The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said on January 4 that it has granted certificates recognising epic poems as a national intangible cultural heritage to the Central Highlands provinces of Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Gia Lai and Kon Tum.
Four types recognised this time include oral recitation of the Ede ethnic community in Dak Lak, Ot Ndrong epic of M’Nong people in Dak Nong, Homon epic of Banah in Gia Lai and another Homon epic of Rongao in Kon Tum.
Epics have played an important role in the cultural life of the Central Highlands people for centuries.
They usually describe the socio-economic process that formed and developed the community of ethnic groups or tell stories about strong and admirable heroes in the mythology of locals.
The epics, believed to be born around the 16th century, will be submitted to UNESCO for recognition as a world intangible cultural heritage of humankind.