In many ethnic minority regions, village elders and community leaders are considered the encyclopaedias of the community, possessing a thorough understanding of customs, rituals, and epics.
They become a spiritual anchor and mediator of social relationships, contributing to maintaining stability and community cohesion. Folk artisans act as “living museums” of culture.
They preserve folk songs, ancient dances, and sophisticated handicraft techniques. These skills and knowledge are being passed on to future generations with dedication and enthusiasm.
Many socio-cultural studies indicate that in communities where the roles of village elders, community leaders, respected individuals, and artisans are well-developed, the level of traditional cultural preservation is often higher, and community cohesion is also stronger.
In fact, in many localities, village elders, community leaders, influential figures, and artisans are the core force in mobilising people to preserve their ethnic language and writing system; restoring traditional festivals; and developing community tourism linked to cultural preservation.
However, the role of these “keepers of the flame” of traditional culture in communities is facing numerous challenges. Urbanisation and labour migration have narrowed the space for traditional culture.
Many young people leave their villages to work elsewhere, with limited opportunities to access and learn folk knowledge. The strong impact of foreign cultural trends has also changed tastes and lifestyles, even eroding the identity of some young people.
More worryingly, elderly artisans are passing away one after another according to the natural order, without having had the chance to pass on all the valuable knowledge they have accumulated throughout their lives. Some forms of intangible cultural heritage are at risk of fading away, or even disappearing, if there is no timely succession.
Meanwhile, in some places, the rewards and recognition for artisans and respected figures are still not truly commensurate with their contributions and are not enough to encourage them to dedicate themselves wholeheartedly to their work.
Digital technology opens many new opportunities for cultural preservation and promotion, from digitising heritage and building databases to promoting it on online platforms. However, technology, no matter how modern, only serves as a tool.
While a folk song can be recorded and a ritual can be filmed, the essence of culture — expressed through emotions, context, and community relationships — can only be fully transmitted between people, through the vibrant presence of those who understand and are deeply connected to the heritage.
Therefore, promoting the role of village elders, community leaders, artisans, and respected individuals should be seen as a long-term strategy in the preservation and development of national culture.
In recent years, the Party and State have issued many policies to honour and support this group; many localities have organised training classes and introduced ethnic culture into schools with the participation of artisans.
However, for policies to be implemented effectively, a flexible, community-centred approach is needed, empowering the “keepers of the flame” to become the main actors in the preservation process.
The incentive mechanisms for village elders, community leaders, influential figures, and artisans need to be improved; conditions should be created for their direct participation in education and cultural tourism programmes; and community spaces where culture is practiced should be established.
The combination of traditional preservation and technological application needs to be harmonious, with people at the centre.
