According to information from the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, at 16:12 local time on November 29, 2022 (which is 22:12 on November 29, 2022, Vietnam time), during the 17th session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage held in Rabat, the capital of the Kingdom of Morocco, the Ceramic Art of the Cham people was officially inscribed on the Urgent Safeguarding List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. This decision was one of the 56 cases considered during this session.
The traditional pottery craft of the Cham people plays a significant role in their economic, cultural, and social life. Pottery is an essential part of daily life and religious rituals in the Cham community.
Cham pottery is primarily found in two villages: Ligok (Tri Duc, Binh Thuan province) and Hamu Crok (Bau Truc, Ninh Thuan province). Among them, Bau Truc is considered one of the few ancient pottery villages in Southeast Asia that still preserves the primitive production methods from ancient times, dating back to the end of the 12th century.
The entire process of Cham pottery-making showcases distinctive artistic value. Despite experiencing ups and downs in its development, traditional Cham pottery has endured over time, preserving the essence and raw beauty of ancient pottery from hundreds of years ago. This uniqueness contributes to the enduring value of Cham pottery.
Cham pottery consists mainly of household utensils, ceremonial objects, and decorative art such as chum (jek), pots (gok), trays (cambak), vases (bilaok), and more. The pottery craft is an expression of individual creativity, with Cham women using their knowledge passed down through the community to create these products. Instead of using a pottery wheel, Cham women move and shape the products manually by hand.
The pottery is unglazed and sun-dried, then fired outdoors using firewood and straw for approximately 7-8 hours at a temperature of around 800 degrees Celsius. The raw materials (clay, sand, water, firewood, and straw) are locally sourced. The clay is regenerated in cycles every few years after extraction from the Hamu Tanu Halan fields near the Quao River in Bau Truc village (Ninh Thuan province) and the clay mine in Xuan Quang village (3 km northwest of Binh Duc village, Ninh Thuan province).
The pottery-making tools are simple, with artisans utilizing materials at hand such as a spinning wheel and a scraping tool made of bamboo to thin the clay body. They also use seashells and rolled fabric to smooth the pottery surface.
The knowledge and skills of pottery-making are passed down through generations within families through practical training. Engaging in this craft provides opportunities for Cham women to interact and exchange experiences in production and social activities, as well as educate their children about the profession, further enhancing their role in society.
Pottery-making also contributes to increased family income and the preservation of Cham cultural traditions and the cultural identity of the Cham people in Vietnam. However, despite ongoing protection efforts, the Cham pottery craft faces the risk of decline due to the impact of urbanization on access to raw materials, slow adaptation to the market economy, and the younger generation’s lack of interest in the profession.
The inscription of Cham pottery as an urgent safeguarding intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO once again affirms the international recognition of the cultural values of the people in Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan provinces in particular and the people of Vietnam in general.
Furthermore, it significantly contributes to introducing the unique cultural heritage of the coastal Central Vietnam region to international friends, helping the ethnic communities and the residents of the two provincesto have a better understanding of the value of the traditional Cham pottery craft within Vietnam’s intangible cultural heritage.
The inscription will stimulate practical and effective measures to preserve and revitalize this heritage, providing additional resources for its conservation and value enhancement. It supports the sustainable economic and cultural development at the local and community levels.
This is the 15th intangible cultural heritage of Vietnam inscribed by UNESCO, showcasing Vietnam’s ongoing contribution to the conservation and promotion of UNESCO’s heritage values, especially as a member of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage for the 2022-2026 period.
