Ca Mau (VNA) - The traditional ba khia (three-striped crab) sauce makingin the southern province of Ca Mau has been officially recognised as theNational Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Ba khia is a species of crab, concentrated extensively in the mangrove forestsin Ca Mau province. Its breeding season falls in the tenth month of the lunarcalendar. The mass catching of the crabs stimulated the locals to come up witha way to preserve them with salt to make sauce.
The three-striped crab sauce making is practiced mainly in Nam Can, DamDoi or Phu Tan districts, but the most famous brand comes from Rach Goc town inNgoc Hien district.
It has been practised by generations of locals and modified in different areas, but itsunique traditional flavour, which is famed nationwide, has still been retained.Over time the sauce has become an indispensable specialty of the southernmostland.
With an aim to uphold the provincial tourism potential, the People’s Committeeof Ca Mau province is building a plan to protect and promote the values oflocal intangible cultural heritages.
The province will compile dossiers to submit to the Ministry of Culture, Sportsand Tourism, seeking recognition of National Intangible Cultural Heritage forthe local heritages including Nghinh Ong – Song Doc Festival, Hung King TempleFestival or the traditional craft of making dried shrimp.
Earlier, the traditional beekeeping in U Minh and Tran Van Thoi districts in CaMau province was also recognised as a national intangible cultural heritage./.