KIEN GIANG — Southern Kien Giang Province will spend VND47.5 billion (US$2.26 million) supporting over 3,500 ethnic minority households this year, pursuant to a Prime Ministerial decision on land allocation and employment. Most of the eligible citizens are Khmer people in the districts of Tan Hiep, Chau Thanh, Giong Rieng, Go Quao, An Bien, An Minh, Vinh Thuan and U Minh Thuong. The support will be disbursed by next October. The EVN also plans to invest nearly VND190 billion($9 million) to provide electricity to the province's ethnic minorities this year. — VNS … [Read more...] about Kien Giang to assist ethnic communities
Ethnic
Young entrepreneurs vital for advancement of ethnic minorities
Social welfare activities attract a great number of young people from ethnic minorities..—Photo baocaobang HCM CITY (VNS)— Ethnic minority youth are a key factor in helping reduce poverty among their communities in particular and the country in general, experts said at a meeting on Saturday in HCM City.Titled "Poverty Reduction Among Ethnic Minority Communities: Impact of Young Entrepreneurs," the meeting was co-organized by the World Bank and Ton Duc Thang University's Institute for International Studies and Exchange.Speakers at the meeting said support policies were necessary to enable the "incubation" of ethnic minority youth. The importance of financial support and investment in human resources was stressed. Dang Le Nguyen Vu, chairman of the Trung Nguyen Coffee Group, said education was vital for encouraging ethnic minority youth to become entrepreneurs and contribute to the economic development of their communities."Education is not only knowledge but also … [Read more...] about Young entrepreneurs vital for advancement of ethnic minorities
Documentary series explores ethnic lives
HA NOI (VNS)— A documentary series depicting the lives of the 54 Vietnamese ethnic groups started airing on HTV7 last night.The first episode covers the Hoa Binh region in the North, a centre for the Muong people and one of the first places inhabited by ancient societies.The following 150 episodes will cover the 28 ethnic groups living in the northwest and northeast, the 22 groups in the Hong (Red) River Delta, Central and Central Highlands regions and the three groups in the southeast and southwest.The documentary depicts the traditional customs and culture of each group, from the ritual dance of the Lo Lo group to the funerals of the Mong and weddings of the Thai and Dao.It also explores the traditions of the Kinh, Viet Nam's majority group, members of which live across the country.Produced last year by the HCM City Television Film Studio (TFS), the documentary will be broadcast from Monday through Thursday, starting at 10.40pm.-VNS … [Read more...] about Documentary series explores ethnic lives
Nung ethnic community wins environmental gong
The Ministry ofEnvironment and Natural Resources has awarded the 2013 VietnamEnvironmental Award to the Nung ethnic community in the northernmountainous province of Cao Bang for their solutions in protecting,preserving and developing their natural resources. Local authorities checking forest protection activities in Ha Lang district. Photo by Vacne The province's Phuc Sen Commune is home to around 2,000 Nung, wholive in stilt houses and make a living from farming and the traditionalcraft of hand-forged agricultural tools, said Linh Van Phu, Chairman ofthe commune's People's Committee. In the past, local people often collected firewood from the foreststo use in their forging trade due to a lack of arable land. As a result,deforestation occurred, resulting in stifling air, unusually cold orhot weather, dwindling rainfall and arid land, which made the dailylives of the locals very difficult. In response, the Party Committee and the commune's authoritieslaunched a campaign to plant, … [Read more...] about Nung ethnic community wins environmental gong
Raglai ethnic festival to open
The first ever cultural festival for Raglai ethnic people will be held in the central province of Ninh Thuan on August 29.—File Photo HA NOI (VNS)– The first ever cultural festival for Raglai ethnic people will be held in the central province of Ninh Thuan on August 29.The three-day festival will take place in Bac Ai District. Raglai people living in the central and highland provinces of Ninh Thuan, Khanh Hoa, Binh Thuan and Lam Dong will take part.Hundreds of Raglai artisans, actors and musicians plus the Viet Bac Folk Music, Song and Dance Theatre and four provincial theatres will perform.An exhibition displaying traditional costume, musical instruments, agricultural tools, special products and traditional sculpture will be held by the Ninh Thuan Province at Bac Ai District.The Raglai population is about 123,000 people. – VNS … [Read more...] about Raglai ethnic festival to open
Funds sought for ethnic projects
