Photo for illustration (Source: lienketviet.net)
Traditional costumes of ethnic groups are cultural heritages, which have existed for many generations, are a message of the past left for the generation today. Preservation and conservation of traditional costumes is extremely necessary.
Not only in Vietnam, but many people around the world are also very concerned about preservation and conservation of their costumes, because this is the national identity, the soul, the manner of peoples representing through costumes. Besides, costumes also show the level of cultivation of agricultural production, reflecting harmony among humans and the environment, landscape, nature and society.
National costumes will accompany humans for a long time and become a indispensable part of social life. If traditional costumes have no longer exist or fall into oblivion, it will a loss of value of culture, religion and spiritual values of national identity.
Preservation of traditional costume is very important today, as they represent the culture of an ethnic group, therefore, national cultural identity should bear the mark of costumes. Traditional costume has become more important during integration with the world. Traditional costumes help people maintain their cultural identity.
However, in the present situation, preservation of traditional costumes encounters many difficulties and challenges. Importantly, costume must be “live” in the community.
In conditions of changing weather and culture, we can’t require or compel people to wear traditional costumes all day. However, we have to have policies to encourage them to wear it. For example, Lao Cai province has made provisions or rules to encourage each civil servant, who are ethnic minority members, to have a traditional costume, which will be worn during special, important events and festivals. The government should offer direction for ethnic groups and have support policies, expense investment to preserve trades related to embroidery and knitting. It helps local communities use their products and serve tourists.
Conservation is very important, but we must also understand that it can’t be done mechanically and by constraints, but it must preserve while also changing to be suitable for real life.
Traditional costumes of ethnic groups have gone through thousands of years of change to gradually match the level of development. Today, traditional costumes continue to transform, change and improve to suit the current conditions of life. However, the soul, identity and message of costumes must be preserved. If we do so, we will preserve them successfully in the development trend.
To preserve the costumes best, they should be preserved through mass media, community activities, meetings of the same family, fellow-countrymen and clan. In particular, the role of the family in preservation of traditional culture, including costumes preservation, is very important.
Besides, the government should have policies to create a healthy environment in production, processing and circulation of goods in association with traditional costume production, as well as to honour craftsmen who successfully preserve traditional trades like weaving.
Moreover, we should promote the organization of exhibitions, exchanges and fairs to honour traditional costumes. These activities create a corridor for traditional costumes to be preserved, promoted and practically contribute to life./.