The cultural heritage of the Red Dao ethnic group in U Soc

Each stroke of the pen, each page of paper, is not only knowledge but also the breath of history, a bridge between the past and the present, between ancestors and descendants of the Red Dao ethnic community in U Soc village, Bao Ha commune, Lao Cai province.

The early morning sun casts a golden glow on the wooden houses in the village of Ù Sóc. From afar, the sound of roosters crowing mingles with the sounds of trumpets and ceremonial drums emanating from the house of artisan Triệu Văn Kim – whom the villagers respectfully call "the shaman of the village".

Artisan Trieu Van Kim teaches Dao Nôm script to children in U Soc village.

Mr. Trieu Van Kim, now nearly 70 years old, has been involved in the profession of shaman for over forty years and is also the guardian of the Dao Nôm script – a cultural treasure of the Red Dao ethnic group.

Red Dao women preserve the craft of brocade embroidery and traditional clothing making.

The village of Ù Sóc has 72 households, of which the Red Dao people account for more than 40%. Life here still retains the pristine characteristics of the mountainous region. Red Dao women wear traditional costumes embroidered with red and silver threads, featuring intricate patterns woven by hand on wooden looms. Each stitch tells a story about their origins, their ancestors, and their rich spiritual lives.

In the morning, amidst the lingering smoke from the kitchen, people saw Mr. Kim carefully opening an old, time-worn wooden chest. Inside were ancient books written in Dao Nôm script – a pictographic script created by the Dao people's ancestors to record religious texts, folk tales, prayers, love songs, and even folk knowledge.

The ancient books of the Red Dao ethnic group are made from the bark of the agarwood tree, with linen covers and dark brown ink.

Speaking with us, Mr. Kim's eyes lit up with pride: "The Dao Nôm script is not just a writing system, but the soul of our people. If we don't pass it on, future generations will forget how to read, forget the coming-of-age ceremony, and forget who taught them to live respectfully towards their ancestors."

Mr. Kim gently turned each page, his deep, warm voice resonating like a song or a storyteller, reading and explaining to the young children in the village who sat around him, listening attentively.

In the small house, the flickering firelight illuminated the old pages, revealing each curved stroke of the script, like tree roots or flowing water. The children learned to read, write, and understand these ancient characters. They saw it as a way to preserve their identity amidst a rapidly changing modern life.

The Dao U Soc people not only preserve their ancient script but also maintain the melodies of courtship songs that resonate on moonlit nights, where young men and women exchange verses and songs. They still maintain the coming-of-age ceremony – a sacred ritual for Dao men, affirming the bond between humans and spirits. Each ritual, each prayer, is accompanied by the Dao Nôm script as a witness to their tradition.

Mr. Kim recounted that, in the past, becoming a shaman required years of study and memorizing hundreds of ancient scriptures. Some people studied for ten years before they understood enough to perform the rituals. He himself had been taught by his father, who passed down each stroke of the pen and each incantation, and then dedicated his life to transcribing the books and teaching them to the younger generation.

Always deeply committed to preserving the cultural identity of the Red Dao ethnic group, Mr. Trieu Van Kim tirelessly teaches the written language and cultural knowledge to the younger generation.

Despite his advanced age, trembling hands, and failing eyesight, he still devotes much of his energy to passing on literacy to his descendants in the village. "If this writing system is lost, the entire history of the Dao people will be lost," Mr. Kim murmured, gently stroking the worn pages of a book.

This ancient book is preserved by artisan Trieu Van Kim - one of the unique cultural features of the Red Dao ethnic group.

The ancient manuscripts of artisan Trieu Van Kim continue to be preserved, copied, and cherished like treasures. Each stroke of the pen, each page, is not only knowledge but also the breath of history, a bridge between the past and the present, between ancestors and descendants.

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/mach-nguon-van-hoa-dan-toc-dao-do-ou-soc-post885996.html