ICHCAP

Duong Thi Anh

Official, Department of Cultural Heritage,

Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Vietnam

In 2022, the `Art of Pottery-making of the Chăm people` was officially inscribed on UNESCO`s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding, making it as the 15th Vietnamese intangible heritage element to receive this recognition.

As of April 2019, The Chăm people, one of Vietnam`s 54 ethnic minorities, had a population of 178,948. They are renowned for their rich and diverse cultural heritage, a tapestry that includes sacred sites, vibrant festivals, and skillful craft villages. Among these, the villages of Bàu Trúc (Phước Dân townlet, Ninh Phước District, Ninh Thuận Province) and Bình Đức (Phan Hiệp commune, Bắc Bình district, Bình Thuận province) stand out for their exquisite pottery art.

Bàu Trúc village serves as a hub for pottery and is home to a temple dedicated to Po Klong Can, the ancestral figure of Chăm pottery-making. The village is inhabited by skilled artisans and potters who have preserved this ancient craft. The Chăm people of Bàu Trúc believe they are descendants of Po Klong Can, a court official under King Po Klaong Garai (1151-1205). The Chăm`s pottery-making tradition is one of the oldest surviving crafts in Southeast Asia, representing a rich and enduring cultural heritage.