Bringing folk culture back into children's lives.

On International Children's Day, many projects undertaken by young people have contributed to bringing folk culture closer to children, opening up experiences that are both engaging and rich in educational value, thereby nurturing love for heritage and national cultural identity.

To allow childhood to rediscover traditional values…

In the digital age, children have countless entertainment options. With just a phone or tablet, they can access thousands of cartoons, video games, and online content from all over the world . However, this abundance also raises the question: How can folk tales and traditional art forms find a place in the spiritual lives of young children?

One of the answers many young people are seeking is to revitalize the way stories about their national culture are told.

Children enjoy the experience in the "Temple Courtyard Festival" setting. Photo: Organizing Committee

In late May, at the Dai Nam Theater ( Hanoi ), the children's traditional opera performance "The Magical Sticky Rice" along with a series of folk cultural activities under the "Traditional Opera Melodies" project attracted a large audience of young children and their families.

Contrary to the familiar image of traditional Vietnamese opera (chèo) stage performances, which are typically for adults, the program was designed as a cultural festival. Even before the performance, children were immersed in the atmosphere of a "village festival," inspired by the folk song "Thằng Bờm" and images of the Northern Vietnamese countryside.

Traditional folk games such as "Fan with Palm Leaf," "Three Cows, Nine Buffaloes," "Deep Pond, Carp," "Ironwood," "Tortoiseshell Bird," and "Sticky Rice Ball" not only provide enjoyment but also help children access traditional culture through direct experience. Folk songs and stories that were once unfamiliar to many children become more relatable through playful activities and interaction.

Pham Tra My, Deputy Head of the Project Event Organizing Committee, said: “Through familiar folk games, we hope to create a welcoming space for the audience, especially children, to learn more about the traditional cultural values ​​of our nation.”

A scene from the play "The Magical Sticky Rice". Photo: Organizers

Following the performance, the stage lit up with the chèo play "The Magical Sticky Rice", a work that won a Gold Medal at the 2024 National Theatre Arts Festival for Children and Young People.

The story of Thang Bom, the Rich Man, and the Rich Woman is retold in a lively and humorous theatrical style, yet still conveys lessons about kindness, friendship, and sincerity. Notably, many children watched attentively and enthusiastically interacted with the characters on stage.

That image shows that children are not turning their backs on traditional culture. What they need is an approach that is more in line with the psychology and needs of the new generation.

The success of "Chèo Melodies" is particularly significant because the project was carried out by a group of students from the Academy of Journalism and Communication in collaboration with the Hanoi Chèo Theatre. These young people are not only recipients of culture but are also gradually becoming a creative force, proactively bringing heritage to the community.

Audiences enjoyed the performance of "The Magical Sticky Rice." Photo: Organizers

When technology becomes a bridge

While "The Melody of Cheo" chose traditional performing arts as its foundation, the "Folk Dream" project opens up a different direction: bringing folk culture into the technological space.

The program recreates familiar folk tales such as "The Legend of the Dragon and the Immortal," "The Legend of the Watermelon," "Saint Giong," "Son Tinh and Thuy Tinh," and "The Legend of Betel and Areca" using LED mapping technology and 360-degree projection.

Instead of sitting and reading a book or listening to a story, viewers are transported into a multi-sensory space where light, sound, and movement blend together to recreate a fairytale world.

In that space, legends once associated with the childhoods of many generations are "awakened" through a new artistic language. The image of Saint Gióng riding his iron horse into battle, the war between Sơn Tinh and Thủy Tinh, or the journey of Lạc Long Quân and Âu Cơ in expanding the territory, come alive through modern visual effects.

Children experience painting as part of the "Folklore Dream" project. Photo: Organizing Committee.

It's worth noting that the technology here isn't intended to replace traditional content but rather to act as a bridge. Those involved in the project clearly identified the biggest challenge as ensuring that visual effects don't overshadow the core values ​​of the folk tales.

Therefore, the content and design teams collaborated closely to ensure that every technological detail served the storytelling. Lighting became a creative element that evoked emotions, while folklore was central to the experience.

Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Viet Hung, Deputy Head of the Department of Vietnamese Literature 1, Hanoi Pedagogical University, believes that the combination of technology, media, and folklore not only contributes to preserving traditional values ​​but also creates a new look for heritage. It evokes cultural memories and opens up new dialogues between tradition and modernity.

In reality, cultural preservation is not just about keeping what already exists, but also about finding ways for heritage to continue living in contemporary life. If today's children can understand the story of Saint Gióng through a light show, or develop a love for traditional Vietnamese opera through an interactive performance, that is also a success of preservation efforts.

When traditional folk songs, fairy tales, and folk games are revitalized by the creativity of young people, the gap between tradition and the new generation seems to narrow. Heritage no longer lies dormant in museums or on the pages of books, but enters life in more accessible and engaging forms.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/dua-van-hoa-dan-gian-tro-lai-with-children-life-976520.html