Replicating grassroots cultural models

Over the past 5 years, Thai Nguyen Provincial Cultural Center has built nearly 50 models and prototypes of grassroots cultural villages - "nurturing more green shoots" of culture from the community itself.

Excerpt from the Tay people's Peace Praying Ceremony performed by Meritorious Artist Hoang Van Hai.

Nghinh Tuong Commune is a particularly difficult locality with the majority of the population being Tay ethnic people. Implementing the plan to build cultural and artistic clubs and build a model of cultural villages at the grassroots level, Thai Nguyen Provincial Cultural Center has sent guides to the hamlets to help people build cultural and artistic performances with local characteristics. The performance activities have brought a joyful and united cultural space to the local community, and at the same time helped the grassroots cultural nuclei to change their performance methods.

At the end of August 2025, the closing ceremony and demonstration of the model results took place in Ban Cai hamlet, opening with the Then sound and the Tinh lute sound in the Tay people's peace-praying ceremony resounding on the stage neatly set up in the middle of the commune People's Committee yard.

Although it was not the first time they had seen this ceremony, many people in the village still attentively followed the special performance by the excellent artist Hoang Van Hai. On each person's face was a radiant and proud expression of the beautiful traditions and customs of their nation.

After the performance, Meritorious Artist Hoang Van Hai, 75 years old, who understands and practices traditional rituals of the local Tay ethnic group, shared: I have been attached to Then, to Then rituals since childhood. Now that I see the State preserving them, I feel like I am reliving my own youth. Restoring the ritual is not just for performance, but a way to preserve the soul of the Tay ethnic group in the new era, especially for the children.

Not only recreating and choreographing Tay rituals, in each locality when implementing the model of the grassroots cultural village, the officers of the Thai Nguyen Provincial Cultural Center also support the reenactment of the typical rituals of the ethnic community there, with the most unique excerpts, such as the Cap Sac ceremony of the Dao and San Chay people, the Oc Po Festival of the Nung people, and the Nhay Festival of the Dao people...

Each model is a story, a slice of culture told in the language of the community. Within a month, guides from the Thai Nguyen Provincial Cultural Center supported the staging and choreography of art performances in each village where the model was built.

Each grassroots cultural model is an open space - where folk art is restored, combined with performances praising the Party, Uncle Ho, the homeland and people of Thai Nguyen. The core members are also instructed on how to stage programs, practice singing, perform, and even learn the ritual of making and enjoying tea - a typical cultural beauty of Thai Nguyen.

Ms. Hoang Thuy Kieu, an officer of the Thai Nguyen Provincial Cultural Center, who is currently instructing the art of Then singing and Tinh lute playing in Sang Moc commune, shared: When returning to the base, the most precious thing is to live with the people, practice and sing together. During the day, the people go to work in the fields and forests, but at night they still enthusiastically go to the village cultural house late to practice Then singing and how to play the lute. We do not bring "culture from above", but help them tell their own cultural story.

After 5 years, nearly 50 models and models of grassroots cultural villages and hamlets have been formed and spread throughout localities, contributing to promoting the movement "All people unite to build a cultural life", "Join hands to build new rural areas". From here, many cultural and artistic nuclei have been discovered and nurtured. Cultural and artistic clubs of the people have been formed, becoming bright spots of culture at the grassroots level. In many places, these models are also associated with community tourism spots, helping to preserve culture associated with economic development.

According to Ms. Hoang Thi Hien, Deputy Director of Thai Nguyen Provincial Cultural Center: The goal of the model is not only to organize performances, but also to create a "cultural nucleus" at the grassroots level. When people are aware of their role in preserving culture, the movement will spread and develop more and more...

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/van-hoa/202510/nhan-rong-mo-hinh-van-hoa-co-so-7f209eb/