Preserving the national spirit through the worship of the Mother Goddess.

The Tam Phu Mother Goddess worship belief – a UNESCO-recognized intangible cultural heritage of humanity – not only honors the image of women in Vietnamese culture but also embodies profound humanistic values, promoting goodness and community cohesion.

In reality, this religious practice is thriving, attracting a large number of artisans, mediums, and people to participate. However, along with its spread come deviations such as superstition, commercialization, ostentation, and wastefulness, posing many challenges in preservation efforts.

Our reporter had a discussion with Mr. Nguyen Danh Hoa, Deputy Director of the Institute for Cultural and Development Research, regarding this matter. We are pleased to present it to our readers.

Mr. Phan Tan Linh, Secretary of the Nghi Xuan District Party Committee; Mr. Nguyen Danh Hoa, Deputy Director of the Institute for Cultural Research and Development; and Meritorious Artisan Pham Quang Hong presented flowers to the artisans and mediums participating in the Tam Phu Mother Goddess Worship Practice Festival at the Holy Mother Temple in Xuan Lam commune.

- Sir, after UNESCO recognized "The Practice of the Mother Goddess Worship of the Three Realms of the Vietnamese People" as a Representative Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, how have activities to preserve and promote the value of this heritage been carried out?

- Mr. Nguyen Danh Hoa: After UNESCO inscribed "The Practice of the Tam Phu Mother Goddess Worship of the Vietnamese People" as a Representative Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2016, many action programs have been implemented to protect and promote the value of this heritage. Specifically, these have focused on areas such as identifying and documenting the heritage; strengthening education and propaganda to raise community awareness; supporting practice and transmission within the community; honoring artisans and individuals who have made positive contributions…

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has also directed localities to develop specific plans, integrating them into cultural, educational, and tourism development activities. In 2022, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism organized a conference in Hung Yen to evaluate the results of the program's implementation and propose directions for continued implementation in the 2023-2028 period. These actions demonstrate the State's concerted efforts to preserve a heritage that not only holds spiritual significance but is also an integral part of Vietnamese culture.

Numerous events are organized to honor and promote the belief system, affirming the role of the heritage after its UNESCO inscription, and implementing the Vietnamese Government 's commitments to UNESCO. In addition, religious practices such as spirit medium rituals and Mother Goddess festivals are becoming increasingly popular and widely organized. The practicing community – including mediums, ritual singers, and disciples – actively participates in preserving and transmitting the heritage. However, commercialization and misunderstandings about the heritage have also emerged, requiring timely management and guidance from relevant authorities.

It can be affirmed that UNESCO's recognition has helped raise public awareness of the heritage's value, promoting educational and communication activities to help people understand and be more proud of this traditional belief. At the same time, the Mother Goddess worship has become a highlight in the development of cultural tourism, with landmarks such as Phu Day, Bao Loc Temple, Song Temple, etc., attracting a large number of domestic and international tourists, contributing to promoting Vietnamese culture to the world.

In summary, the Tam Phu Mother Goddess worship tradition has received special attention from the community and relevant authorities since its recognition by UNESCO. Conservation, promotion, and dissemination activities have been implemented comprehensively, contributing to the preservation and development of a unique Vietnamese cultural feature.

Artisan Doan Van Bac in a ritual setting.

- As you mentioned, the Mother Goddess worship tradition, alongside its positive aspects, is currently facing negative phenomena such as superstition, commercialization, and wastefulness. So, in your opinion, what direction should be taken to properly preserve and safeguard the spiritual and cultural values ​​of the nation?

- Mr. Nguyen Danh Hoa: This is a very important question. Besides its positive contributions to preserving cultural identity, the Mother Goddess worship is currently facing many challenges, especially deviations such as superstition, commercialization, and wastefulness in rituals.

In my opinion, to properly preserve and promote the spiritual and cultural values ​​of this belief system, it is necessary to strengthen state management, improve the legal and policy system. There must be close coordination between the State and relevant organizations in supervising, managing, and licensing religious activities. A clear distinction must be made between genuine religious activities and acts of exploiting spirituality for personal gain, and violations must be dealt with severely.

At the same time, it is necessary to strengthen propaganda and community education, helping people understand the true meaning of the Mother Goddess worship – viewing it as a cultural value, not a tool for seeking wealth or fame. It is also necessary to develop guidelines for practicing the belief in a standardized way, avoiding ostentatious and wasteful practices.

In particular, it is necessary to encourage genuine artisans, mediums, and ritual singers to participate in teaching and disseminating traditional knowledge, preserving the beauty of the spirit medium rituals and the system of deities. Cultural clubs dedicated to the worship of the Mother Goddess could be established, creating a space for exchanging experiences among practitioners.

The development of spiritual tourism needs to be linked to cultural and historical education, avoiding the transformation of heritage into purely commercial products. Planning of places of worship and the organization of festivals should be professional, economical, and focused. At the same time, researchers should be encouraged to further deepen their understanding of the values ​​of the Mother Goddess worship, providing a scientific basis for conservation efforts, and strengthening cooperation with UNESCO and other international organizations to share experiences.

I believe that preserving the Mother Goddess worship is not only about safeguarding a cultural form, but also about protecting a part of the soul and essence of the Vietnamese nation. To achieve this, a coordinated effort from the State, the community, and researchers is needed to ensure that this heritage is not distorted but continues to spread in accordance with its inherent values.

- It is known that in recent times, the Institute for Cultural and Development Research has regularly collaborated with localities to organize the Festival of Practices of Mother Goddess Worship. Could you share some of the outstanding results?

- Mr. Nguyen Danh Hoa: That's right! Over the past time, the Institute for Cultural and Development Research has actively organized many festivals showcasing the practice of the Tam Phu Mother Goddess worship in localities such as Thanh Hoa, Ha Tinh, Lao Cai, and Nghe An. These events attract a large number of artisans, mediums, temple keepers, and religious communities, contributing to the preservation and promotion of the cultural heritage recognized by UNESCO.

These festivals have a positive impact not only on preservation but also on raising public awareness. Through them, the rituals of spirit mediumship, folk singing, and other traditional ceremonies are preserved and introduced to the younger generation and the public. Artists, singers, and mediums have the opportunity to share their experiences and pass on valuable knowledge.

We organized a festival at Phu Sung Mother Goddess Temple (Thanh Hoa) that brought together more than 20 artisans and mediums to participate in ritual practices and Chau Van performances. At Thanh Mau Temple (Ha Tinh), the festival included the participation of many outstanding artisans and local authorities, aiming to honor and promote the value of the heritage. Within the framework of the Ong Hoang Muoi Temple Festival (Nghe An), the Institute for Cultural Research and Development directed the National Center for Historical Research and Cultural Heritage Preservation to organize a festival, implementing the National Action Program on the protection and promotion of the intangible cultural heritage "Practices of the Tam Phu Mother Goddess Worship of the Vietnamese People".

Thank you, sir!

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/giu-hon-dan-toc-tu-tin-nguong-tho-mau-post400814.html