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Local Cham Residents Keep the Old Ways

23.08.08 Strange lights and ghostly images were seen at the Thap Poshanu Cham Towers last night. Worshippers were chanting, dancing and reciting epics from an ancient religion.

When the sun rose it became clear the specters were actually local Cham residents from around Binh Thuan province, observing a ceremony in preparation for their upcoming New Year on September 29, known as the Kate Festival (pronounces “Kah-Tay”).

The primary focal point of the festival is actually in Phan Rang, in Ninh Thuan province to the north, but many local Cham residents choose instead to focus their religious activities at Thap Poshanu, overlooking Phan Thiet. The festival draws a large crowd of mostly Cham and local Vietnamese residents. Participants wear traditional dress (as Cham normally do), and celebrate with much signing, dancing, and a variety of cultural activities.

Binh Thuan Promotes Cham Community Development

10.06.07 Binh Thuan province has paid almost 50 billion VND (3.1 million) recently on infrastructure projects that benefit the Cham ethnic minority community. 132 projects in total have been initiated over the last two years, building roads and bridges bridges, irrigation systems (much needed die to persistant regional drought), schools, medical facilities, electricity stations and community housing. A sustainable farming initiative has also provided 1,229 families with 1,375 ha of cultivated land and additional micro-credits for start-up capital. Jobs have also been created to tend around 3,000 ha of forests for which they are paid 4 million VND (270 USD) annually. The programm has been instrumental in reducing deforestation in the region.

As tourism to Mui Ne has increased, local authorities have noted the tourism interest in this local minority and sought to promote and develop the Cham community. Cham festivals have been expanded and promoted for tourism, however marketing has been poorly targeted and still tends to draw more locals than foreign tourists.

Cham Ceramics in Binh Thuan

27.10.05 A meeting between artisans from two ceramics villages, regarded as being as the oldest in SE Asia, was held at the recent Binh Thuan Cultural and Tourism Festival. The artisans were from the Cham village of Binh Duc in the province of Binh Thuan and the ceramics village of Bau Truc in Ninh Thuan province. The festival included many typical competitions such as making ceramics, weaving brocade and preparing Cham food specialities. The ceramics-making competition impressed many visitors and it is hoped it will inspire and support future interest and development of the art in the Cham community and within Binh Thuan province. Currently The Forest Restaurant in Mui Ne is the best location within Phan Thiet district to observe modern Cham culture through music, dancing, weaving demonstrations and exhibits of ceramics. Most of the staff working at the restaurant are also ethnic Cham.