Preservation of Lo Lo ethnic minority culture associated with tourism development

A ceremony was held in the northern mountainous province of Cao Bang on February 23 to inaugurate a community house and review the project on the preservation of the Lo Lo ethnic minority group in Khuoi Khon Hamlet, Kim Cuc Commune, Bao Lac District.

An art performance of Lo Lo ethnic minority people in Khuoi Khon hamlet, Kim Cuc commune, Cao Bang province. (Photo: NDO)
An art performance of Lo Lo ethnic minority people in Khuoi Khon hamlet, Kim Cuc commune, Cao Bang province. (Photo: NDO)

Khuoi Khon is a community-based tourism village that maintains many unique cultural identities of the Lo Lo ethnic minority group. In recent years, the locality has been attracting large numbers of domestic and foreign visitors.

From the funding of the Programme for cultural development, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism allocated 5 billion VND to improve the efficiency of preservation of the tangible and intangible cultural values of the Lo Lo ethnic minority group.

The project consists of various activities including the construction of a community house in Khuoi Khon Hamlet, the preservation of the traditional Lo Lo house and the collection and teaching of their folk dances and songs.

In addition, the traditional weddings and rituals to pray for rain of the Lo Lo ethnic people were researched, reproduced and preserved. Their traditional handicrafts, such as weaving and knitting, were developed. Various traditional dishes and folk games were promoted to visitors.

At the community house, bronze drums, traditional customs, wooden toys and working tools of the Lo Lo people are on display, helping visitors learn more about the cultural identity of the ethnic minority group.

The local people were trained on the development of sustainable community-based tourism, towards improving the quality of their homestays, raising their awareness of environmental protection and preserving intangible and tangible cultural values.