The Vietnam Museum of Ethnology is a popular attraction for domestic and foreign tourists. In particular, the museum showcases the rich and diverse cultures of 54 Vietnamese ethnic groups, with indoor and outdoor exhibition areas and many interactive activities for visitors.
Mr. William Smith, a tourist from the US, shared that he chose to visit the museum because he wanted to experience more deeply the culture of the ethnic groups in Vietnam with his family.
“I explored the Bana ethnic Rong house with my children. This was the first time I saw such a tall and massive house built of wood and bamboo. The recreated space made me feel like I was experiencing the ethnic customs so authentically,” he said.
According to the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, the Bana Rong house covers an area of over 90 square meters and is nearly 19 meters high. In 2003, 40 villagers from Kon Rbang village in Vinh Quang commune, Kon Tum city, Kon Tum province came to the museum to build this house based on the Rong house model of their village in the first half of the 20th century.
In the Rong house, sacrificial buffalo heads are often hung, the heads of animals representing the hunting trophies and pride of the community. Traditionally, the Rong house is a space for social activities and ritual activities of men.
This is the place to welcome strangers, where generations of men pass on knowledge, where villagers gather to solve important community matters, organize ceremonies and eat together. In addition, the Rong house is also the place to store sacred objects, a kind of amulet of the village and also a symbol of the strength of solidarity, the beauty of spiritual culture and the heart of the Bana people.
“If I have the opportunity to return to Vietnam, I will definitely visit the villages of the mountainous ethnic groups to try on their costumes and experience the cultural beauty there,” she added.
The Vietnam Museum of Ethnology currently preserves and displays many cultural artifacts of all 54 Vietnamese ethnic groups, including 15,000 artifacts, 42,000 films (with color photos), 2,190 positive films, 273 tapes of interviews and music, 373 video tapes and 25 CD-Roms (as of 2000).
In addition to the main building, visitors can also visit the exhibition "Na Pha - Decorative art of Thai people in Nghe An" from now until January 17, 2025. The museum campus also has the Kite building and the Architectural Garden. For those who love to explore the traditional cultures of the ethnic minorities in the mountains, this is definitely a place not to be missed.