Nearly 90 per cent of the workforce in ethnic minority areas remains unskilled.—Photo laocai.gov.vn HA NOI (VNS)— The Government's Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs has recommended simplifying administrative procedures and investment management to help remote ethnic areas receive more international support for socio-economic development."This is part of the committee's draft to strengthen international co-operation, to boost development in the areas where ethnic groups live," said head of the committee's International Co-operation Department Nguyen Quang Duc.As part of the draft, the committee plans to set up a one-stop office which will provide information and support international donors, organisations or individuals who want to fund development projects in ethnic minority areas. It will also study and suggest adjustments to the preparations, assessments and approval of projects in ethnic minority areas funded by international partners, so they … [Read more...] about Funds sought for ethnic projects
Ethnic communes to get funds boost
HA NOI (VNS)— Financial assistance for remote ethnic communes would be raised to help them improve infrastructure, job training and agricultural production.The statement was made by Minister and Chairman of the Committee of Ethnic Minorities Giang Seo Phu during a Q&A session aired on Sunday.Phu was responding to local leaders' concerns that the current support was inadequate for their development needs.He said that each commune' annual budgets would rise from VND1 billion (US$47,600) to VND1.5 billion ($71,428) from the State budget next year. The allocation of the funds should be carefully considered to avoid inefficiency and waste, he added.In many cases, localities lack clean water supplies, but they still use the money to fund production development. Regarding the delay of many projects for ethnic people, Minister Phu said there would be full inspection into the implementation of ongoing projects, and those that were found to be unfeasible would be suspended immediately. … [Read more...] about Ethnic communes to get funds boost
Book on ethnic group translated
Research on the Ka Tu ethnic group written by French expeditionary soldier Le Pichon has been published in Vietnamese, 73 years after it was first released. The book, entitled in French Les Chasseurs de Sang, is translated into Vietnamese as Nhung Ke San Mau (Blood Hunters). The name is derived from a primitive ritual of the Ka Tu people from the Central Highlands in the early 20th century. People they disliked came to a gruesome end and their blood was used to worship the gods in the hope that there would be an abundant harvest. Besides focusing on this bloody ritual, the book also talks about the cultural life of the Ka Tu people including their lifestyle, rituals to worship dead people, customs, festivals and dances. In the book, the author also confirms that Sogny, a French officer, was the first person to name the Ka Tu ethnic group in 1913, an important point in ethnography. Les Chasseurs de Sang was published for the first time in the magazine Nhung … [Read more...] about Book on ethnic group translated
Month-long activities to be held at Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism
The event is held annually by the Management Board of the Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism and will introduce visitors to the traditional cultural activities of the Tay, Dao, Mong, Thai, Muong, Kho Mu, Ta Oi, and Khmer ethnic groups, among others.At the weekend, there will be traditional arts performances by artists from the Vietnam National Academy of Music and the Vietnam Cheo Theatre in addition to cultural and cuisine performances by the X'Tieng ethnic group.Meanwhile, song and dance performances, fork games and other traditional cultural activities performed by various ethnic groups will take place on weekdays during November.The highlight of the month-long event is the organisation of the 'Vietnam Ethnic Groups’ Unity–Vietnam Cultural Heritage' Week on November 18-23.The week will feature a festival of national unity; the Cai Rang floating market - the national intangible cultural heritage; a seminar on the development of the Vietnam National … [Read more...] about Month-long activities to be held at Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism
Dao ethnic group’s maturity ritual seeks international recognition
Dao ethnic group in Tuyen Quang perform a cap sac (maturity ritual) ceremony (Photo: tuyenquang.gov.vn) Hanoi (VNA) - The “cap sac” (maturity ritual) of the Dao ethnic group may berecognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage.AssociateProfessor Bui Hoai Son, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Institute of Culture andArt Studies, said that authorities in the northern province of Tuyen Quang,where a big number of Dao people live, would ask the Government and theMinistry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to develop a national dossier on theceremony for submission to the UN group.Son was speaking at a recent conference in the province on preserving thecultural identity of the Dao ethnic group. Statistics in 2010 showed Vietnam has more than 800,000 people of Daoethnicity. Most of them live in Tuyen Quang and the northern mountainous province of HaGiang.The “cap sac” ritual, a rite of passage declaring the coming-of-age of Dao men,was declared a national … [Read more...] about Dao ethnic group’s maturity ritual seeks international recognition