KON TUM — The Tây Nguyên (Central Highlands) Province of Kon Tum has built a new Rông house, a variation of stilt houses unique to the region, as part of efforts to preserve ethnic people’s cultural values and promote tourism.

Situated in Kon Leang Village in Kon Plông District, the 80-square-metre house is where villagers organise community activities and cultural events.

It has a concrete foundation, wooden frame and thatched roof.

The Party Central Committee’s Office (PCCO) provided funding worth VNĐ500 million (US$19,488) for the construction while local people provided wood and thatch and labour.

Speaking at its inauguration last week, Lê Khánh Toàn, PCCO deputy head, said the Rông house is among the unique cultural traits of ethnic minority groups in the Central Highlands, especially Kon Tum Province.

He added that the Rông house would provide ethnic minority people with a place for community activities, important gatherings and gong and xoang dance performances.

Phạm Văn Thắng, deputy chairman of the Kon Plông People’s Committee, said the district has promoted ethnic minority villages as community-based tourism areas.

The Rông house would help community-based tourism development in Kon Leang Village, helping preserve traditional culture and promote economic growth.

In Kon Tum, ethnic minorities make up more than 54 per cent of the population, including seven native groups Xê Đăng, Bahnar, Jrai, Bahnar, Giẻ-Triêng, Rơ Măm, Brâu, and Hre.

The province has 503 ethnic villages but only 479 Rông houses.

Phan Văn Hoàng, deputy director of the provincial Department of Culture, Tourism and Sports, said efforts would continue to restore Rông houses.

But local authorities have urged people not to overexploit bamboo, rattan and thatch while restoring Rông houses.

Kon Tum plans to issue policies for socio-economic development of ethnic groups, develop products to promote tourism, launch programmes to preserve the ethnic cultural features such as festivals and traditional musical instruments, and build traditional art clubs. — VNS