The person who "sowed" Cao Lan culture for the young generation

Members of the Cao Lan Ethnic Cultural Identity Preservation Club, Kim Phu 15 village, My Lam ward perform the Khai Den dance.

Passionate about national culture

Coming to Kim Phu 15 village, asking about Mrs. Vi Thi Suu, everyone knows her, because she is a dedicated person, the first to establish the Club to preserve the Cao Lan ethnic identity in the village. Meeting her in a clean concrete stilt house, while chewing betel, Mrs. Suu enthusiastically told us about her affinity with Sinh ca singing and ethnic dances.

Mrs. Suu's father was a teacher. When she was little, every January 2nd she saw him hold a music opening ceremony and teach dancing to the young people in the village. The dances were usually performed with instruments such as earthenware drums, flutes, two-stringed fiddles, gongs... At that time, only young men were allowed to learn to dance, while girls were only allowed to watch and cheer.

Ms. Vi Thi Suu and club members guide children to play ceramic drums.

The opening ceremony lasted until January 14 or 15, when it was called Khai den (opening spring) to pray for a year of favorable weather, good crops. Every year, she watched her father perform the ceremony and teach dancing to the youth, so she also learned to follow and memorized each dance. The musical instruments were also familiar and she could play them well, then actively participated in the cultural and artistic activities of the village.

In 2012, the village established an art group, with her as its leader. The group has 10 members who are elderly members of the village. During the day, they are busy with farming, but on any free evening of the week, the members take the opportunity to practice. She guides the members of the art group to practice dancing and singing. Traditional dances of the Cao Lan people such as: Dance to open the lamp, clear the fields and sow seeds, pray for a good harvest, go to the fields, scoop shrimp... are all practiced and performed skillfully. Every year, at the Gieng Tanh communal house festival of the commune on the 10th of January, the art group participates in performing traditional songs and dances of the ethnic group.

Members of the Cao Lan Ethnic Cultural Identity Preservation Club, Kim Phu 15 village, My Lam ward perform the Khai Den dance.

Passing on to the younger generation

The art group operated effectively but mainly consisted of elderly members, not attracting the younger generation to participate, so Ms. Suu and the group members mobilized families to send their children and grandchildren to practice performing arts, to contribute to preserving the local cultural identity. As a result, 10 children participated. During the week, the children were busy studying, the art group taught them on weekend evenings and took advantage of the summer break. Ms. Suu confided: “At that time, conditions were still difficult, sewing traditional costumes for the children was not easy, but the families and I prepared a traditional costume for each child, the children loved it. I also took the time to sew leggings for the children by hand. The children were very happy.”

Just like that, with her enthusiasm, dedication and love for ethnic culture, she and the art group have maintained the cultural and artistic movement in the village well. By 2023, the village had established the Cao Lan Ethnic Cultural Identity Preservation Club, attracting more and more members to participate. Ms. Tran Thi Thu, Head of the Cao Lan Ethnic Cultural Identity Preservation Club in Kim Phu 15 village, said that the club currently has more than 20 members. Although Ms. Suu is old and no longer participates in the club, she is still an "advisor" helping the club practice traditional songs and dances.

Children are taught Sinh ca singing by club members.

In particular, when there was a shortage of people, she still played gongs and drums to help the club members practice and perform. Her dedication is a great motivation for the members of the Executive Board to always try to preserve and promote the achievements of the club over the years that Mrs. Suu has built.

Ms. Ninh Thi Man, a club member, said that she and everyone else had been enthusiastically guided by Ms. Suu since the club's early days. There were dances and songs that the club had not memorized yet, and the movements were not correct, but she was enthusiastically instructed.

The club also focuses on teaching the children each dance and song so that the cultural identity will not be lost. Tran Thao My, a 5th grade student, shared that she has been a member of the club for 2 years now. With the guidance of the grandmothers, she can now sing 3-4 songs fluently such as: Chuc Tung, Giao Duyen, Khai Tieng. During the festival, she also participated in performances with the grandfathers and grandmothers, she is very proud of her ethnic culture.

Ms. Vi Thi Suu guides the club members to sing Sinh ca.

Phuong Anh Thu, a 5th grade student, said she learned the lullaby, learned to dance the love dance, and the flag-waving dance... At first, she found it difficult to learn, but with the guidance of the grandmothers and Mrs. Suu, practicing with her, she found it easier to understand and learn faster. She also had friends to practice with, so she was very happy.

Leaving Mrs. Suu's stilt house when the afternoon sun had set, the image of her toothless chewing betel, her hands still nimbly beating the drum and gong rhythms for the children to practice remained in our minds. Because not only did she teach singing and dancing, she also passed on the "flame" of passion and national pride to today's young generation in the locality.

Huyền Linh

Source: https://baotuyenquang.com.vn/van-hoa/du-lich/202511/nguoi-gioi-mam-van-hoa-cao-lan-cho-the-he-tre-2820e5c/