The recognition was made at the 17th session of the Inter-governmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in Rabat, Morocco, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Cham people’s pottery making art named heritage in need of urgent safeguarding.

Cham pottery products are mainly household utensils, worship objects, and handicrafts such as jars (called “jek”), pots (gok), food trays (cambak), and vases (bilaok).

Pottery making is considered a demonstration of Cham women’s creativity on the basis of their community’s knowledge.

Notably, instead of using turntables, Cham women move themselves backward around blocks of clay to shape objects. The products are not laid with enamel but dried and baked outdoor in wood and rice straw fires at about 800 degrees Celsius for seven - eight hours.

Clay is sourced from the Hamu Tanu Halan field on the banks of the Quao River in Bau Truc village and the clay pit of Xuan Quang village, about 3km to the northwest of Binh Duc village, the central province of Ninh Thuan.

Despite preservation efforts, the pottery making is still at risk of disintegration due to the urbanisation process’s impact on the access to raw materials, the slow adaptation to the market economy, and young people’s lack of interest in the craft.

The pottery making of Cham people is the 15th intangible cultural heritage of Vietnam to be named in UNESCO lists.

Vietnamese handicrafts introduced in New York

Eight Vietnamese handicraft exporters are introducing their products at the NY Now exhibition that is underway in New York, the US with the participation of about 950 businesses from 35 countries.

Hanoi to host festival of craft villages, streets next month

Hanoi will host a festival of craft villages and streets at the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long from October 13 – 16, aiming to promote and preserve local traditional handicrafts, according to Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Quyen.

18 craft village products receive OCOP certificate

(BGO) - Bac Giang province now has 27 craft villages and traditional craft villages, reported the Division of Rural Development.

Bac Giang approves for detail planning to construct Nam Duong craft village and ecotourism urban area

(BGO) - The People’s Committee in Bac Giang province has issued Decision to approve for detail planning task to build Nam Duong craft village and ecotourism urban area in Luc Ngan district (ratio 1/500). 

Source: VNA