admin(No.3, Vol.7,Jun-Jul 2017 Vietnam Heritage Magazine)
Photo: Le Tho
Photo: Hoang Trong Dung
Photos: Le Tho
A poor fishing village now reels in tourists with graffiti art
Ever peaceful, Tam Thanh village of Tam Thanh Commune, Tam Ky City, Quang Nam Province suddenly became famous after about 70 graffiti paintings appeared on house walls in the village.
Most of these pictures, each occupying a whole wall of a house, depict kids playing, routine activities of a fishing village. The 20 artists include some South Korean artists, Tam Thanh villagers, volunteers from the Gyeongbuk Province of South Korea and Da Nang University of Foreign Languages.
Speaking to the media, Tam Thanh villagers say that the very first graffiti paintings were touching and made them feel warm. Having become a ‘graffiti village’, they are very enthusiastic, with images of their native land getting so fresh and lively.
From a purely fishing village, Tam Thanh became a ‘graffiti village’ just in 22 days, with only $100,000 investment under the ‘South Korean – Vietnamese community art exchange project’, a collaboration between the People’s Committee of Tam Ky Township and The Korea Foundation since June 2016.
Since then, the always quiet and modest Tam Thanh Village became busy under waves of tourists coming and going. The pictures they take with Tam Thanh graffiti are flooding the Internet.
And then Tam Thanh became even more attractive when rumors spread that this place also has a beautiful white sand beach, hospitable people with big hearts, and local food is just mouth-watering.
It’s very safe to bathe in the water near the pristine Tam Thanh Beach. Bathers are also served morning glory fried with garlic, raw sardine with vegetables, steamed groupers, and grilled noble scallop by the locals.
Very early morning on the beach full of warm aromas and colors, the people of Tam Thanh are already busy scooping scallops, pooling nets and gathering the previous night’s catch from boats. It’s heartwarming to watch these daily seaside routines with a red half-disk behind them.
There are guest houses and resorts right on the beach, which are very convenient for those who choose to stay longer at this lovely place.