A cultural rendezvous in Tan Hung

Nestled in the northern part of Dong Nai city, the land of Thanh An in Tan Hung Commune is known not only for its peaceful landscape of vast fields and surrounding waterways, but also for its cultural heritage spanning more than a century. Here, the ancient cultural identity of the S'tieng ethnic people blends uniquely with the rustic and down-to-earth character of Vietnamese rural life.

S’tieng people in Thanh An interact with visitors and share experiences of local traditional culture.

With its distinctive cultural features and numerous historical sites and cultural landmarks, Thanh An has strong potential to develop community-based and experiential tourism, becoming an attractive destination for visitors exploring the northern part of the city.

A bridge connecting the past and present

More than 40 kilometers from the center of Binh Phuoc Ward, Thanh An emerges as a peaceful corner, far removed from the hustle and bustle of urban life. It is also one of the oldest settlement areas of the S'tieng ethnic people in the southeastern region of Vietnam.

Thanh An enjoys a mild climate and fertile soil. Favored by nature, the area once became a destination for pioneering generations who came to clear the land, settle and establish villages. The combination of beautiful natural scenery and a rich historical heritage has created a Thanh An that is both pristine and mysterious, yet warm and welcoming.

For visitors arriving in Thanh An, one of the first spiritual destinations not to be missed is Thanh An Communal House. Nestled beneath the shade of green trees, the old communal house serves as a bridge connecting the past and present of generations of local residents.

Construction of the communal house began in 1920. After more than a century marked by historical upheavals and several restoration projects, it still retains the distinctive architecture of a traditional Vietnamese communal house. Covering nearly 3,000 square meters, the complex includes the main sanctuary, the Holy Mother Shrine, Duc Thanh Tran Temple and a decorative screen, all arranged harmoniously in accordance with principles, ensuring a dignified setting for worship and veneration.

Nguyen Van On, a member of the Thanh An Communal House Management Board, said that two traditional ceremonies are held there every year: the Ky Yen Festival and the Cau Bong Festival. These occasions allow local people to express their deep gratitude to the village guardian deity, as well as to earlier generations who contributed to reclaiming and preserving the land. Beyond serving as a place of religious practice, Thanh An Communal House also helps educate younger generations about love for their homeland and the traditional principle of “when drinking water, remember its source”.

Keeping the S'tieng brocade weaving tradition alive

With its vast and fertile land, Thanh An was among the places where people came to clear the land, settle and establish some of the earliest villages. As an ancient settlement of the S'tieng people, the area still preserves numerous traditional crafts and cultural practices, including gong clubs, the making of can wine, grilled meat dishes and bamboo-tube rice. Among them, brocade weaving has developed most strongly, producing many distinctive and valuable products.

To preserve and develop the traditional craft village, a brocade weaving group was established locally. From just a few S'tieng women initially taking part, it has grown into the Thanh An Weaving Cooperative Group, with dozens of members of different ages. Their skills and creative sense of aesthetics in designing patterns and weaving threads have resulted in an increasing variety of distinctive brocade products.

Thi Gion, Head of the Thanh An Weaving Cooperative Group, said: “This is home to lowland S'tieng people, so the patterns on their brocade are different from those of highland S'tieng communities and those in the Central Highlands. Local women are determined to preserve the craft so that we can teach it to our children and grandchildren”.

The cooperative group is not only a place for preserving the craft and exchanging weaving skills, but also helps connect products with markets. It has also become a cultural tourism destination where visitors to Tan Hung can experience the traditional craft firsthand. It offers a fascinating experience rooted in a distinctive local tradition that is not easily found elsewhere.

Opening up experiential tourism

Leaving the weaving facilities, we visited the wooden house of Pham Ngoc Phung in Hung An Hamlet, Tan Hung Commune. Built and designed in the style of a traditional Vietnamese house, the structure features intricately carved columns and beams adorned with sophisticated decorative patterns.

Visitors can admire the house and reconnect with memories of traditional wooden houses of earlier generations. The site also preserves and displays numerous antique objects, including agricultural and production tools, household items used by Vietnamese people in the past, vintage vehicles and artifacts dating back to the French colonial period. Many objects associated with the childhood memories of people born in the 1970s and 1980s have been carefully preserved and arranged by theme, making the collection engaging and accessible to visitors.

Pham Ngoc Phung, owner of the Ngoc Phung antique shop, said: “I love antiques, so I have invested in collecting and preserving them. I believe these artifacts are rare and valuable, so they should be preserved for future generations to understand how earlier generations lived and expressed their culture. In doing so, we can nurture love for our homeland, country and Vietnamese cultural traditions”.

With more than 500 distinctive artifacts representing various cultures and ethnic communities from different regions across Vietnam, the Ngoc Phung antique shop has become a favorite destination for generations of visitors and people who share a passion for collecting and preserving antiques. The collection also serves as a reminder to younger generations to appreciate and preserve the distinctive cultural heritage and spirit of the nation.

Away from the noise and the hustle and bustle of major tourism centers, Thanh An has chosen its own path. With a harmonious combination of natural landscapes, historical sites and ethnic cultural identity, this land deserves to be a captivating “quiet note” in the journey of exploring the northern part of Dong Nai city.

By Minh Ha - Translated by Diec Quyen, Thu Ha