The Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences officially opened a display of bound volumes containing the epics of ethnic groups in the Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) on March 18.

The 60,000 page collection, Treasure Trove of Tay Nguyen Epics, has 73 volumes containing 85 works printed in the original ethnic languages with translations in Vietnamese.

From 2001-2007, the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences carried out a VND17 billion ($920,000) project to produce the collection, which includes 30 epics from the Ba Na ethnic group, 26 of the Mo Nong, 10 of the Ede, four of the Xo Dang, three of the Ra Glao and tow of the Cham.

Vietnam Guinness Book Centre has recognized the Tay Nguyen collection as the largest collection of its kind.

The ministry also approved two other related projects, firstly to summarize six epics of Ede, Mo Nong, and Ba Na for small publications in bilingual form to present to ethnic minority compatriots in Tay Nguyen.

Scholars from China, India, Japan, Malaysia, and Thailand said they were amazed by the diversity and abundance of Tay Nguyen Epics.

The collection has been nominated for recognition by UNESCO as a masterpiece of oral and intangible cultural heritage of the humanity.

Dr Dinh Gia Khanh said the value of the epics lays in their portrayal of intelligent workers as traditional heroes.

VNS