Hanoi (VNA) – Minister of Culture, Sp𒐪orts and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung has officially e🔜xpanded the National Intangible Cultural Heritage list, adding four heritages from An Giang, Hanoi, and Lao Cai.

These unique cultural practices not only reflect the rich traditions, folklore, and regional identities of their localities but also embody spiritual and symbolic significance. The minister approved the inclusion of the folk performance art Chhay-Dam Drum performance by the Khmer people in Tri Ton district and Tinh Bien town, the Mekong Delta province of An Giang in the national heritage list. The Khmer community has many dance forms that showcase its cultural identity, among which Chhay-Dam Drum dancing is a familiar and vibrant performance, seen in both stage settings and festive events such as the Chol Chnam Thmay, Dolta, and Ok Om Bok festivals. For the Khmer people, the rhythm of the drums and its accompanying dance symbolise health, peace, and joy, enriching community celebrations. The Chhay-Dam Drum features a wide, buffalo or python skin-covered head and a narrower tail connected by a metal base. Larger drums are used by adults, while smaller ones are for children. A typical Chhay-Dam Drum includes 4–6 drums, two Cuol gongs, and instruments like the Chul (cymbals) and Krap (clappers).

The ministry also recognised the traditional festival Cheo Tau (boat) singing of Tong Goi in Tan Hoi commune, Dan Phuong district, Hanoi as a national intangible cultural heritage. This unique form of land-based boat singing is a one-of-a-kind folk performance in Vietnam, staged on land with symbolic boats. The songs praise village deities, national heroes, the love of country, and human compassion. What makes this ritual even more distinctive is that it is exclusively performed by women, and only by virgins with both a passion for traditional art and natural talent. Two unique cultural practices from the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai also made the list, the first being the forest worship ritual of the Pa Di people in Muong Khuong district. Every year in the first lunar month, the Pa Di community holds a forest worship ceremony in their sacred forest, offering homegrown produce to the forest spirits. Like other mountainous ethnic minorities, the Pa Di (a subgroup of the Tay people) maintain their own “sacred forest,” believing in deities of trees, water, and the land. These spirits are seen as protectors that drive away wild animals, provide timber for homes, and offer fresh water.

This ritual, steeped in reverence for nature, reinforces environmental consciousness, strengthens community bonds, and educates younger generations on cultural heritage and ecological protection. The traditional bamboo weaving of the Tay people in Nghia Do commune, Bao Yen district, the northern province of Lao Cai is another important and recognised heritage that showcases their cultural craftsmanship. Thanks to this age-old craft, local women have skillfully transformed natural materials into essential items for daily life and home decoration. The practice has also adapted to tourism by producing cultural products that reflect ethnic identity.

The weaving tradition not only meets every day needs but also serves as a cultural marker, preserving the distinctive identity of the Tay people and contributing to the promotion of traditional craftsmanship./.