{"id":10644,"date":"2022-03-22T11:47:09","date_gmt":"2022-03-22T03:47:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thesmartlocal.com\/vietnam\/?p=10644"},"modified":"2022-03-22T11:55:10","modified_gmt":"2022-03-22T03:55:10","slug":"an-giang-cham-community","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesmartlocal.com\/vietnam\/an-giang-cham-community\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Facts About An Giang\u2019s Ch\u0103m Community: From Mesmerising Mosques To Unique Beef Dishes"},"content":{"rendered":"

An Giang’s Ch\u0103m community<\/h2>\n
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Located about 200 kilometres, or 4 hours of driving, from the southwest of H\u1ed3 Ch\u00ed Minh City, <\/span>An Giang is a colourful border province where you can explore the heart of the Ch\u0103m community in the Mekong Delta.<\/p>\n

To introduce you to the interesting culture we can discover when visiting the Ch\u0103m people in An Giang, we have gathered<\/span> 7 facts about<\/strong> An Giang’s Ch\u0103m community<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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1. This is one of three big Ch\u0103m communities in Vietnam<\/h3>\n
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\"Ch\u0103m
\nCh\u0103m children playing in front of a mosque in Ch\u00e2u Phong Village, An Giang Province.<\/span>
\n<\/span>Image credit: <\/span>@hungtanchau<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

The Ch\u0103m community is considered an ethnic minority in Vietnam, with a total population of more than 178,000 as of <\/span>2019<\/span><\/a>. Generally, the Ch\u0103m people in Vietnam can be distinguished into three groups<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

First of all, the Ch\u0103m H\u2019roi people live in Gia Lai, Ph\u00fa Y\u00ean, and B\u00ecnh \u0110\u1ecbnh – upper provinces in south-central Vietnam. Simultaneously, the Ch\u0103m Panduranga, also known as Eastern Ch\u0103m, people form another community in the Ninh Thu\u1eadn and B\u00ecnh Thu\u1eadn provinces in lower southern central Vietnam. The third group of Ch\u0103m people are called Southern Ch\u0103m or Western Ch\u0103m. A large part of the Ch\u0103m community is located in H\u1ed3 Ch\u00ed Minh City and the An Giang province in southern Vietnam.<\/span><\/p>\n

Specifically in the Mekong Delta, An Giang’s Ch\u0103m community has a population of 17,000 people living in 9 distinctive villages. Most of these villages are around T\u00e2n Ch\u00e2u town and An Ph\u00fa district.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Cham
\nMany Ch\u0103m people in An Giang live in stilt houses like this.<\/span>
\n<\/span>Image credit: <\/span>Nguyen Thanh Tam<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

The community was established in An Giang since the 1750s when General Nguy\u1ec5n C\u01b0 Trinh called for the Ch\u0103m people in southeast Cambodia, at this time still part of the Nguy\u1ec5n Dynasty\u2019s territory, to settle down in this region.<\/span><\/p>\n

After many political conflicts between Cambodia, Siam (known as Thailand today), and \u0110\u1ea1i Nam (Vietnam today), more Ch\u0103m people moved to An Giang province. This movement continued during the terrifying Khmer Rouge years (1975-79). Through the years, the Ch\u0103m community has gradually become an integral part of the population in An Giang.<\/span><\/p>\n

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2. An Giang’s Ch\u0103m people form a large Muslim community<\/h3>\n
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\"Cham
\nThe corridor of a mosque in An Giang<\/span>
\n<\/span>Image credit: <\/span>h\u1ee3p ph\u1ea1m li\u00ean<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

