Launched in January 2026 in An Phu Ward, the “Journey to Chuet Village” program has welcomed student groups from eight kindergartens, primary schools, secondary schools and high schools across wards including Diên Hồng, Thống Nhất, Hội Phú and An Phú. The initiative has also attracted domestic and international tourists seeking to explore Jrai culture firsthand.
The program was created by a group of young people from Chuét 1, Chuét 2 and Chuét Ngol villages, led by Kpă H’Nhung, a member of the Jrai ethnic group from Chuét 2 village. The initiative aims to preserve and promote traditional Jrai cultural values among younger generations while contributing to National Tourism Year – Gia Lai 2026.
Schools register student visits online through the “Plei Chuet Community Tourism Village” fanpage, managed by the organizing committee.
To support the program’s development, local youths have participated in training courses on preserving traditional culture for tourism development, organized by the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism in December 2025. Kpă H’Nhung received a certificate of merit for outstanding performance during the course.
During the visits, students explore the communal house, known as the nhà rông, and learn about the customs and daily life of the Jrai people through a range of hands-on activities. These include stilt walking, rice pounding, gong performances, playing traditional instruments such as the t’rưng and lithophone, and brocade weaving.
The activities unfold in a lively Central Highlands setting, with the sound of gongs echoing across the communal house yard in Chuét Ngol village as students join local residents in traditional circle dances.
Many children experience stilt walking for the first time, laughing as they struggle to keep balance, while others gather around weaving looms or carefully handle wooden pestles to learn traditional rice-pounding techniques.
Most recently, students and teachers from Tuổi Thơ Kindergarten in Diên Hồng Ward visited the village on May 7. The children wore rented brocade costumes during the trip, adding to the excitement of the experience and creating memorable photographs.
“I was very happy to go on a trip to Chuét Ngol village with my friends,” said Lê Gia Linh, a student at Tuổi Thơ Kindergarten. “My favorite part was trying to walk on stilts and listening to the gong performances.”
Organizers say the program not only creates an experiential learning environment for students but also provides opportunities for local youths to preserve and promote their cultural identity.
According to Kpă H’Nhung, the organizing group currently assigns between six and 10 members to support each visiting student group. Artisans and young volunteers work together to guide activities, including brocade weaving demonstrations, gong and drum performances, and traditional folk games.
Phạm Thị Lành, principal of Tuổi Thơ Kindergarten, said the program gave students a rare opportunity to experience Jrai culture directly.
“This is the first time our students have had the opportunity to experience the traditional culture of the Jrai people, so they are very enthusiastic”, she said. “Such hands-on activities help children engage with traditional culture in a lively way. I hope the program will continue, with more promotion and connections, so that more children can come and learn about the culture of the Jrai community”.
