Working together to preserve the soul of our heritage.

An Giang possesses a rich and diverse system of cultural heritage. To prevent the loss of these heritage values ​​and to ensure their continued spread, the ethnic communities in An Giang actively preserve, transmit experience, and enrich them through various means.

Selling land helps keep the flame of art alive.

In Dinh An commune, there is an outstanding artisan named Danh Be, knowledgeable in many musical instruments and proficient in traditional Khmer dances. He also writes scripts and teaches dance to many people. To maintain his passion, he sold 10 acres of rice fields to buy props, costumes for performances, and travel expenses. At the age of seventy, every evening, in front of his house, Mr. Danh Be still diligently corrects each dance movement, hand gesture, eye expression, and even the lyrics, melodies, and drum beats for the young children. Mr. Danh Be confided: "Each dance, song, and drum beat... is art, a craft, and a heritage of our ancestors. I teach and maintain the 'family troupe' with the hope of passing on the beautiful values ​​of the Khmer people so that future generations will not forget the soul of our people."

A performance of traditional Khmer dance. Photo: PHAM HIEU

Distinguished artist Danh Bê was born into a family with a tradition in the arts. From a young age, he showed talent and regularly participated in cultural and artistic activities in the community. Later, he joined the Khmer provincial art troupe. He later moved to Định An commune and established a local art troupe, writing scripts and teaching dance. From 2000 to the present, he has been the head of the Định Hòa commune's Dù Kê art troupe, with a core group of 40 members consisting of his children, grandchildren, and in-laws. They specialize in performing arts and participating in competitions both within and outside the province, winning numerous awards.

Furthermore, Mr. Danh Be also researched, learned, and made various musical instruments and masks for the Robam theatrical performance; he composed scripts for traditional folk dances such as Apsara, Saravan, Robam, Sa Dam dance, coconut shell dance, etc., for performances and participation in art competitions at all levels. He taught traditional Khmer art to more than 200 people who love traditional Khmer art in the locality… With his positive contributions, in 2019, Mr. Danh Be was awarded the title of Outstanding Artisan by the President of Vietnam. In April 2024, he received a commendation from the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism for his outstanding achievements in preserving, maintaining, and promoting the traditional cultural values ​​of the ethnic group in the locality…

Join hands to preserve the soul of heritage.

An Giang boasts numerous intangible cultural heritage sites, some of which have been included in the national list of intangible cultural heritage, such as: the Via Ba Chua Xu festival at Sam Mountain, the Ky Yen festival at Thoai Ngoc Hau communal house, the Bay Nui bull racing, the Di Ke performance art in O Lam commune, the brocade weaving craft of the Cham people in Chau Phong commune, the Nguyen Trung Truc communal house festival, and the traditional fish sauce making craft of Phu Quoc…

The Lady of the Mountain Shrine at Sam Mountain at night. Photo: PHAM HIEU

Over the past period, the province has implemented many solutions to preserve and promote the strengths and unique characteristics of its culture, especially by strengthening the dissemination of information about the value of traditional folk performing arts within the community; issuing many projects to preserve the distinctive values ​​of intangible cultural heritage; regulations on cultural heritage management and festival organization… In particular, the province pays attention to artisans practicing intangible cultural heritage by preparing dossiers to propose the awarding of artisan titles and implementing policies to support artisans in difficult circumstances. It regularly organizes basic and advanced training courses to promptly supplement the next generation of artisans; and organizes festivals and competitions to create a platform for traditional folk performing arts.

Cultural experts believe that artisans play a crucial role in creating, transmitting, and practicing heritage to future generations. They are daily preserving, practicing, and elevating intangible cultural heritage. The activities of artisans not only contribute to protecting heritage but also keep it vibrant in daily life. However, to sustainably nurture heritage, experts note the need for programs that link preservation and the promotion of performing arts, specifically: coordinating with historical sites, tourist destinations, and festival organizers to regularly hold performances for tourists; collaborating with tourism companies to open cultural and spiritual tours, visiting historical sites, festivals, and traditional craft villages combined with enjoying local folk performing arts...

In particular, it is necessary to promote the role of the people in protecting heritage as active and proactive subjects in the process of preserving, maintaining, and promoting the value of heritage. “Local authorities need to invest in funding for traditional folk performing arts to restore famous works, contributing to the preservation of performing arts. As for artisans and communities that benefit from preferential policies and recognition, they also need to fulfill their responsibilities and obligations towards the heritage, which is to continuously improve their knowledge and skills; actively teach and disseminate knowledge and skills; and always maintain the standards when being awarded titles… With close cooperation, we believe that the typical and unique cultural values ​​of the land and people of An Giang will become increasingly distinctive and widespread,” shared Mr. Nguyen Hoang Thien, lecturer at Kien Giang University.

PHAM HIEU

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/chung-tay-giu-hon-di-san-a427066.html