Meritorious Artist Ngo Thi Thu: Continuing the rhythm of rowing boats through 3 decades

The traditional Chèo Singing Festival of Tong Goi (Tan Hoi commune, Dan Phuong district, Hanoi) was recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on May 14th. This is a source of great joy for many local artisans, including Meritorious Artisan Ngo Thi Thu, who has dedicated her heart and soul to passing on the songs and rhythms of her homeland's Chèo performances.

For 27 years, Meritorious Artist Ngo Thi Thu (born in 1959, Head of the Tan Hoi Rowing Club) has been dedicated to rowing, always associated with the image of passionately singing each song and enthusiastically guiding young students in their dance movements. In Tan Hoi, people still say that every time Ms. Thu steps onto the stage, her demeanor is no different from that of a professional performer. When praised, she only smiles gently. Few know that behind the lively folk songs lie the many emotions and sentiments of an ancient melody.

The unique cultural heritage of Tan Hoi land.

According to Meritorious Artist Ngo Thi Thu, the boat opera (boat opera) is a unique folk performing art form of the former Tong Goi region (now Tan Hoi commune, Dan Phuong district, Hanoi ). In the early 15th century, when the Ming dynasty invaded Vietnam, this region had a general named Van Di Thanh who raised an army to defend his homeland. Not only was he a talented general, but he was also a teacher and a physician who saved people during epidemics.

Distinguished artisan Ngo Thi Thu has been involved in rowing boats for 27 years. Photo: Hai Ly.  

In 1416, when he died in battle, the people of the former Tong Goi region revered him as the village's tutelary deity and erected the Van Son Mausoleum (ranked a national historical and cultural relic in 1997) to worship him. Along with that, the people of four villages: Thuong Hoi, Thuy Hoi, Vinh Ky, and Phan Long, created the traditional boat-rowing folk song to praise his merits.

According to Meritorious Artist Ngo Thi Thu, the boat rowing festival is traditionally held only once every 25 years, and only in years with favorable weather conditions. It is not held during times of crop failure or famine. This intermittent organization is due to the need to mobilize hundreds of participants, requiring significant manpower and resources, and lasting for seven consecutive days, from the 15th to the 21st of the first lunar month. Furthermore, if one of the four villages does not agree, the festival cannot proceed.

“The boat rowing festival was first held in 1683. However, due to the effects of war, the records were lost, and the number of people who knew how to sing gradually decreased. 1922 was the last time this festival was held. Boat rowing faced the risk of completely disappearing,” recalled Meritorious Artist Ngo Thi Thu.

The arduous task of reviving ancient melodies.

Although the traditional boat rowing performances have faded away, the ancient songs still resonate like an underground stream, used by mothers and grandmothers to lull their children to sleep. Growing up surrounded by these melodies, young Thu developed a passion for boat rowing. As an adult, Thu still cherishes the memories of the old singing performances, as told by the elders. These stories fueled Thu's determination to revive the traditional melodies of her homeland.

Similar to the Dô singing in Liệp Nghĩa commune (Quốc Oai district, Hanoi), the boat rowing performance in Tân Hội did not have the opportunity to deeply permeate the lives of the people from a young age. Because the festival is held only once every 25 years, this type of performance is mainly remembered through the memories of those who participated, and is rarely taught within the community. Therefore, in the beginning, Ms. Thu faced many difficulties in her journey to rediscover the traditional melodies of her homeland.

“To revive the traditional boat rowing performance, I traveled far and wide seeking out elderly people who knew about the old singing tradition. However, most of those who played leading roles such as the elephant keeper, the boat lord, or the boat captain have passed away. Only a few elderly people who played supporting roles or overheard the performances still remember a few lines. Each person only retains a few melodies, sometimes just a few scattered lines. Meanwhile, boat rowing has three types: ritual singing (singing in worship before the deity), boat rowing singing (while rowing), and courtship singing. Each type has a different way of singing and performing. Therefore, the restoration process requires a lot of effort, and at times it seemed impossible to put it all together completely,” Ms. Thu shared.

 

Fortunately, throughout that journey, Ms. Thu was always accompanied by like-minded individuals such as Ms. Nguyen Thi Tuyet, Mr. Nguyen Huu Yen, Mr. Dong Sinh Nhat, Mr. Nguyen Van Viet, and others. Together, they gathered precious pieces of documentation about boat rowing, patiently piecing them together to revive a heritage facing the risk of extinction.

In 1998, the Tan Hoi Rowing Club was established. Ms. Thu and the members practiced day and night, encouraging people to join. However, due to the long interruption of the singing group, many people were initially hesitant and uninterested, and the club consisted mainly of elderly people. Undeterred, Ms. Thu persevered, going from house to house, persuading parents, and talking to the children to ignite a love for the ancient songs of her homeland.

To sail the ship far

Looking back on nearly three decades of dedication to the art of boat rowing, Ms. Thu is proud to have contributed to reviving this precious heritage of her ancestors. 2015 marked a memorable milestone in the persistent efforts of Ms. Thu and the club members: the Tan Hoi Boat Rowing Festival was officially restored and organized on a large scale in the locality. From then on, instead of waiting 25 years as before, the festival is held every five years, allowing the unique cultural values ​​of this region to spread more widely to the community, especially the younger generation.

 

Currently, the Tan Hoi Rowing Club has over 50 members, including 20 children aged 13 to 18 who participate regularly. Together with the club members, Ms. Thu has brought rowing to many other provinces across the country, such as Ninh Binh, Phu Tho, Nghe An , etc.

 

“Young people today have so many modern entertainment options, while rowing is a difficult art form to learn and remember. Therefore, to make the children love and stay involved, I always create a relaxed, stress-free learning atmosphere, and at the same time tell them about the meaning of each song and role. Only when they understand will they appreciate it and stay involved for a long time,” Ms. Thu emphasized. Folk artist Nguyen Van Viet, a member of the Tan Hoi Rowing Club's management board, said: “Rowing is not only a unique folk performance art form, but also a thread connecting the memories and souls of the people of Tan Hoi across many generations. In the journey of preserving and restoring this heritage, Ms. Thu has dedicated all her heart and perseverance to inspiring the community. I and the members of the club are determined to promote the value of rowing, continuing the tradition so that the songs will forever resonate.”

 

According to information from the People's Committee of Dan Phuong District, in 2025, the district will organize a boat rowing training course as part of the city's plan to preserve and promote the value of intangible cultural heritage. The course will take place from March to December, taught by Meritorious Artist Ngo Thi Thu and other artisans, with 40 students per session.

Video : Tan Hoi Rowing Club performs the song "Chúc Bà Chúa" (Wishing the Goddess) at Thong Nhat Park (Hanoi). Source: Van Viet.

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Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/phong-su-dieu-tra/cuoc-thi-nhung-tam-guong-binh-di-ma-cao-quy-lan-thu-16/nghe-nhan-uu-tu-ngo-thi-thu-noi-nhip-cheo-tau-qua-3-thap-ky-829293