Those who preserve and revitalize Soọng cô

Passionate about national culture

While the Dao people have Pao Dung singing, and the Tay people have Then and Coi singing, the San Diu people have Soong Co singing, a unique cultural feature. Soong Co singing is a lyrical, emotionally rich call-and-response style of singing between men and women, expressing love, understanding, and thoughts about life, passed down orally and improvised in a rich manner. Therefore, if not preserved, Soong Co singing will gradually fade away. Aware of this, in 2011, the former Son Nam commune established the San Diu Soong Co Club.

The club members practice singing Soọng cô.

Mr. Hoang Luc Thai, from Dong Chay village, a folk artist, Head of the San Diu ethnic community liaison committee of Tuyen Quang province, and Chairman of the Son Nam San Diu Soong Co Club in Son Thuy commune, who played a key role in establishing the club, shared that in the early days, he was still involved in commune work and didn't have much time, so he was both a member and an advisor to the club. In 2017, after retiring from his job for a while, he became the Chairman of the club. To date, the club has 26 members, all of whom are passionate about the Soong Co dance and wish to preserve and promote the ethnic cultural identity for future generations.

Folk artist Hoang Luc Thai, head of the Son Nam San Diu Soong Co Singing Club, teaches San Diu writing and reading to students.

The club holds meetings once every quarter. Sometimes it's at the cultural center, sometimes it's at a member's home. In the club, those who know how to sing teach those who don't, and gradually, everyone can sing the Soọng cô style well. Ms. Thăng Thị Vân, a folk artist and Vice-Chairperson of the club, said that initially, the club had many young members who didn't know how to sing. She took advantage of evenings to gather members in groups and teach them. First, each person was taught vocal exercises, then the melody, and finally the lyrics. Learning a little more each day, the women enjoyed it and became passionate about practicing.

Folk artist Thang Thi Van, Deputy Head of the Soong Co singing club, teaches the students how to sing.

Ms. Vân recalled that when she was only 12 or 13 years old, her parents taught her to sing Soọng cô. Gradually, she became proficient and taught herself to sing even better. During festivals and holidays, the young men and women in the village would sing all night long, exchanging verses endlessly. People from one village would sing with people from other villages, getting to know each other through the songs and their love for their ethnic culture.

Bringing a breath of fresh air...

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Chinh, a member of the club, is quite special. Although she is of Kinh ethnicity, she grew up in the San Diu ethnic community of Van Bao village. Therefore, she loves San Diu culture and can sing Soong Co well. During a trip to Quang Ninh for a cultural exchange and performance with the club, on the way back, she boldly asked the club's management board if she could join. Surprisingly, everyone agreed, much to their delight.

Traditional clothing of the San Diu ethnic group.

Ms. Chinh expressed that, as a member of the club, she frequently participates in exchanges and performances of Soọng cô singing. She noticed that the performers mainly stood still on stage to sing in call-and-response style, lacking the dynamism and richness of the performances. Therefore, she asked the Club's Management Board for permission to add dance choreography to make the performances more lively, and everyone agreed. Since adding the dance, the songs have become more attractive and vibrant. The club's performances at exchanges and festivals both within and outside the province have all won outstanding awards.

In particular, for the past eight years, during the summer, the club has organized classes to teach literacy and singing to the students. The elderly woman has composed new lyrics to reflect their lives and created dance routines to accompany the songs, which the children practice. Notable examples include: "I Love the San Diu Language," "A Thousand Flowers Offered to Uncle Ho," "Gratitude to the Party, Gratitude to Uncle Ho, Celebrating the New Rural Development," etc. Hoang Thi Bao Truc, a 10-year-old fifth-grade student at Son Nam Primary School, said: "I've been attending literacy and speaking classes in the San Diu language and singing Soong Co songs organized by the elderly people since I was in fourth grade. When we come to class, we are given notebooks and pens, and then we get to go on cultural exchange and sightseeing trips. I really enjoy it. I hope that the unique cultural identity of our San Diu ethnic group will become known to more people."

Folk artist Nguyen Thi Hong Chinh, from the Son Nam Soong Co San Diu Singing Club in Son Thuy commune, guides the children in practicing dance.

Thirteen-year-old Hoang Thu Huyen shared that she enjoys learning to sing and dance with her friends at the village cultural center every summer. The elders not only teach them singing and dancing, but also instill in them a love and pride for their national culture. This helps her become more confident in life and studies. In class, she is also a core member of the school's performing arts team, participating in performances and competitions and winning high awards.

The innovation, creativity, and dedication of the members of the Son Nam San Diu Soọng Cô Club have been recognized not only by the community but also by various levels of government and organizations. In 2024, Ms. Chinh was honored with the title of Folk Artisan, becoming the third member of the club to achieve this title. This serves as motivation for the club to continue its efforts to teach Soọng Cô singing within the community, contributing to the enduring preservation of the San Diu ethnic culture over time.

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