Cơ Tu cultural day to stage in Đà Nẵng

In motion: A group of Co Tu women dance in a festival at Gian Bi village in Da Nang. The traditional Cultural Day of the Co Tu ethnic group will be held in the village on April 13-14. — VNS Photo Hoang Long

DA NANG — Communities of the Co Tu ethnic group living in the city and Quang Nam province will host the traditional Co Tu Cultural Day in Gian Bi village in the city’s Hoa Bac commune on April 13-14.

On guard: A man demonstrates cross-bow shooting. — Photo courtesy Rose Travel

The village’s party secretary Dinh Van Nhu told Viet Nam News the Co Tu communities from the villages of Ta Lang and Gian Bi in Hoa Bac commune; Phu Tuc village in Hoa Phu commune, and Quang Nam Province’s Tay Giang district will get together in the annual event with a series of traditional cultural performance programmes and competitions.

The event will run day and night with the tan tung da da dance to express gratitude to heaven, the gong play of the Co Tu people, cross-bow shooting, stilt walking, tug-of-stick and tug-of-war and folk games at the Guol (long communal house) in Gian Bi village.

Musical master: A Co Tu man plays the khen, or panpipe, in a village of Co Tu people. — VNS Photo Cong Thanh

Local artists will play the traditional musical instruments of Co Tu people such as Khen, pan-pipe; tobheh, a monochord; aluot, a flute with square holes and bholua, a horn.

Traditional taste: An old Co Tu woman cooks Com Lam, or rice cooked in a bamboo tube. — VNS Photo Cong Thanh

Brocade weaving, crafts, fashion exhibition and cuisine—rice cooked in a bamboo tube and grilled pork and chicken, served with wild vegetables and bamboo shoots—will also be on display.

Colourful: Brocade weaving is one the traditional crafts of Co Tu people. — VNS Photo Cong Thanh

The two villages of Ta Lang and Gian Bi, with a population of 700 Co Tu residents, are slated to be developed as eco-tourism sites as they are located near the Ba Na- Nui Chua Nature Reserve.

The city, in co-operation with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has been supporting the Co Tu community in building a community-based tourism pilot project with the aim of reviving the traditional culture of the people. — VNS