Breathing new life into Cham cultural heritage in Khanh Hoa

Lifestyle

Breathing new life into Cham cultural heritage in Khanh Hoa
With its ancient temple towers, lively festivals, craft villages, and rich cultural heritage, both tangible and intangible, Cham culture in the south central province of Khanh Hoa is not only a long-standing historical treasure but is also being actively promoted alongside tourism and community livelihoods, bringing fresh energy to Cham heritage in modern life.
The Hoa Lai stele, a national treasure, is currently on display at the Khanh Hoa provincial Museum's Branch 2 in Phan Rang ward. (Photo: VNA)

Khanh Hoa (VNA) – With its ancient temple towers, lively festivals, craft villages, and rich cultural heritage, both tangible and intangible, Cham culture in the south central province of Khanh Hoa is not only a long-standing historical treasure but is also being actively promoted alongside tourism and community livelihoods, bringing fresh energy to Cham heritage in modern life.

Khanh Hoa is home to nationally significant architectural and artistic relics associated with Cham culture, including the Hoa Lai Tower Complex, Po Klong Garai Tower and the Po Nagar Cham Towers. The Po Rome Tower has also been recognised as a national historical and architectural relic. Five artefacts of Cham culture have been designated National Treasures, notably the statue of King Po Klong Garai, the bas-relief of King Po Rome and several ancient steles.

Visitors explore and learn about artifacts of the Cham culture displayed at the Khanh Hoa provincial Museum's Branch 2 in Phan Rang ward. (Photo: VNA)

Among these relics, Po Klong Garai Tower and Po Nagar Towers are regarded as the most representative. Located on Trau Hill in Do Vinh ward, Po Klong Garai Tower consists of three structures built in the late 13th and early 14th centuries to worship King Po Klong Garai, who made major contributions to irrigation and local livelihoods. It is considered one of the most intact and visually striking Cham tower complexes remaining in Vietnam.

Beyond its architectural value, Po Klong Garai Tower remains an important cultural and religious centre for Cham Brahman communities in southern Khanh Hoa. Each year, the Kate Festival, held in the seventh month of the Cham calendar, which usually falls in late September or early October, attracts large numbers of locals and visitors who take part in rituals and traditional cultural activities.

In the field of intangible heritage, several Cham festivals and rituals in Khanh Hoa have been inscribed on the national intangible cultural heritage list, including the Po Nagar Tower Festival in Nha Trang, the Kate Festival of Cham Brahman followers and the early-year ritual of the Cham community in Binh Nghia Village. Notably, the “Art of Cham Pottery-Making” in the Bau Truc Village has been recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.

Traditional craft villages such as the Bau Truc pottery village and the My Nghiep brocade weaving village further enhance the appeal of Cham heritage. Bau Truc, considered the oldest pottery village in Southeast Asia that still preserves purely manual techniques, currently has two cooperatives and 11 production facilities, with around 300 households engaged in the craft. Often described as a “living Cham pottery museum,” it has become an attractive destination for domestic and international tourists.

Phu Huu Minh Thuan, Director of the Bau Truc Cham Pottery Cooperative, shared that artisans are dedicated to keeping traditional craftsmanship alive while creating new product lines tied to community-based tourism. Visitors can watch pottery-making in action and even get hands-on with shaping, decorating, and firing their own pieces.

Khanh Hoa has increased efforts to preserve and showcase Cham cultural heritage. Temples and towers have been restored, festivals and craft villages have been reinvigorated, and folk arts have been studied and brought back to life. The Khanh Hoa Provincial Museum’s Branch 2 (once the Ninh Thuan Cham Culture Research Centre), the nation’s only institution focused on Cham cultural research, has gathered and restored over 1,500 artefacts and frequently hosts exhibitions to share Cham culture with the public.

Nguyen Long Bien, Vice Chairman of the Khanh Hoa provincial People’s Committee, said the province is linking socio-economic development with heritage preservation to ensure that Cham communities directly benefit from their cultural assets. Looking ahead to 2030, Khanh Hoa aims to develop Cham-related cultural and historical tourism sustainably, combining in-depth conservation with experiential tourism to ensure the enduring vitality of Cham heritage./.

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