Keeping the Dao culture 'fire' alive

The Dao people in Trung Ha, Chiem Hoa district, Tuyen Quang province are always proud of their ethnic cultural traditions. Each of them chooses a different way of doing things, but all have the same goal of preserving and passing on good cultural values ​​to future generations.

Most poems, folk tales, and legends... after hearing them a few times, Mr. Ban Van Minh, a Dao ethnic in Phieng Ly village, Trung Ha commune, can both ponder and recite them without missing a word.

He said that those were words that had been distilled over generations, that our ancestors treasured and preserved, so we must also find a way to let them permeate, flow into every vein, and blend into every piece of flesh.

Mr. Ban Van Minh explains the meaning of worship paintings to the Dao people.

PHOTO: THANH TUNG

"It's like a part of the body. If it is forgotten or forgotten, it will hurt like being stabbed by a thorn or a needle in the flesh," Mr. Minh compared.

After 2 terms as Head of Phieng Ly village, due to his old age, Mr. Ban Van Minh handed over the responsibility to a younger person. Then he "assigned" himself a new task, which was to find the cultural roots from ancient books.

He said that over time, the Dao people recorded their knowledge and experience on pages written in the Dao Nom language. These were folk remedies, prayers, teachings and ancient stories... which the Dao people called "zhiang charms" (meaning bag of wisdom).

He actively collects and translates books so that people can explore the treasure trove of knowledge of his compatriots, and now owns nearly 100 ancient books.

To spread Dao culture, he also participated in teaching, becoming a very special teacher of the villagers.

Ms. Ly Thi Yen, Phieng Ly village shared: "During holidays and meetings, we all get to listen to folk tales, legends, and poems told by Mr. Minh. The love of culture just keeps growing in our young generation."

Persistently keeping the "fire" of Dao culture alive

In Trung Ha, there are not only the elderly who work tirelessly day and night to preserve the culture, but also a generation of young people who are silently and persistently "keeping the fire" of Dao ethnic culture. A typical example of this is Mr. Ban Van Nam (38 years old), residing in Phieng Ly village.

Mr. Ban Van Nam (3rd from right) introduces Dao ethnic culture to tourists.

PHOTO: THANH TUNG

Nam grew up in a family steeped in Dao culture, where everyone was proficient in singing pao dung, embroidery, fabric dyeing, and beeswax painting. Dao culture was naturally absorbed into him through his family's daily work.

Realizing that in Trung Ha commune there are over 6,000 Red Dao, Tien Dao, and Ao Dai Dao people, which is a great potential, Mr. Nam asked the commune to establish the Trung Ha commune Traditional Dao Tien Cultural Club.

The club has 16 members, aged 32 - 65, all of whom are passionate about Dao ethnic culture in the commune. Each person has a certain understanding of Dao ethnic culture: some know Dao Nom script, some know how to sing Pao Dung, know how to dance ethnic melodies, some know how to embroider, apply beeswax to fabric to create patterns...

The club usually organizes regular activities once a week or during off-season, to learn singing, dancing, writing, embroidery, etc. Those who know more will guide and share with those who know less. After that, each member of the club continues to teach their relatives, children, and grandchildren.

In addition, the Club also regularly invites art troupes and Dao ethnic cultural preservation clubs in Yen Son, Na Hang, Lam Binh districts ( Tuyen Quang )... to the commune to exchange experiences.

In 2022, Mr. Nam continued to ask for permission from the commune to establish the Dao Ethnic Folk Culture Club of Trung Ha Commune. Currently, the club has 17 members, representing Dao branches in the commune, with Mr. Nam as the chairman.

He divided the two clubs into groups, focusing on three areas: performing arts, painting and teaching embroidery. Ms. Ban Thi Hoa, a member of the club, said that she and the female members shared embroidery techniques, patterns, learned to sing, dance, etc. Thanks to that, she gained more knowledge to teach her children and grandchildren.

"Since joining the club, we have been able to meet and share feelings, so everyone has become closer and more loving and proud of the cultural beauty of our nation...", Ms. Hoa said.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/giu-lua-van-hoa-dao-18525052718175933.htm