Sculptor Ker Tik from the Co Tu ethnic community which has a population of 62,000 and live mainly in the Truong Son range in central Vietnam and in certain neighborhoods of Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City, has worked to make his community's culture shine beyond its locality.

Ker Tik and his work.

Thanks to Ker Tik, the world outside are learning more about his community and their culture; t he community worships the Giang (God) and every year, they observe dozens of rituals to pray for good luck, good health and bumper crops. Ker Tik's traditional creations are now on display in a house in his native village in Quang Nam.

Born to a poor family in K'Non, a small village in Axan Commune, Ker Tik has dedicated his life to art. Using a knife and brush, he carves lively works in stone and wood that capture the simple, rural lifestyle of the Co Tu.

"I love depicting the daily life of Co Tu in my works," said the 67-year-old artist. He said Co Tu sculpture was simple in design but very expressive, helping the community share their passions and thoughts.

Some of his more outstanding works are displayed in local communal houses, or guol, around the region. The artist also has had his work displayed in Ho Chi Minh City and Hue, capturing the attention of many art lovers and folklore and cultural researchers

"Ker Tik has captured the hearts of art lovers with his works based on Co Tu traditions," said Vu Hao, a culture researcher from Ho Chi Minh City who specialises in ethnic minority sculpture. "I can see and feel their culture and lifestyle" through his works.

Built in the shape of a conical hat or tortoise shell, a guol is the largest and tallest house in the community. Made if wood, it typically stands in the middle of the village. The house is used to receive special guests, hold meetings, rituals and cultural performances.

Guol houses play an important role in the lives of the Co Tu people and are considered sacred places and the soul of the village. Elderly villagers spend most of their autumn years at the guol conversing with and educating younger generation. For the Co Tu, a guol is also an art museum that stores works by the area's most illustrious artist.

Many foreign and local visitors have seen and admired his work in the guol. During a trip to Quang Nam in 2009, Barbara Cohen, an American writer and cultural researcher, visited Ker Tik's village and was surprised by the depth of emotion and skill displayed by the artist. She said that his sculptures helped her learn more about the Co Tu and their unique art.

The Co Tu people used to live close to the nature, clearing trees for cultivation and hunting. They believe in ancient gods and offer them buffaloes in worshiping rituals. During communal activities, the Co Tu people speak or sing Ly, a distinctive improvisational art genre, which has been passed from generation to generation.

Source: VNA