Turning cultural identity into livelihood

Ho Thi Thanh Toa, Head of the Gian Bi village’s Fatherland Front Committee and a tour guide, introduces visitors to Co Tu culture in Hoa Bac (Hai Van ward, Da Nang city), including traditional brocade weaving, unique fabric patterns, the tang tung da da dance, the Lieng fish (scientific name: Onychostoma gerlachi) and its conservation.

Deeply in love with her homeland, Thanh Toa has spent nearly a decade guiding visitors and studying the Ba Na - Nui Chua forests and Co Tu culture.

As a member of the Hoa Bac Community Tourism Cooperative, she leads the village art troupe, performs for visitors, and manages the local brocade weaving group.

Although Toa’s guiding work only lasts during the dry months and brings modest income, it has inspired many Co Tu to proudly present their culture as a valuable tourism product.

Among those who pioneered community tourism in Gian Bi and Ta Lang villages is Dinh Van Nhu, who runs Dinh Van Nhu Homestay. His model now provides jobs for over 50 local partners involved in brocade weaving, bamboo crafts, cuisine, and gong performances.

Once dependent mainly on farming and casual labour, villagers now raise chickens, catch fish, gather forest vegetables, and sell souvenirs or woven fabrics to visitors. This not only increases income but also helps preserve traditional culture naturally, passing it down to the younger generation through daily life.

By linking livelihood with heritage, the Co Tu are not only enriching their villages economically but also nurturing a more vibrant and enduring cultural spirit.