UNESCO honours Vietnam’s art of pottery making of Cham people
The decision was made at the ongoing 17th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage taking place in Rabat, the capital of Morocco, from November 28 to December 3.
Addressing the announcement ceremony on November 29 (local time), Le Thi Thu Hien, director of the Department of Cultural Heritage, thanked UNESCO for the recognition, and affirmed that the government and especially the Cham community in Vietnam are committed to doing their best to safeguard this precious heritage.
The art of pottery making of the Cham people is Vietnam’s 15th intangible cultural heritage inscribed by UNESCO, and also the fourth UNESCO title Vietnam has won this year, following three other titles awarded to a collection of handwritten Chinese and Nom documents in Truong Luu village of central Ha Tinh province, the 78 “ma nhai” steles on Ngu Hanh Son Mountain in central Da Nang city, and the learning city of Cao Lanh in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap.
According to the dossier submitted to UNESCO, Cham pottery products are mainly household utensils, religious objects and fine art works, including jars, pots, trays and vases. They are made by women and viewed as an expression of individual creativity based on the knowledge transmitted within the community.
Instead of using a turntable, the women revolve around the piece to shape it. The pottery is not glazed but fired outdoors with firewood and straw for seven to eight hours, at a temperature of about 800 degrees Celsius. Raw materials (clay, sand, water, firewood and straw) are collected locally, and the knowledge and skills are passed on to younger generations within families through hands-on practice.
The practice gives women the opportunity to exchange and interact with each other in productive labour and social activities as well as in vocational education for their children, further enhancing their role in society. It can also help bolster family income and safeguard the habits, customs and cultural identities of Cham people in Vietnam.
However, despite many safeguarding efforts, the viability of the craft is still at risk for several reasons, including the impact of urbanization on access to raw materials, insufficient adaptation to the market economy and lack of interest among younger generations.
The post UNESCO honours Vietnam’s art of pottery making of Cham people appeared first on Vietexplorer.com.
View more from VietExplorer:
Da Nang develops high-tech agricultureHCM City lures nearly 3.3 billion USD in FDI in nine months
Vietnam boosts IP rights to attract investment
Four captivating valleys in Vietnam
Three stunniest ‘dinosaur backbones’ in Northern Vietnam
Ha Anh Phuong – A global teacher
225 Vietnamese citizens from Japan repatriated home
Hai Phong City locked down a hotel after new Covid-19 case
Beauty and historical value of Vietnamese ancient costumes in Nhat Binh ao dai.
“Weaving” scent into tea
German photographer’s photos of Hanoi on display
Vietnam Airlines has opened bookings for Seoul-Hanoi
Politburo member re-elected Hanoi Party Committee Secretary
Rustic, charming reddish peony fence colors the small house
Drone shots taken in Vietnam stun the world at the Drone Photo Awards 2020
Vietnamese painting sold at nearly $1 million in France
New Zealand’s passport is world’s most powerful in 2020
Amazing photos depicting everyday lives of Dao ethnic locals in Mau Son
Expats in Vietnam: 6 restaurants serving best authentic Pho in Ho Chi Minh City
Vietnam is among the best holiday destinations after the pandemic
Comments
Post a Comment