Contribute to preserving the Khap Coi melody for the homeland

In Muong Lai commune, Lao Cai province, Meritorious Artisan Hoang Quang Nhan is known for his deep love for the culture of the Tay ethnic group, especially Khap Coi. Not only does he contribute to teaching and preserving ethnic culture, he also builds, consolidates and develops the local cultural and artistic movement.

When the lyrics “Oi la oi” of the Khap Coi tune resounded with a deep, vibrato voice, everyone in the village recognized the voice of Meritorious Artist Hoang Quang Nhan. The artist’s character and passion for Tay ethnic culture are part of the “specialty” of the heroic land of Muong Lai. Artist Hoang Quang Nhan has devoted his whole life to collecting, preserving and conserving folk culture, including the Khap Coi tune.

Meritorious Artist Hoang Quang Nhan shared: “When I was young, I often followed the elders in the village to listen to the elders sing Khap and love songs. I found it very interesting, I just wished I could sing like that. When I got home, I practiced singing by myself and asked the elders in the village to correct and correct me...”.

Because of the depth of the lyrics, Meritorious Artist Hoang Quang Nhan always tries to preserve Khap Coi. He painstakingly collects songs, studies the way of singing, the art of singing, how to make musical instruments and how to combine them with lyrics. He understands the quintessence of Khap Coi, then meticulously records it in notebooks.

So that the entire unique “treasure” of Tay ethnic culture has been preserved amidst the myriad of difficulties of the flow of time. The books have more than 300 Khap songs, Luon songs, But songs, Then songs, and Quan lang songs collected, penned and written with the hearts of the artists…

“In folklore, songs are only passed down orally, there are no books or notebooks to record them. I think that if we don’t preserve them, Khap singing will be lost, so I try to collect and record them to teach my children and grandchildren,” said Meritorious Artist Hoang Quang Nhan.

With the desire to preserve the unique cultural features of his people, with the attention and support of the local government, Meritorious Artist Hoang Quang Nhan established the Khap Coi Singing Lovers Club. The club meets every Saturday afternoon.

Thanks to the enthusiasm of Meritorious Artist Hoang Quang Nhan in spreading the love of folk culture to the young generation and the "support" from the local government, Khap Coi singing clubs have gradually expanded from villages to schools.

Ms. Chu Thi Sinh - a resident of Muong Lai commune said: "Khap Coi is likened to the breath and soul of the Tay ethnic people here. We love singing, we can sing while working, producing, in community activities and perform at conferences held locally."

Meritorious Artist Hoang Quang Nhan - who has contributed to making the "stream" of folk songs here flow forever through the years. Anyone who has ever heard the singing of Khap and Then, especially the lyrical and profound voice of this "old artist" will keep in their hearts an unforgettable impression of the passionate and tender melodies that allow the songs to fly high, echoing in the deep green mountains and forests.

At the end of 2024, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism recognized the folk performing art of "Khap coi" (also known as luon coi, luon dau) of the Tay people in Luc Yen district and Yen Binh district (former Yen Bai province) as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/gop-phan-gin-giu-dieu-khap-coi-cho-que-huong-post649520.html