According to the <\/span>2019 population census<\/span><\/a>, Vietnam has about 71,000 Muslims. Among An Giang’s Ch\u0103m population of about 11,000 people as of <\/span>2019<\/span><\/a>, most of them follow Islam, making it one of the biggest Muslim Ch\u0103m communities in Vietnam<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Cham
\nA map of Ch\u0103m villages in An Giang province. Each village is marked by a star and a crescent.<\/span>
\n<\/span>Image adapted from <\/span>Mrfly911 \/ Wikimedia<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Indeed, as Muslims, An Giang’s Ch\u0103m community practise Islamic obligations such as <\/span>shahada<\/em> <\/span>(the declaration of faith that there is no deity except Allah, and that Muhammad is his prophet), <\/span>salat<\/span><\/em> (praying 5 times a day), <\/span>zakah<\/span><\/em> (almsgiving), <\/span>r\u014dzah<\/em> <\/span>(fasting during the month of Ramadan), and <\/span>haji<\/span> <\/em>(making a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once).<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition, they do not feed or eat pigs. Alcoholic drinks are a big no. Arabic classes are also open to help the younger generation learn about the Qur\u2019an.<\/span><\/p>\n

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3. You can visit Mubarak Mosque, one of Vietnam’s oldest mosques<\/h3>\n
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\"Mubarak
\nThe Mubarak Mosque with distinctive Islamic architecture<\/span>
\n<\/span>Image credit: <\/span>V\u00f5 Th\u1ebf Thanh<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

To serve the community, lots of mosques are situated in An Giang. In this province, you can find the oldest existing mosque in Vietnam, Mubarak Mosque<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mubarak Mosque, situated in Ch\u00e2u Giang Ch\u0103m Village, was first built in 1750 with basic materials such as bamboo and leaves. It was then renovated in 1808, 1922, and 1965. The current mosque was based on a design by Indian architect Mohamet Amin that features an arched entrance, followed by a large yard.<\/span><\/p>\n

On the roof is a little two-floor tower with two white domes behind it. Four smaller towers were also built on the corners of the mosque’s roof. In 1989, it was recognised as a National Historical Site.<\/p>\n

\"Mubarak
\nThe interior of Mubarak Mosque<\/span>
\n<\/span>Image credit: <\/span>Dmitri Kvitko<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Mubarak Mosque is near the Bassac River, so you can take a river tour and stop at T\u00e2n Ch\u00e2u ferry station to visit it.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mubarak Mosque<\/b>
\n<\/b>Address: <\/b><\/span>Ph\u00fa Hi\u1ec7p Village, Ph\u00fa T\u00e2n District, An Giang Province, Vietnam<\/span><\/p>\n

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4. Masjid Jamiul Azhar – the sacred beauty of mosque architecture<\/h3>\n
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\"Masjid
\nEven if you are not Muslim, Masjid Jamiul Azhar is still a beautiful place to visit.<\/span>
\n<\/span>Image credit: <\/span>L\u00e3ng Kh\u00e1ch Vi H\u00e0nh<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

One of the most visited places in the Ch\u0103m community in An Giang is the beautiful Masjid Jamiul Azhar<\/strong>. This mosque was built in 1959 and renovated in 2012.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Featuring two main colours: white and emerald green, this is one of the most fabulous mosques in An Giang, giving off a pure and sacred impression. A long path connects the intricately decorated entrance to the main building of the mosque. On the sides are a giant graveyard, which makes this mosque distinctive from its counterparts in town. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"Masjid
\nThe graveyard of Masjid Jamiul Azhar Mosque<\/span>
\n<\/span>Image credit: <\/span>Ng\u1ecdc Th\u00e1i L\u00e2m<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Similar to the Mubarak Mosque, Masjid Jamiul Azhar also reflects typical Islamic architecture with onion-shaped domes on the roof and small towers at roof corners.<\/span><\/p>\n

Masjid Jamiul Azhar is just about 800 metres from the Mubarak Mosque, so you can walk between the two locations in less than 10 minutes. From these mosques, you can access other Ch\u0103m attractions in Ch\u00e2u Phong and \u0110a Ph\u01b0\u1edbc Ch\u0103m Villages easily by boat, car, or motorbike.<\/span><\/p>\n

Masjid Jamiul Azhar Mosque<\/b>
\n<\/b>Address: <\/b><\/span>Ch\u00e2u Phong Village, T\u00e2n Ch\u00e2u Town, An Giang Province, Vietnam<\/span><\/p>\n

