The keepers of the fires in ancient pottery kilns

In 2017, when BauTruc village was registered by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as anational intangible cultural heritage and on November 29^th, 2022,the traditional art of pottery making of the Cham people was recorded by UNESCOas a heritage in need of urgent protection, Mr. Quyet, along with 40 othervillagers, actively promotes and introduces to domestic and international touriststhe traditional art of “handmade pottery, without a potter’s wheel”, about thetechnique of open-air pottery firing; Guide tourists to experience and enjoythe folk songs, dances, cuisine of the Cham people. These persistent effortshave further enhanced the reputation of “the oldest surviving pottery villagein Southeast Asia”, making it a renowned craft village both domestically andinternationally.

Deeply devoted to his national culture, Mr. Dang Chi Quyet strives to preserve and pass on the unique cultural identity of the Cham people. nder his guidance, the artisans established a women’s pottery club, opened classes to teach Ghi Nang drumming and Ariya singing, attracting dozens of young students. He encouraged young people to learn the Kanhi instrument, the Saranai horn and the Paranung drum so that the sounds of their ancestors would once again resonate during the lively Ka-te festival. The Bau Truc Cham Community Center is now not only a venue for events but also a “cultural school” where children can learn their mother tongue, read epics, watch traditional dances, enjoy ethnic cuisine and experience pottery making by hand... practically linking heritage preservation with tourism development.

As the neighborhood leader, Mr. Quyet acts as a “bridge” between the government and the people, always taking the lead in every movement. At the Bau Truc Agricultural Cooperative, he was elected Head of the Supervisory Board. He always worked alongside the Board of Directors and the farmers to build a continuously developing cooperative. He encouraged villagers to apply science and technology to farming and raising goats and sheep; organized training courses for over 300 farmers; and guided them in building “large-scale model fields” to increase productivity and reduce costs.

Besides focusing on the economy, he also cared about developing education and social welfare. Every year, he and his family clans raise funds to help poor students, organize cultural performances to celebrate the Ka-tê festival to raise funds for scholarships and help maintain the school attendance rate. The rate of students graduating from school and completing their education is increasing. He mobilized the villagers to contribute hundreds of millions of dong to build a cemetery fence, a dome and a fence around the Po Klong Chanh temple - “the founder who taught pottery making to the people of Bau Truc village”, a lighting system, planting trees and putting an end to the practice of raising pigs in free-range conditions in residential areas...

He also made significant contributions to raising public awareness about compliance with the Military Service Law. “Going door-to-door” through events like weddings and engagement ceremonies - places where large crowds gather, he spread the word, resulting in a 100% success rate in recent years for local young men of eligible age to participate in health checkups for military service, meeting the assigned target.

With unwaveringdedication to his village, Mr. Dang Chi Quyet has been repeatedly commended byvarious levels of government and organizations as a respected and exemplary figureamong ethnic minority communities. He had the honor of being a delegate at the2023 National Conference to commend and honor outstanding individuals withprestige among ethnic minorities, organized by the Committee for EthnicMinorities Affairs in coordination with the Central Committee of the VietnamFatherland Front. Between modern life, Mr. Dang Chi Quyet is quietly keepingthe flame of Cham culture burning brightly in his homeland of Bau Truc./.