The Hon village preserves the heritage of Then singing and Tinh playing.

For nearly 10 years, members of the Bản Hon Then Singing and Dan Tinh Club (Banh Trach commune, Ba Be district, Bac Kan province) have actively, persistently, and confidently protected, practiced, and passed on their cultural heritage. Their story of preserving this heritage carries broader significance regarding ethnic policy, cultural diversity, and a future of development that is rich in identity and sustainable.

The flow of heritage is passed down through generations.

Then singing and the Tinh lute are important spiritual art forms in the cultural life of the Tay, Nung, and Thai ethnic groups in the northern mountainous provinces. The melodies of Then are profound, evocative, and deeply moving. Through their language, the lyrics of Then contain a wealth of cultural depth. The smooth sound of the Tinh lute creates a distinctive melody. With their oral tradition and performance style, the lyrics of Then combined with the Tinh lute are a beautiful match, like "a pair made in heaven."

Playing the zither and singing Then songs is a way of communicating that deeply reflects the cultural identity of the people here. The Then songs all contain expressions of love for nature, romantic love, marital affection, moral values, and praise for the scenery of the village and homeland… With its unique artistic values, Then is a part of the soul, emotions, and aspirations for a prosperous and happy life of the people, passed down from generation to generation.

For the Tay people in Ba Be district (Bac Kan province), Then embodies their psychology, emotions, thoughts, habits, and social customs. It represents the spirit of community, solidarity, and mutual support among family members, clans, and villages.

The Tay people consider the sound of the zither and the Then songs as a bridge connecting human wishes to the heavenly realm. The zither is the soul instrument in Tay folk music and dance. The Then songs and the zither blend together, reflecting and connecting the thoughts and feelings of the player and the listener.

Then performance at the 2022 Then Singing and Dan Tinh Playing Festival.

Starting with a "push"

The story began nearly 10 years ago, in July 2015, when the Project to Enhance the Participation and Voice of Ethnic Minority Women (funded by the EU, and implemented jointly by CARE Vietnam and the Institute for Socio-Economic and Environmental Research (iSEE)) encouraged ethnic minority people to raise awareness and identify existing problems in their communities so that they could work together to solve them.

Research groups consisting of Tay, Dao, and Mong ethnic women were trained in collaborative research methods and learned how to use cameras to tell the stories they saw and wanted to share in their own villages. They raised issues they considered urgent: water pollution; household waste; children dropping out of school; building village meeting halls; livestock development; and preserving ethnic cultures: the traditional Tay folk singing and playing of the zither, the Dao harvest festival, etc. They also gained enough confidence to present their research findings at forums, to managers, and to policymakers at the macro level.

A Then practice session for club members.

The people of Bản Hon village (Bành Trạch commune, Ba Bể district, Bắc Kạn province) are among those participating in the project, grappling with concerns about the fact that children in the village currently cannot read the Tay language, play the zither, or sing Then songs. Mã Trung Trực, a resident of Bản Hon deeply concerned about his homeland, established the Then Singing and Zither Club in Bản Hon, stemming from the question, "How can we preserve our ethnic identity?" Initially, the club consisted of 14 young people from the village.

Encouraged by the "boost" from the Project, the Then Singing and Dan Tinh Club is very active. Members practice playing instruments and singing together in their free time, and when there's an opportunity, they perform together, even though they lack sufficient sound equipment and sometimes don't receive any compensation... Despite the lack of many material resources, the spirit of traditional culture is affirmed through the consensus and voluntary participation of everyone.

Ms. Chu Thi Boi, a Tay woman and head of the research group on Then singing and Dan Tinh playing in Ban Hon village, explained that her reason for choosing a unique aspect of Tay culture for research and development was simply "to preserve and make more people aware of Then singing and Dan Tinh playing of the Tay people." She also expressed her wish "to have Then singing and Dan Tinh playing preserved through a program supported by the government."

This line of thinking has been supported and embraced by many. Furthermore, on December 12, 2019, "The Then ritual practices of the Tay, Nung, and Thai people in Vietnam" were inscribed by UNESCO on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This is a great source of pride for the Then ritual communities in general and for the Tay people in Ba Be in particular – including the Ban Hon Then Singing and Dan Tinh Club.