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5. You can buy the beautiful L\u00e3nh M\u1ef9 A silk produced by the Ch\u0103m community here<\/h3>\n
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\"Cham
\nA Ch\u0103m girl weaving with her handloom.<\/span>
\n<\/span>Image credit: <\/span>Du Ph\u00f9<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Visiting the Ch\u0103m community in An Giang, you can find <\/span>L\u00e3nh M\u1ef9 A<\/b>, a type of unique high-quality silk that has been sought after not only in Vietnam but around the world.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The traditional livelihood of the Ch\u0103m people is weaving. In the past, most families in the region had their own handlooms. Traditionally, girls aged 10 to 12 here started to learn basic weaving techniques. At the age of 18, they became sophisticated weavers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Even today, lots of Ch\u0103m people in An Giang still make and sell fabrics.<\/p>\n

\"Lanh
\nL\u00e3nh M\u1ef9 A silk is dried in the early morning sunlight.<\/span>
\n<\/span>Image credit: <\/span>Hai le van<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Despite the existence of modern weaving technology, An Giang’s Ch\u0103m community still prefers natural materials when they make high-quality patterned fabric. Among the local fabrics, L\u00e3nh M\u1ef9 A stands out as top-notch silk. Dubbed as \u201cthe queen of Vietnamese silk\u201d that is \u201cflowy in summer, warm in winter,\u201d L\u00e3nh M\u1ef9 A is recognisable for its flashy black shade and extraordinary softness.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It has inspired many reputed fashion designers such as V\u00f5 Vi\u1ec7t Chung, Nguy\u1ec5n C\u00f4ng Tr\u00ed, and Patrick Pham. L\u00e3nh M\u1ef9 A silk has also appeared in many haute couture events such as those in New York and Paris.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Ao
\n\u00c1o d\u00e0i featuring L\u00e3nh M\u1ef9 A silk, designed by V\u00f5 Vi\u1ec7t Chung<\/span>
\n<\/span>Image credit: <\/span>\u00c1o d\u00e0i V\u00f5 Vi\u1ec7t Chung<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

To make L\u00e3nh M\u1ef9 A silk, the craftsperson must weave it with a specific technique on a wooden handloom, use filaments from the silkworms, and most importantly, dye the silk many times with <\/span>m\u1eb7c n\u01b0a <\/span>(<\/span>Diospyros mollis<\/span><\/em>)<\/em> fruit essence. The result is exquisite silk, which may cost around USD200-300 per meter.<\/span><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/lite-youtube>\n\t\t\t
\n(23) L\u00e3nh M\u1ef9 A – Huy\u1ec1n tho\u1ea1i x\u1ee9 l\u1ee5a T\u00e2n Ch\u00e2u – YouTube
\n<\/a>The steps of making L\u00e3nh M\u1ef9 A silk
\nVideo credit: Hanoia<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

With the influence of modern cotton fabric and the shortage of m\u1eb7c n\u01b0a fruits, L\u00e3nh M\u1ef9 A silk production has been on the brink of disappearance in recent years. You can give your support by purchasing it from the two silk stores listed below.<\/span><\/p>\n

T\u00e1m L\u0103ng Silk<\/b>
\n<\/span>Address: <\/b><\/span>223 Tr\u1ea7n Ph\u00fa Street, T\u00e2n Ch\u00e2u Town, An Giang Province<\/span>
\n<\/span>Website<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

H\u1ed3ng Ng\u1ecdc Silk<\/b>
\n<\/span>Address: <\/b><\/span>106 District Road 2, T\u00e2n Ch\u00e2u Town, An Giang Province<\/span>
\n<\/span>Website<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

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6. Enjoy unique halal dishes from An Giang’s Ch\u0103m community<\/h3>\n
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\"Beef
\nT\u00f9ng l\u00f2 m\u00f2 looks similar to other kinds of Asian sausages<\/span>
\n<\/span>Image credit: <\/span>Ng\u01b0\u1eddi Lao \u0110\u1ed9ng<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

