Preserving and promoting value of Cham pottery 

In 2022, Cham people’s pottery art was inscribed on UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding. This is a pride of Cham people in Bau Truc pottery village in particular and Khanh Hoa people in general. Along with the effort and responsibility of Cham community, in recent years, Khanh Hoa Province’s authorities and sectors have also carried out many activities to preserve and promote the value of this heritage.

Unique and distinctive pottery art

Bau Truc pottery village (Ninh Phuoc Commune) is one of the most ancient craft villages in Southeast Asia. The villagers have been devoted to this craft for hundreds of years. According to artisan Truong Thi Gach, who has had over 60 years of experience, the primary materials for Bau Truc pottery are clay and fine sand. The clay is sourced from fields near the Quao River, then mixed with sand and kneaded by hand or foot to create a cohesive and pliable material. 

Artisan Truong Thi Gach demonstrating Bau Truc pottery making techniques

Unlike most pottery villages in Vietnam, artisans in Bau Truc pottery village shape pottery entirely by hand. They walk around the clay block and use their hands to form the product meticulously. After being shaped and decorated, the pieces of pottery are parched and then fired outdoors using firewood or straw. The firing process can last from several hours to a full day, depending on the size of the products. This unique process makes each piece of Bau Truc pottery a one-of-a-kind work of art, showcasing the skills and creativity of the potters. Bau Truc pottery is diverse in design and type, divided into household, fine art and spiritual pottery. 

Preserving and developing traditional craft

In order to preserve and promote the traditional craft of pottery making, cooperatives, companies, production facilities, artisans, and households in Bau Truc pottery village have implemented numerous practical activities. As said by Phu Huu Minh Thuan, director of Bau Truc Cham Pottery Cooperative, the cooperative continuously diversifies its designs and improves the quality of its products to meet consumer demand. In addition to traditional household items, the cooperative is focusing on developing high-value fine art pottery, such as decorative lamps, bedside lamps, vases, water towers, flower vases, water bottles, teapots, and spiritual items like Shiva statues and Apsara dance figures.

Currently, decorative pottery lamps are the cooperative's flagship product, with hundreds of designs being ordered in large quantities by resorts nationwide. Among these, Shiva lamps have been recognized as a provincial-level OCOP 3-star product and a typical rural industrial product by the Ministry of Industry and Trade in 2023.

To further develop the craft village, the cooperative has been linking up pottery production and selling with tourism and cultural promotion. The cooperative plans to continue innovating product designs and improving quality of Cham pottery as well as develop a specialized tourism program and create a space to display Cham pottery to enhance visitors’ experience.

Tourists visit Bau Truc pottery village (Photo: Hong Lam)

In order to preserve and promote the intangible cultural heritage of Cham pottery art, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism in association with local authorities organized 2 courses for 60 people at Bau Truc pottery village in November 2024. The Party committees, unions, departments, and local authorities are also encouraged to use Cham pottery products as gifts for delegates and guests at important events. Additionally, artisans, potters and businesses are being encouraged to showcase their products at conferences, seminars, and investment and tourism promotion events held in and outside the province. Furthermore, the provincial People's Committee has developed and submitted the draft project on preserving and promoting of the intangible cultural heritage of Cham pottery art for the period of 2023-2028 and beyond to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. 

LAM ANH
Translated by H.N