Ms. Chu Thi Boi has been a core and active member of the Club since its inception. Currently, although quite busy with her position as Chairwoman of the Fatherland Front Committee of Banh Trach commune, she always accompanies the Club whenever possible, participating in singing and Then dance performances at festivals and events not only in Bac Kan but also in many other localities. The Club also performs for many tourist groups visiting Bac Kan and Ba Be Lake…

More young people have started learning Then singing.

And so, word spread, and the Bản Hon Then Singing and Dan Tinh Club gradually became famous throughout the region. The club also expanded, from its initial 14 members to 24. Even more encouraging, the new members are all teenagers who love Then melodies, the Dan Tinh instrument, and want to introduce their ethnic culture.

Chairman of Then Ma Trung Truc Club

Under the enthusiastic guidance of Chairman Ma Trung Truc, everyone passed around and practiced ancient Then songs about the love between men and women, about the scenery and customs of the village, about peaceful working life, about the wish for a good harvest, and for the flourishing of buffaloes, cows, chickens, and pigs…

The club also practiced many Then songs with new lyrics about a new life of happiness and freedom:

This shows the potential for the continued transmission of an intangible cultural heritage recognized by UNESCO in the Tay ethnic group's region of Ba Be.

Mr. Ma Trung Truc is also a collector of Then songs to teach to the children in the club. He is also a craftsman who makes zithers for the club members. His "zither workshop" at home also makes zithers for many other places and fulfills orders from far away. Each zither he makes is a labor of love from the craftsman, a place where they pour their soul and love for their people. These zithers also showcase the talent, passion, and pride of the craftsmen in their village, mountains, and homeland.

Small communities can convey a big message.

The story of the Bản Hon Then Singing and Dan Tinh Club has opened up new approaches to many seemingly "old" stories. The Bản Hon Then Singing and Dan Tinh Club is also a low-cost model for developing grassroots culture, decided upon by the community itself. Within the Bản Hon Then Singing and Dan Tinh Club, there are also young children of the next generation who play and sing alongside their elders, kindling hope that this cultural heritage will be passed on for a long time.

In Bản Hon, it is encouraging that local authorities at all levels recognize and support the community's efforts. Paying attention to and respecting the opinions and aspirations of the community makes the efforts to enhance the capacity and voice of those directly involved—ethnic minority groups, especially ethnic minority women—more meaningful and practical. These efforts not only contribute to economic development and livelihoods in mountainous ethnic minority areas but also carry broader implications for ethnic policy, cultural diversity, and a future of sustainable development with a strong sense of identity.

Through the activities of the "shining example" of the Bản Hon Then Singing and Dan Tinh Club, it can be seen that the principles of preserving intangible cultural heritage, as recommended by UNESCO, the Law on Cultural Heritage, and experts, have been respected and well implemented. The Then songs and Dan Tinh music played by the children are the clearest evidence: "Heritage practice" is the most important activity for intangible cultural heritage and is carried out by the community that owns that heritage. Only through "practice" can the heritage (self)prove its vitality, be transmitted, transformed, and developed, and only then can it be inscribed. Through "heritage practice," the community maintains the continuity of intangible cultural heritage according to its true nature and necessary function.

The Then Singing and Dan Tinh Club, with the belief of its members, has actively and persistently protected, practiced, and passed on its cultural heritage. This also affirms/illustrates the principle established by researchers: Intangible cultural heritage belongs entirely to communities; it is the "property" of the communities. It also demonstrates the spirit of the 2003 UNESCO Convention: "Communities decide their cultural practices, and that right must be respected." The community practicing Then in Ban Hon, though small in scale, has successfully conveyed a message about a significant cultural issue.

Organizer: MINH DONG Content: VUONG ANH - TUYET LOAN Photos: VUONG ANH, babe.gov.vn Presentation: TUYET LOAN

Nhandan.vn

Source: https://special.nhandan.vn/ban-hon-giu-gin-di-san-hat-then-dan-tinh/index.html