French photographer to build museum for Co Tu ethnic group

The museum is expected to built in April 2018, to display Co Tu culture and become a rendezvous point for festivals among the ethnic groups living in the province, Thua Thien-Hue and Laos. It will be introduced in three languages, including French, English and Vietnamese, and will be built according to the design of a Guol (traditional communal long house of Co Tu people), which plays the role of the heart and soul of the community.

Rehahn is a traveller who considers Hoi An ancient city his second hometown. He decided to set up the priceless heritage museum to display his photos on ethnic people in all regions of Vietnam. In 2017, he successfully held cultural events of Co Tu ethnic minority group in the ancient city.

Rehahn says that he must adjust his approach to recognize that culture needs priority and the business of artistic works has helped him to contribute to the preservation. Therefore, he carried out a project to support characters who he met. Co To ethnic cultural museum is an institution through which he wants to give back to Quang Nam province.

“Tay Giang district offered me land where I could help them to set up the museum, in cooperation with cultural researcher Tran Tan Vinh and Co Tu people,” said Rehahn.

Secretary of the Tay Giang District Party Committee, Bh’riu Liec, a Co Tu man, said the district has allocated land for the development of the museum and Rehahn has come to help construct it.

He said the district would seek objects among the Co Tu community in Quang Nam and neighbouring provinces, as well as districts in Laos, for display./.