Journey from the river of the homeland to the sea and sky of the Fatherland

The Folk Culture Festival "From the culture of the Vam Co Dong River ( Tay Ninh ) to the culture of Vietnam's sea" was organized by Gia Binh Ward Youth Union in collaboration with Nguyen Trai High School Youth Union (Trang Bang town) in the joyful atmosphere of summer and Vietnam Sea and Islands Week.

The festival officially took place on June 22, 2025, but was kicked off on June 21 with experiential field trips. More than 50 union members, youths and delegates visited landmarks in Trang Bang such as the Town's Traditional House, the Temple of Mr. Dang Van Truoc, who dug the Trang Bang Canal, the Ba - Ben Ghe Temple and especially the Ba Thuy Long Temple, the only place in Tay Ninh to worship Ba Thuy, the main deity, a spiritual symbol protecting people traveling on the Vam Co Dong River.

Not simply a tour, the trip opens up for young people an understanding of the origins, the spiritual life of the river people, and the streams of memories associated with the development of agriculture, culture and beliefs of this land.

Among the crowd, many young people were able to discover their homeland for the first time through a new perspective. PN confided: “Visiting these places made me feel like I was in another place. If I hadn’t had this opportunity, I wouldn’t have known my homeland was so wonderful and proud.”

That simple but sincere sharing is also the common feeling of many young people who have "touched" traditional values not through books, but through images, rituals, objects and vivid experiences in the heart of the heritage space.

At the campus of Trang Bang Town Traditional House, near 29/4 Park, the atmosphere was extremely vibrant and bustling, many people came to experience cultural activities creating a colorful picture.

The exhibition space is elaborately and vividly arranged with images of Southern folk culture, photos of the homeland's islands, interspersed with traditional tools such as: nets, nom trees, chisels, small boats, along with books, newspapers, and research documents on local culture beautifully arranged.

In addition, visitors can also enjoy delicious traditional dishes with rich flavors of the homeland such as tofu, mixed rice paper, etc. Under the cool shade of the trees, the culinary space becomes more relaxing and pleasant. Right next to it, the tank in front of the Traditional House stands out, not only as a historical symbol but also as a visual highlight, reminding of the resilient fighting tradition of this land.

Not only attracting locals and members, the exhibition space also welcomes international visitors. The highlight is the image of Mr. Robert Turney, a tourist from England, admiring the photos of Vietnam's sea and islands. He shared : "I also live near the sea so I love the sea. When I came here, I was really impressed with the way Vietnamese people preserve and honor the culture of the sea and islands."

When hearing a young person introduce the photo series taken by photographer Do Thanh Nhan during a business trip to Truong Sa archipelago, recording the islands, submerged islands, and the daily life of the people and soldiers in the middle of the ocean, Mr. Turney could not hide his emotions: “I really admire the resilient spirit of the Vietnamese people and soldiers in protecting the sovereignty of the sea and islands. This is a truly profound love for the country.”

The main part of the Folk Culture Festival took place at the stage of Trang Bang Town Traditional House with the participation of leaders of the Youth Union, researchers, artists and many union members and young people. The opening was the vọng cổ song "Dòng Sông Quê Em" sung by artists Linh Thế and Ngọc Linh, under the guitar playing of artisans Út Đồi and Đoàn Văn Sang. Next was the song "Trương Sa - Khúc hát Khúc hùng" performed by the author and musician Huỳnh Oanh. The artistic performances not only touched emotions but also strongly conveyed the message of love for the homeland and the sea and islands.

The most special part of the Festival was the discussion "From Vam Co Dong River culture to Vietnamese marine culture" with the participation of researcher Nguyen Thanh Loi, poet Tran Nha My, photographer Do Thanh Nhan, painter Dang Van Thuc and musician Huynh Oanh.

Researcher Nguyen Thanh Loi shared valuable findings from his field trips, from temple culture, the custom of worshipping Ba Thuy Long to the ritual of tong on, a form of belief in praying for peace of the people of the Southern river delta. He emphasized: “The Fatherland is every hamlet, alley, bridge, pond… the closest things in daily life, from which a deep patriotism is born.”

Poet Tran Nha My with the poem “The land of open flower soul” calmed the atmosphere of the hall. The work is a praise of the harmony between the two lands of Tay Ninh - Long An through the image of the Vam Co River, a symbol of connection, perseverance and aspiration for development. She also emotionally shared about the trip to Truong Sa: “I do not write about Truong Sa as a distant land, but as a very close and familiar part of my flesh and blood”.

The images and stories told by photographer Do Thanh Nhan and artist Dang Van Thuc moved many people. Especially the moment the photographer captured the image of a baby being held in the arms of a navy soldier, or the image of a paper crane wet in the rain at the memorial service for the martyrs of Gac Ma, left a deep impression in everyone's heart.

An indispensable highlight of the Festival is the folk performance, where the audience can witness the rituals of worshipping Lady Thuy Long and the ritual of sending off evil spirits… The rhythmic movements and sacred sounds of drums and trumpets blend together to create a vivid picture of indigenous beliefs, where river culture and ocean culture meet.

The organizers gave gifts to the guests.

The festival included a summary and award ceremony for a wall newspaper contest about Vietnam’s seas and islands for union members and young people. More than 30 teams submitted emotional works, although most of them had never set foot on Truong Sa.

Poet Tran Nha My, representative of the jury, said: “The sea and islands are both far and near, always in the hearts of every Vietnamese person. Although we have not been there, through the paintings, lines of poetry, and tight composition, we can feel the sincere and profound hearts of the children towards the Fatherland.” The awards were presented in a solemn atmosphere, encouraging the spirit of learning and patriotism among the youth.

The Folk Culture Festival is not just a simple experience program, but a journey connecting the present and tradition, the mainland and the sea, the people and the national cultural heritage. From the familiar Vam Co Dong River to the sacred Truong Sa archipelago, the image of the Fatherland is vividly portrayed, close and full of pride in the soul of each participant, especially the young generation.

Elegant

Source: https://baotayninh.vn/hanh-trinh-tu-dong-song-que-den-bien-troi-to-quoc-a191786.html