Time seemed to retreat behind the door, taking us back to what she called “the luckiest time of my life.”

Unforgettable memories of Uncle Ho

The actress of the General Political Department's Song and Dance Troupe (now the Army's Song and Dance Theater) has now passed her 87th birthday, but she still retains her fresh appearance, charm and clear voice as if time has forgotten her. She said: "More than half a century has passed since Uncle Ho passed away, but the time I spent serving him is still engraved in my mind as if it were just yesterday."

Lieutenant Colonel, Meritorious Artist Tran Thi Nga. Photo: PHAM THU

Recalling the first time she met Uncle Ho, Mrs. Nga said that it was after the Dien Bien Phu Victory, the Song and Dance Troupe of the General Political Department (GDC) of the Vietnam People's Army was invited to serve the conference preparing to sign the Geneva Agreement in 1954. "The first time we saw Uncle Ho, we were so happy that we kept standing in the wings looking down at where Uncle Ho was sitting, forgetting our turn to perform. When we returned, musician Do Nhuan criticized us very severely, but we let it go because everyone understood how great the joy of meeting Uncle Ho was," Mrs. Nga tearfully recounted.

From that first emotional meeting, on holidays, Tet or when international guests visited the Presidential Palace, Mrs. Nga and her teammates were often invited to perform for Uncle Ho. From 1961 to 1969, she had the special honor of working in the Presidential Palace, taking on many different tasks: sometimes singing, sometimes reading books, newspapers, and documents to Uncle Ho. Sometimes Uncle Ho trusted her to bring flowers to international delegations visiting; many times she stood pouring water during important receptions. Among those chosen, Mrs. Nga was the shortest and plumpest, so Uncle Ho nicknamed her “little jackfruit seed”.

Once, Mrs. Nga and her teammates were invited to the Presidential Palace to perform for the delegation of the Party and Government of Czechoslovakia (Czech Republic). Before the performance, Uncle Ho visited the backstage and kindly asked: "Today, serving our guests, do you have any new "secrets"?". When hearing the actors boast that they would sing a song in both Czech and Vietnamese, Uncle Ho smiled kindly: "You sing so that when you sing in Czech, your guests will not think it is Vietnamese, and when you sing in Vietnamese, I will not think it is Czech!"

Uncle Ho's letter to the art troupe is carefully kept by Mrs. Nga.

She said: “We were overjoyed by Uncle Ho’s gentle but profound criticism. Before that, we were often criticized by the audience for not singing clearly or pronouncing words clearly when singing in foreign languages.”

Lessons from Uncle Ho

Mrs. Nga sat flipping through the photo album that she cherished as a treasure of her artistic life. The times we met Uncle Ho, were cared for by him, and were explained the meaning of songs in motivating soldiers and serving the people, we understood more clearly the value of our work and were assured to strive to become both "red" and "professional" people as Uncle Ho taught," Mrs. Nga shared.

Mrs. Nga recalled that there were two times Uncle Ho unexpectedly visited the living and working place of the artists. The first place Uncle stopped by was the dining room and the restroom. Seeing the leftover food and the untidy living place, Uncle Ho sternly reminded: “Artists doing cultural work but not living cleanly, eating and drinking leftovers, wasting is not acceptable. Our people are still poor, you must know how to save. At that time, everyone was silent, feeling guilty for having upset Uncle.”

Mrs. Nga (wearing ao dai, standing 2nd from the right) with President Ho Chi Minh and some comrades received space hero Gherman Stepanovich Titov. Photo: Provided by the character  

On Sundays, Mrs. Nga was often asked by Uncle Ho to eat with him. She clearly remembered that Uncle Ho's meals were always simple, just a bowl of soup simmered from bones, which according to comrade Vu Ky was "the most precious thing on Uncle Ho's tray"; along with a few simple dishes such as eggplant, pickles or braised fish. The times she sat down to eat with him, there was also fried spring rolls. Uncle Ho picked up some for her and then smiled and said: "In the past, I also liked fried spring rolls very much, but at that time I didn't have them to eat. Now that I have them, I can't eat them." Hearing that, she choked up and loved Uncle Ho even more.

“In my heart, Uncle Ho is always a very close and intimate person. Every time I meet him, I feel more clearly the simplicity and plainness in him, from his speech, to his way of living and caring for each person. The lessons he taught were very specific, everyday, but profound and profound,” Meritorious Artist Tran Thi Nga used a handkerchief to wipe away her tears when talking about Uncle Ho.

Recalling the day Uncle Ho passed away, Mrs. Nga could not hide her emotions. She said that it was a pain that could not be described in words, as if she had lost the most sacred and important part of her life.

Ms. Nga (first, second row from left, next to the man wearing a scarf) and the art troupe receiving international guests at the Presidential Palace. Photo: Provided by the character

Since Uncle Ho passed away, following the initiative of comrade Vu Ky, for many years on May 19, those who directly served Uncle Ho gathered at the stilt house to burn incense in his memory. They called it “The meeting of those who directly served Uncle Ho”.

For Lieutenant Colonel Tran Thi Nga, the years living and serving with Uncle Ho were the happiest and most precious years of her life. His teachings became the guiding principle throughout her life and work.

PHAM THU

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/phong-su-dieu-tra/phong-su/ky-uc-khong-quen-cua-nu-van-cong-8-nam-phuc-vu-bac-ho-828955