Singing folk songs in new roles.

As a composer of traditional music, deeply involved with Xam singing (a type of Vietnamese folk singing), I was quite surprised when I was suggested using Xam singing to promote drug prevention. This is because the concept encompasses two seemingly contradictory aspects: one field that appears very quiet and receives little attention, and another topic that is always a hot topic of interest.

The image depicts three artists from the Xam Ha Thanh group in the artwork "Stay Away From Vice." Photo: NQL

A "mismatched" relationship

One day, a song that sounded like a scolding appeared on the social media page of the Drug Crime Investigation Department - Ministry of Public Security : "Come home! Come home, you must come home right now! Don't wander around day and night!" This song expresses a mother's anxiety about her young son's constant absences. The reason for her worry is: "I'm afraid you'll be led astray by the white smoke of drugs / Thinking you're going to heaven, but instead you'll fall into a life of endless ruin..."

Interspersed between the two verses expressing the mother's emotions is the child's indifference, frequently interrupting with: "Why do I have to come home, Mom?" Thus, the conversation between mother and child unfolds at two extremes: the mother anxiously singing incessantly, while the child only interjects, their mood fluctuating from bewilderment to surprise, until they understand what their mother is trying to say and explain that their frequent late nights are due to their work commitments. Only then does the mother realize her mistake and return to a cheerful state.

This is a Xẩm song with a very direct title: "Stay Away From Vice ," performed quite wittily by three artists from the Xẩm Hà Thành group: Mai Tuyết Hoa (two-stringed fiddle, singing the mother's role), Trần Bá Nam Khánh (a partner, speaking the son's role), and Phạm Đình Dũng (drumming).

Another folk song, also part of the anti-drug campaign, was featured on the social media page of the Drug Crime Investigation Police Department. It's the folk song "Choose Your Friends Wisely," performed by artists Van Phuong (singing and playing a pair), Mai Tuyet Hoa (two-stringed fiddle), and Pham Dinh Dung (drumming). The lyrics, both familiar to old proverbs advising their descendants and summarizing contemporary life, leisurely resound: "Oh, choose your friends wisely / Green leaves are beautiful, don't covet fallen leaves / A wise person chooses wisely / Don't make a mistake in choosing, or you'll suffer for life…"

If you watch this song, you might find yourself laughing at the wit, humor, half-joking, half-serious, half-preachy, half-warning tone of the artist's playful, arrogant attitude, yet with a hidden biting sarcasm.

The male artist who contributed his voice to this anti-drug propaganda work is one of the talented comedic actors of the former Vietnam Cheo Theatre, now the Vietnam National Traditional Theatre. Van Phuong was very enthusiastic about participating and shared: “I feel heartbroken that drugs have the opportunity to infiltrate schools through so many sophisticated methods. Therefore, I want to educate the audience to live and work as highly aware individuals who know what is good and beautiful to learn from and avoid, and to eradicate social evils, especially drugs.”

What seemed like a contrasting encounter actually brought a unique and pleasant feeling when listening to the two Xẩm songs , "Stay Away from Vice" and " Choose Your Friends Wisely ." Perhaps that's why many people immediately recognized the Xẩm Hà Thành group. Many audience members left cheerful and supportive comments. Although not enough to create viral buzz, it was enough to warm the hearts of those working in promoting and continuing traditional art in today's life.

When art is used correctly

This is the biggest concern for the authors participating in the propaganda campaign, because in the current period, composing a purely propaganda-oriented musical work will not attract listeners, thus failing to achieve its intended purpose. Furthermore, we believe that in the context of drug crime prevention, there is a strong need for innovation in propaganda methods. The challenge lies in satisfying a specific audience segment: those interested in topical security issues related to drugs, not the general music-loving audience who might accept and listen to a musical work. This is also a problem that needs to be addressed.

However, from another perspective, the direct involvement of folk art in social life shows positive signs. In particular, Xam singing – a folk art form traditionally associated with bustling markets, busy streets, and everyday stories – is demonstrating that, if properly exploited, traditional art not only avoids becoming outdated but also has the potential to spread throughout the community and influence public awareness.

These two Xam songs are examples of how Xam music can participate in drug prevention and control propaganda in a skillful, artistic, and effective way, without relying on slogans or administrative orders.

In fact, using traditional art to propagate social issues is nothing new; this method has been applied for over a hundred years. Before the revolution, folk songs used to spread propaganda were popularized; after September 2, 1945, President Ho Chi Minh launched the Popular Education Movement, and folk singing responded with many songs such as "Eliminating Ignorance," "Asking the Young Lady ," etc. The border defense campaign utilized many folk songs with new lyrics, including "Words of Love We Express to Each Other ," set to the tune of "Ten Memories" from the Quan Ho folk music of Bac Ninh, with new lyrics by musician Duc Mieng, which remains popular to this day.

Returning to the two aforementioned anti-drug propaganda xẩm songs, it's clear that traditional folk art is not at all averse to modern themes. The issue lies not in xẩm itself, but in the approach. Here, xẩm isn't transformed into a loudspeaker for slogans, but rather into a form of cultural dialogue with the community. When folk art is properly utilized, it not only fulfills its propaganda mission but also contributes to affirming the enduring vitality of traditional culture in contemporary society.

Source: https://baodanang.vn/hat-xam-vao-vai-moi-3317147.html