areas, weaving, and silver craft-making.

The Dao ethnic group’s cultural values are illustrated through housing architecture, costumes, jewelry, food and traditional craft. However, market economy has driven the values to slide into oblivion.

Participants at the conference recommended measures to protect Dao ethnic culture like designing policies to save Dao language and writing, collecting and popularising Dao culture and promoting roles of craftsmen and sorcerers.-VNA