Preserving the Tay cultural heritage

Over time, the Tày-Nùng folk songs and stringed instrument playing, in particular, and ethnic folk melodies in general, have been preserved by the people of various ethnic groups in Thái Nguyên. Whenever these folk melodies and songs resonate in the villages, the people feel uplifted and enthusiastic about working, producing, and building their homeland to become increasingly prosperous and beautiful.

Na Rì Cluster Then Cultural Heritage Club.

Following the provincial merger, the Then cultural heritage club of Na Rì cluster, Thái Nguyên province, was established with over 40 members. These are members of the Then singing and Dan Tinh playing club of Na Rì district, Bắc Kạn province (formerly). Besides their work and production activities, the members gather at the village cultural center to practice their favorite folk songs.

With a large number of members, the merger brought some disruptions and difficulties in maintaining activities. However, driven by their passion and enthusiasm for national cultural identity, the club members still managed to find time to organize training sessions, teach, and perform at local political and cultural events.

Folk artist Nguyen Thi En, Head of the Then cultural heritage club in Na Ri cluster, shared: "The club members are always conscious of preserving and promoting the cultural identity of the Tay ethnic group, especially the art of Then singing. We gather 2 to 3 times a month for practice. The club currently has members who are relatively old, but everyone is still very enthusiastic. In the future, we hope that all levels and sectors, especially the cultural sector from the province to the grassroots, will create conditions and provide assistance so that the club can continue to develop and build upon the achievements of the past many years."

The performances of Then singing, Tinh lute playing, and folk songs by the Na Rì cluster Then cultural heritage club, which have been practiced and performed recently, have left a deep impression on the public and tourists from all over. The practice sessions are becoming increasingly organized, high-quality, effective, and successful on stage.

The intergenerational Then singing and Tinh lute playing club in Con Minh commune is also a very active club in practicing ethnic folk melodies, including Then singing and Tinh lute playing. Currently, the club has 95 members. Besides practicing and performing, some members also know how to write lyrics for songs or collect ancient Then melodies from their ancestors. Despite being busy with many farming tasks, with enthusiasm and passion, the members still dedicate time to practicing Then singing and Tinh lute playing.

Mr. Hoang Van Duc, Chairman of the intergenerational Then singing and Dan Tinh playing club in Con Minh commune, said: "Farming keeps us very busy with fieldwork, however, with the desire to prevent our ethnic culture from fading away, we established this club to pass it on to future generations and preserve our ethnic cultural identity. We are the older generation, and we want to pass on our knowledge to our descendants, especially the melodies of Then singing and Dan Tinh playing."

Over the years, the Then singing and Tinh lute playing tradition in the communes of Na Ri, Con Minh, Xuan Duong, Tran Phu, Cuong Loi, and Van Lang in Thai Nguyen province has been preserved and maintained. In particular, ancient Then melodies are performed at festivals, cultural exchanges, and performances in communes within and outside the province, with many unique styles, such as: group Then singing, group Then singing, duet Then, solo Then, Then dance, Luon singing, Sli singing, Then instrumental ensemble, ancient Then... Some artisans, despite their advanced age, remain deeply committed to their ethnic cultural identity, especially to the preservation of ancient Then.

In reality, besides economic development and other fields, national cultural identity plays a particularly important role. Therefore, preserving national cultural heritage is essential and forms a solid foundation for integration and development.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/van-hoa/202601/bao-ton-di-san-van-hoa-tay-fe44f3c/