THE CULTURE OF INDIGENOUS ETHNIC COMMUNITIES: IN CAT TIEN NATIONAL PARK, THERE ARE TWO INDIGENOUS ETHNIC COMMUNITIES, NAMELY THE MA AND THE STIENG, WITH TRADITIONAL LIVING FEATURES, A TYPICAL CULTURAL TREASURE SUCH AS BUFFALO STABBING FESTIVAL, UNIQUE STORIES, LEGENDS, TRADITIONAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL LIFE.
Cat Tien archaeological site: The archaeological site was discovered by chance in 1985. This is a large relic complex built mainly of bricks and stone and extends over 10 km along the left bank of Dong Nai river, distributed mainly in Quang Ngai commune and Dong Nai town, Cat Tien district, Lam Dong province. According to scientists, this may be a holy place with unearthed relics showing the architectural components of Hindu temples such as temples, tomb towers, etc. and metal artifacts of gold and copper with intricate carvings of the male gods, goddesses, gods Silva, cows, elephants, etc., k’lon boxes to store the cremated bones and ashes of the Brahmins. Ceramic and stone artifacts, especially Linga – Yoni statues, are delicately carved.
One of them, there is a set of statues confirmed to be the largest in Southeast Asia.
Ta Lai Prison
Ta Lai Prison was built by the French colonialists in September 1939 to imprison communists and patriots during the revolution. Some of our revolutionaries were imprisoned here such as comrade Duong Quang Dong – former member of the Cochinchina Party Committee, the first to join the Red Union founded by comrade Ton Duc Thang, and also was one of the first Communist Party members. Some elderly revolutionary comrades such as historian Tran Van Giau, comrade To Ky and many others.
According to the memoirs of comrade Duong Quang Dong: after the failure of the Cochinchina uprising in 1940, the French colonialists killed tens of thousands of people, cadres and party members of the Cochinchina Party Committee. We discussed if the opportunity came, who would stand up to save the country and save the people in the long run. In this situation, we decided to break out of prison and organized for three comrades to come out first as comrades Minh Theo, Duong Khuy and Ut Khuyen. After that, we decided to let eight more comrades escape and go straight to Saigon: Tran Van Giau, To Ky, Chau Van Giac, Nguyen Cong Trung, Nguyen Van Duc, Truong Van Nham, Tran Van Kiet and me. We didn’t know how to go to the forest, so we got lost and had to starve for more than ten days. In such circumstances, we were provided with food by ethnic minorities living in the area (Chau Ma, Stieng and Chau Ro ethnic groups) and guided us to Highway 20 to Go to Saigon. That night, we gave three comrades a ride back to Saigon and set a date to pick up the remaining comrades.
Returning to Saigon, the next morning two of our comrades were arrested, the French colonialists killed one comrade and exiled one comrade to Con Dao. But on time, there was still a car to pick us up, comrade Duc and I returned to Saigon, we chose May 1, 1941 to establish the Cochinchina facility restoration committee, and agreed to appoint me as its head. I assigned comrade Nham to hang a hammer and sickle flag on Mac Ma Hong Street (nowaday Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street). The raising of the hammer and sickle red flag right in Saigon made a big impact. Soon after, our Party grassroots organizations in Saigon, Gia Dinh, Cho Lon, Bien Hoa, Thu Dau Mot, and Tan An were restored, respectively. At this time, the French colonialists tried to terrorize and hunt for Communist comrades. In early 1942, Comrade Nham was arrested in Can Giuoc, and Comrade Duc was arrested in Cho Lon. In such a difficult situation, I thought I would be arrested sooner or later, because the eight death sentences of eight prisoners who had escaped from Ta Lai prison were hung everywhere by the French colonialists. Personally, I had to disguise myself as a driver and go around the streets of Saigon every day to coordinate with my comrades in activities. By 1943, twenty-one provinces of Cochinchina were able to organize Provincial Party Committees. From the 13th to the 15th of October 1943, we had a meeting to establish the provisional party committee consisting of 11 comrades. Since then, the revolutionary forces of South Vietnam have matured and contributed to the victory in the August 1945 general uprising and the great victory in the spring of 1975.
Today, Ta Lai prison only has traces that are being erased over time. The People’s Committee of Dong Nai Province built the memorial stele of Ta Lai prison in order to educate the young generation about the tradition of revolutionary struggle and the noble sacrifices of our army and people in the cause of national liberation.
