Creating livelihoods from ethnic identity

The Co people live scattered across the communes of Tra Lien, Tra Giap, Tra Doc, Tra Tan and Tra My in Da Nang city. Despite the many impacts of modern life, Co culture remains fully preserved through their festivals, customs, handicrafts and a lifestyle deeply connected to the mountains and forests.

For the Co people, cultural preservation is not merely a responsibility toward their ancestors but also a key to economic development. Every revived handicraft, dance and gong performance and every festival organized, opens up opportunities to promote and revitalize traditional trades, create jobs and boost local incomes. Consequently, community-based tourism is emerging as a sustainable path that enables the community to preserve its cultural identity while escaping poverty.

In Gian Bi village, Tra Lien commune, 67-year-old artisan Ho Van Huy is considered a “living treasure” of the rattan and bamboo weaving craft. He has dedicated over 40 years to the trade. In the past, the Co people wove carrying baskets, baskets and winnowing trays solely to serve their daily needs. Today, driven by tourist demand, these items are commissioned as souvenirs that embody distinct cultural value. Mr. Huy shares: “In the past, we wove for personal use; now, it provides a livelihood. Tourists want to buy every traditional back basket (gui) I make, because they sense the spirit of the mountains and forests in them”.

By utilizing natural materials such as bamboo and rattan, the craft of weaving is no longer the exclusive domain of men. Women and even young people from the Co ethnic group are now seeking out elderly artisans to learn the trade. Ho Thi Duyen, a 26-year-old, shares: “At first, I learned just out of curiosity, but now I can weave baskets and carrying baskets to sell. Some months, I earn over 3 million VND, which helps support my children and care for my family”.

Alongside the craft of weaving, the traditional art of beadwork among Co women is also experiencing a revival. From a young age, girls are taught by their grandmothers and mothers how to string beads to create colorful bracelets, necklaces and earrings. Each bead holds not only aesthetic value but also embodies the connection between people, nature and their ancestors. Ms. Ho Thi Suong, who runs a bead-stringing vocational group in Tra Giap Commune, says: “I organize classes for the girls in the village, with 10 to 15 students per session. Tourists really love the bead necklaces; sometimes, they order as many as a hundred strands during festivals”.

During the festival season, the sight of young Co women in brocade dresses and adorned with vibrant bead necklaces, immersing themselves in the sounds of gongs stands as a vivid testament to the cultural vitality of the great highlands. Many visitors to the area have tried their hand at bead-stringing and basket-weaving, purchasing the items as souvenirs thereby taking away fond impressions of a community that is at once unpretentious and resilient.

In order to preserve and promote the value of ethnic culture, local authorities have implemented various practical support programs. Through Project 6 and the Project on Preserving ethnic minority culture under the National Target Program for socio-economic development of ethnic minority and mountainous areas for the period of 2021-2025, communes with Co ethnic groups are funded to open training courses on weaving, beading and gong playing; Support costumes, musical instruments... to serve cultural activities.

Accordingly, starting in 2023, Tra Lien and Tra Tan communes began piloting a community-based tourism model that incorporates experiences of Co culture. Visitors can tour craft villages, listen to gong performances, sample pipe wine (ruou can), watching bead-stringing demonstrations and trying their hand at weaving traditional baskets (gui). Many households have renovated their stilt houses into homestays, creating additional jobs for women and young people in the village. Mr. Ho Van Phuoc, the village elder of Tra Lien, shared: “With many visitors coming to the village, the younger generation earns extra income; but more importantly, they feel a sense of pride and no longer abandon their traditional craft or leave the village”. Local residents not only receive livelihood support but also become creative agents in promoting their cultural identity. Each product and festival contributes to telling the story of Co culture, one that is both intimate and distinctive.

Amidst the changing tides of the times, that identity stands not only as a source of pride for the Co people but also as a precious asset for Da Nang city, the Truong Son - Central Highlands region and the entire nation./.