In An Giang, you will have the chance to try many special dishes of the Ch\u0103m community<\/strong>. As Muslims, the Ch\u0103m people only eat <\/span>halal<\/em> <\/span>foods, but it doesn\u2019t mean their cuisine is any less colourful. Among many specialities made with beef, tung l\u00f2 m\u00f2<\/em><\/span>\u00a0or beef sausage is one of the most popular.<\/span><\/p>\n

To make tung l\u00f2 m\u00f2<\/em><\/span>, Ch\u0103m people mix ground beef meat and fat in a ratio of 80:20. Then they season the mixture and stuff it into the cow\u2019s intestines. The newly stuffed intestines will be dried in the early morning sunlight.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Once dried, tung l\u00f2 m\u00f2<\/em><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/i>can be kept in fridges for days. You can grill or fry <\/span>tung l\u00f2 m\u00f2<\/span><\/i> with water for the best taste. Currently, there are many households that make and sell <\/span>tung l\u00f2 m\u00f2<\/span><\/em> in An Giang.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"C\u01a1m
\nC\u01a1m n\u1ecb (left) and c\u00e0 p\u00faa – two special dishes of the Ch\u0103m people in An Giang<\/span>
\n<\/span>Image credit: <\/span>K\u00eanh 14<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

On special occasions, they will have special dishes such as <\/span>c\u01a1m n\u1ecb<\/em> <\/span>(fried rice with lilac flowers, cinnamon, and ground cashew seeds)<\/span>, c\u00e0 p\u00faa <\/span><\/i>(beef stewed in coconut milk and curry), <\/span>p\u00e0i pa gh\u00eanh <\/span><\/em>(sticky ground rice cooked with garcinia fruits and other vegetables)<\/span>, l\u00f2 m\u00f2 p\u0111\u0103m <\/span><\/i>(spicy fried beef).<\/span><\/p>\n

One of the most popular <\/span>tung l\u00f2 m\u00f2<\/em> <\/span>producers in An Giang is ANAS. You can drop by this food business to see the steps of making this speciality or buy some home.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tung l\u00f2 m\u00f2 ANAS<\/b>
\n<\/span>Address:<\/span> <\/b>Ch\u00e2u Phong Ch\u0103m Village, T\u00e2n Ch\u00e2u Town, An Giang Province<\/span>
\n<\/span>Website<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

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7. Visitors are welcome but respect local customs and traditions<\/h3>\n
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\"Mosque
\nWomen are not allowed to enter the mosque when the men are praying. You should also ask for permission before taking pictures like this.<\/span>
\n<\/span>Image credit: <\/span>JAMIUL AZHAR MOSQUE<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

As the Ch\u0103m people in An Giang follow Islamic traditions, you should be aware of some guidelines when visiting<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Firstly, you should dress properly when visiting mosques. Girls and women are encouraged to tie their hair up and cover it with a scarf or <\/span>hijab<\/span><\/i> if possible. Taking pictures may also be prohibited. In addition, girls and women are not allowed to enter the mosques during the men\u2019s prayer times.<\/span><\/p>\n

Secondly, though the Ch\u0103m people are friendly, you should ask for permission before touching any of their clothing or possessions. Pulling others\u2019 <\/span>hijabs<\/span><\/i> is a big no.<\/span><\/p>\n

Apart from that, you should avoid standing too close to or having direct contact with unmarried Ch\u0103m women as this is against local customs.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you are not sure about anything, don\u2019t hesitate to check with your tour guides first.<\/span><\/p>\n

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An Giang’s Ch\u0103m community<\/h3>\n
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The Ch\u0103m people in An Giang are a colourful community with many beautiful customs and traditions.<\/span><\/p>\n

From Islamic practices to the silk weaving tradition to original cuisine, the Ch\u0103m people have become an essential part of the Mekong Delta, extending friendly hospitality when you come to visit them.<\/p>\n

Also check out:<\/span><\/p>\n