Decades of preserving the cultural beauty of coastal villagers

VHO - The resounding, heroic sounds of drums and brass instruments have been familiar to the people of Hai Xuan, Hai Hau (Ninh Binh province) for decades. They are not just ordinary sounds but also the cultural soul of the coastal countryside.

Brass Trumpet - Pride of Hai Xuan Catholics

Hai Xuan is a commune with a large Catholic population. Over the years, the mass arts movement here, especially brass bands, has developed strongly. The most prominent highlight is the Xuan Thuy parish brass band, established in 1957.

The team currently has more than 80 musicians, with an average age of 45. They not only perform songs praising the Party, Uncle Ho, the homeland and the country, but also contribute to arousing patriotism and solidarity among religions in the places where they live and perform.

A notable highlight is that in the past 10 years, there has been the participation of many female musicians, bringing freshness to the local arts movement.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Yen, a member of the Xuan Thuy parish brass band (Hai Xuan commune), shared: My family is very supportive of me participating in this activity because it serves both the church and society. Thanks to the encouragement and guidance of the whole team, we quickly mastered the techniques and played the music fluently. She also expressed her hope that the commune government would create more favorable conditions for this cultural and artistic movement to develop and grow stronger.

With funding from socialization and contributions from parishioners, Hai Xuan commune has established many other brass bands with a total of about 400 instruments. The brass bands regularly participate in performances on major holidays, especially National Day September 2, creating a vibrant festival atmosphere, uniting the entire population.

Ca Rung Drum – Heroic Sound

Along with brass trumpets, ca rung drums are also a unique cultural feature of the coastal countryside of Hai Hau commune. Each drum team usually has from 50 to 70 people, including one person playing the big drum and 30 to 50 people playing the small drums. The teams also combine gong beating and stick dancing to add to the grandeur. Because of the large number of drums, every time the drum team plays together, the sound echoes, creating a strong, majestic atmosphere.

Mr. Ngo Duy Nang, a member of the Giap Nam drum team, said: The selection of new members is held every few years. The selected person must have good musical ability and be able to keep up with the dance rhythm, and must also have good physical strength. More importantly, when they reach retirement age, veteran members will pass on their experience and techniques to the younger generation, ensuring that the drum festival in particular and the unique cultural soul of the locality in general are always maintained and developed.

Over the past decades, the sound of brass trumpets and drums has become an invisible thread connecting the people of Ninh Binh coastal area. These sounds not only express pride in the unique cultural tradition but also contribute to strengthening religious solidarity and attachment and sharing within the community. At the same time, it is an affirmation of a healthy cultural lifestyle, working together to build an increasingly prosperous homeland.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/van-hoa/hang-thap-ky-gin-giu-net-dep-van-hoa-cua-nguoi-dan-lang-bien-173034.html