A conversation titled "Where did it come from?" with Dr. and artisan Nguyen Duc Hien (second from the right).
Touching tradition
Sharing the reason for choosing the Tam Phu Mother Goddess worship belief for the project, Ta Hieu Lam (representing the project team along with members Tran Phuong Thao, Nguyen Nhat Gia Han, and Dinh Mai Khanh, all students majoring in Multimedia Communication Management atFPT University Ho Chi Minh City) said that the group wanted to introduce a cultural heritage with deep meaning but which currently has a distance from young people in Ho Chi Minh City. "Many young people know about it but don't understand it; they see the images but haven't truly experienced it emotionally," Hieu Lam said.
The worship of Mother Goddess – an indigenous Vietnamese belief that honors women, emphasizes gratitude and ancestry – is a rich cultural element, yet not easily accessible through fragmented images found online. Young people have strived to create a space where they can truly understand and fully appreciate this heritage in a way that resonates with their generation.
The project's activities are designed as an experiential journey: the exhibition "Back to the Source, Who's Left?" (recently held at PARC MALL, 547-549 Ta Quang Buu Street, Chanh Hung Ward). Using light, incense scents, newly processed Chầu Văn music, and 2D mapping technology, a simulated space was created to recreate the feeling of standing before a shrine – the tranquility, warmth, and humanity that are the core of Mother Goddess worship; the conversation "Where Did It Come From?", where young people dialogued with experts, deciphering the cultural and historical aspects of the belief in an accurate and easily understandable way.
Here, young people can also experience a range of souvenirs inspired by familiar symbols of the Mother Goddess worship heritage, combined with everyday items such as keychains, ID card holders, and accessory scarves. And especially, the music video "Bước" (Step), combining traditional Vietnamese folk singing with modern music, conveys a message about inner light and faith that supports people on their journey to maturity, reflecting the humanistic spirit throughout Mother Goddess worship.
Creativity and responsibility
When working on a project about religious beliefs, the young people determined from the outset that creativity must go hand in hand with responsibility. The worship of the Mother Goddess is a sacred space with strict rules, structure, and symbolism. Therefore, the group always adhered to three principles: accuracy, completeness, and adherence to the essence of the matter.
The team is directly advised by Dr. Nguyen Duc Hien, an artisan with over 20 years of research on Mother Goddess worship. All academic information is based on official sources from UNESCO, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and field data. Even a single inaccurate detail, from costumes and lighting to descriptive wording, could create misunderstandings about the heritage. Therefore, every element in the project is cross-checked and verified with experts.
“The worship of the Mother Goddess is not just about rituals or dazzling imagery. At its core is gratitude to ancestors, appreciation for saints, and the veneration of women. You should innovate to suit young people, but don't let those values be distorted,” reminded Dr. Nguyen Duc Hien, a skilled artisan.
During the process, the team conducted numerous online surveys, in-person interviews, and documented typical misconceptions among young people of their generation. Most notably, these included the belief that Mother Goddess worship only involves female deities (the Three Realms - Four Realms system also includes male deities such as Saint Tran and high-ranking officials); the notion that Mother Goddess worship only exists in the North; and misunderstandings about the rituals of spirit mediumship… “These misunderstandings clearly reflect the team’s concern: young people are not lacking in interest, they just lack the right channels to access it,” the team members shared.
Heritage, whether centuries or millennia old, originates from the lives of the people. For heritage to continue its journey alongside contemporary life, above all, it requires the understanding and care of the community… The journey of the Mother Goddess Worship Heritage project group may only have just begun, but their efforts show that young people are not just "connecting links" – they are the ones who will continue writing the story of the nation's heritage.
“Gen Z possesses many advantages: aesthetic sensitivity, creativity, technological thinking, and an open mind. Therefore, when we started, we chose the motto “Understanding heritage – living its value” for the project. Because only when we understand it correctly can heritage continue to shine brightly in the lives of young people today,” said Ta Hieu Lam, representative of the Mother Goddess Heritage project team.
OCEAN
Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/di-san-tho-mau-buoc-vao-sang-tao-tre-post827181.html
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