In recent years, the process of modernisation has had a considerable impact on the preservation and promotion of traditional cultural identity in the villages and bon of ethnic minority communities. However, many young people remain passionate about folk songs, brocade weaving, gong playing, xoang dancing, etc. They both inherit and create, while also using digital platforms to spread cultural values that once seemed to exist only within festival spaces.
At the age of 22, Thi Nam, from Quang Tin Commune, was awarded the title of “Brocade Weaving Artisan”, becoming one of the province’s young artisans. Her love for brocade was passed down to her from childhood, when her grandmother would hold her hand and take her to the loom. For her, every woven line and pattern on brocade not only creates a product but also contains memories, culture, and pride in her ethnic group.
Not only does she preserve the tradition, but she also researches and creates new patterns and studies consumers’ tastes so as to preserve distinctive traditional features while creating products suitable for modern life.
To expand her customer base, she photographs and posts brocade products on digital platforms to promote and sell them to customers both inside and outside the province. Through this, she also learns more about new designs, styles, colour combinations, and trends in order to adjust her products accordingly.
Nam said that inheriting and preserving traditional cultural values is already difficult, but promoting those values is even more challenging, especially in the process of integration. Therefore, alongside the efforts of elderly artisans, young people need to be determined, dynamic, and creative, and must know how to make use of digital platforms to promote, introduce, and spread the cultural values of their ethnic groups.
H'Loren was born into a Mnong family in the border commune of Thuan An. From an early age, she listened to the lullabies sung by her grandmother and mother and thus developed a love for folk songs at an early age. At just 20, H'Loren already knew many Mnong folk songs by heart. Her clear voice, sometimes resonant and sometimes deep and gentle, conveys lyrics about roots, love for the homeland, and the principles of being human that have been nurtured through generations.
“Mnong folk songs are not only beautiful but also contain profound meanings about life, family, and community bonds. Through folk songs, I want to preserve the language and cultural identity of my ethnic group. At the same time, I want to inspire and convey a message to young people to join hands in preserving and promoting our cultural values and identity amid the wave of renewal and integration,” H'Loren shared.
In addition to singing and performing traditional folk songs proficiently, H'Loren is also skilled in xoang dancing. To the rhythm of the gongs, her every graceful xoang movement seems to recreate a traditional festival space, where people live in harmony with nature and the community.
Not only are they making efforts to preserve and promote traditional culture, but many young people are also bringing together others who share their passion, organising activities and using digital platforms to bring traditional culture closer to the community. The Bu Dak-Sar Pa inter-bon traditional arts troupe in Thuan An commune, headed by Y A Ron, is one example.
When it was established, the troupe had around nine members — all local young people who shared the same interests and a love for traditional culture. The troupe operates to facilitate exchanges and hone skills associated with cultural preservation. To date, it has attracted 30 members, creating a useful recreational space and a healthy cultural environment, contributing to the preservation and promotion of indigenous ethnic culture.
According to Y A Ron, traditional culture appeals to young people, particularly through community activities. Therefore, appropriate activities need to be organised to inspire passion and create an environment that attracts young people to participate. In addition, digital platforms should be used to promote and introduce activities and attract more members.
“The troupe’s activities, when shared on social media platforms such as Facebook, TikTok and YouTube, have helped cultural preservation efforts extend beyond the space of villages and bon, reaching a large audience, especially the younger generation. Videos of gong performances, xoang dancing, and folk singing attract the attention of many people, helping raise public awareness of the value of heritage. This is a creative approach that is in line with the trend of the times, bringing tradition into harmony with modernity without losing its core identity,” Y A Ron shared.
Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Le Thi Truc Linh said that cultural preservation is not only about safeguarding existing values but also about turning heritage into a spiritual resource in contemporary life.
Young people are both beneficiaries and active successors, creators, and promoters of heritage. From villages and bon to digital spaces, and from traditional festivals to tourism activities, the younger generation is contributing to bringing the culture of ethnic minorities closer to the community, helping the cultural stream continue to flow, spread, and endure.
