Plans for UNESCO recognition of Chăm pottery unveiled

HA NOI — Authorities in the central province of Ninh Thuan are planning to compile a dossier on the Cham people’s pottery heritage in a bid to secure UNESCO recognition.

The proposal of the People’s Committee of Ninh Thuan to compile the dossier to gain UNESCO recognition as an intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding has been ratified by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

The leader of the ministry said Binh Thuan Province’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism must collaborate with the branch of Viet Nam National Institute of Culture and Arts Studies in Ho Chi Minh City to conduct surveys and studies and invite other regions where the Cham people engage in the traditional craft of pottery to participate in creating the dossier.

One of the most outstanding features of the Cham people’s traditional craft of pottery is the technique of shaping their wares by hand rather than a wheel and using simple tools or shells to decorate them. The products are then dried under the sun from four to six hours before being fired outdoors using straw or wood.

The skillful hands of the Cham people have created a variety of products which they use for their daily activities and spiritual worship. Some of their products include cylindrical jars where they keep water or rice, reliefs, decorative lamps, and statuettes of Apsara or Siva Gods. Their works showcase the creativity and unique culture of the Cham people.

The pottery of the Cham people in Binh Thuan Province and Bau Truc Village in the central province of Ninh Thuan have been included in the list of the country’s intangible cultural heritage. — VNS