Thai Hai village preserves the culture of the Tay ethnic group

(TITC) – Thai Hai Reserve Area of Ecological Houses-on-stilts Village (Thinh Duc Commune, Thai Nguyen City, Thai Nguyen Province) covers 20 hectares of green forest area, with more than 30 traditional houses – on stilts. The Tay community of 4 generations is preserving the traditional culture, including its language, customs, rituals, ceremonies, and costume as tourism attractions.

The stilt houses here were moved from the ATK Dinh Hoa area and restored to their original state with the aim of preserving, conserving and promoting the national culture in the best way. Surrounding the stilt houses are hills, grass, flowers and large lakes, bringing a sense of peace.

Along with the houses, the culture and daily living items of the Tay people are also preserved intact by families, such as: rice mills, water-powered rice mortars, pots, water wells, etc. Ethnic costumes, accessories, and cuisine all follow the traditional culture of the Tay people.

In this village, everyone lives together like a family. Work is assigned according to each person’s ability and strengths. Some are good at raising buffalo, some are good at tending pigs, some are good at socializing, they have meals together and teach each other how to do business. Everyone advises and loves each other, regardless of level or age.

Typical houses include: tea house; medicine house; wine house; cake house; weaving house… The “Medicine House” is responsible for preserving, collecting, storing, and providing medicinal remedies to treat illnesses for villagers. The “Wine House” specializes in making wine, the “Bakery House” specializes in making special cakes, and the “Basket House” makes household items from bamboo and rattan for the villagers to use and sell to tourists…

All production activities are self-sufficient. They grow vegetables, rice, raise fish, graze cattle, produce bottled drinking water, grow and process green tea, and brew their own traditional wine.

Thai Hai village not only preserves the stilt houses, costumes, and utensils of the Tay ethnic group in Dinh Hoa, but also preserves intangible cultural values, from language, cuisine, traditional games, then singing, Tinh lute to festivals and spiritual rituals. Six-year-old children in the village learn Then singing and Tinh lute.

To preserve these traditional values, there needs to be coordination from the village chief and close coordination and connection between families, individuals and the village community. Everyone is educated in love and passion for the national cultural heritage.

Recently, more and more domestic and foreign tourists have come to Thai Hai village to listen to Then singing, Tinh lute playing, witness cultural rituals, traditional festivals, enjoy a glass of fragrant wine, a cup of pure tea, enjoy traditional cuisine of the Tay people and sleep under the roof of a traditional stilt house…

With an effective linkage model for sustainable development in all aspects – economic, social and environmental – as well as the preservation and promotion of community-based values, World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) recognized the “Best Tourist Village in 2022” to Thai Hai Reserve Area of Ecological Houses-on-stilts Village.

Tourism Information Technology Center