Extending the traditional thread

Born and raised amidst the age-old cultural beauty of their ethnic group, the people of this village understand better than anyone the precious values ​​inherited from their ancestors. Throughout the ethnic minority villages of Lao Cai, this younger generation, through practical actions, is reviving the traditional culture that is gradually fading and at risk of disappearing. Outstanding Artisan Tan Khai Cuong from Muong Khuong commune is one such person.

Pờ Hồ village in Mường Khương commune is home to the Tuyển Dao ethnic group. Located along both sides of National Highway 4D, the village is somewhat influenced by modern life, but Pờ Hồ still preserves many ancient cultural features. Upon arriving at the village, the first thing that catches the eye is the Tuyển Dao women constantly working with indigo-dyed fabric, embroidering with vibrant colors. Seeing strangers arrive, they all stop working to greet and chat.

When asked about the distinguished artisan Tan Khai Cuong, everyone spoke of him with great affection. Ms. Ly Thi Leng said: "Artisan Cuong taught us so much about ancient culture. He taught us love songs, practiced folk dances, and played traditional games. In particular, he also opened a 'free' class to teach the Dao Nôm script to men in the commune and neighboring communes."

Curious about the "free" class that Ms. Leng mentioned, I followed the Dao women, walking around several rows of houses and across several rice fields to reach the village cultural center. Inside the small, single-story house, the atmosphere seemed calm and slow, with old and young heads leaning over as they carefully ground ink and meticulously wrote each character. Every stroke of the pen was filled with love for the Dao ethnic culture. Teacher Cuong, dressed in traditional dark indigo attire, diligently went from table to table, instructing his students. The class had nearly a dozen students, all eager to learn and listening attentively to Teacher Cuong's lecture.

Phan Khai Minh, one of the students in the class, shared: "The Dao people must know the Dao script. Therefore, I followed the teacher to learn it. The Dao Nôm script is quite difficult to learn because it doesn't have rhymes, but mainly consists of strokes. Students need to be persistent in memorizing the diacritical marks, writing rules, and the meaning of words, and especially must have a love for the traditional culture left by their ancestors to succeed."

Just like Mr. Minh, Mr. Cuong's students, besides wanting to learn the national script, also hope to contribute in a small way to preserving ancient culture. Because of this respect and love, every student studies diligently and conscientiously.

Outside of class, the students would also come to the teacher's house to ask for further explanation of things they didn't understand. Whether in class or at home, wherever they went, whatever they did, books were always with them. Teacher Cuong was always dedicated and cheerful in the face of the eagerness to learn shown by the younger generations. With Teacher Cuong guiding them through each stroke of the pen and correcting their pronunciation, the students in his class were able to read and write the Dao Nôm script fluently.

Meritorious Artisan Tan Khai Cuong shared: "Many young people love ethnic culture, but don't know where to start or who to learn from. Wishing to preserve ancient cultural values, over the years I have actively collected ancient Dao Nôm books, ancient songs, and recorded them, while also teaching them to the local Dao community. Many difficult-to-sing ancient melodies, thought to be forgotten, have now 'come back to life' and are being embraced by everyone."

The ethnic culture is like a deep-seated source ingrained in the artisans of the village. Teacher Cuong teaches the Dao Nôm script without demanding payment, but when accepting students, he requires them to be truly passionate, persistent, and respectful of the ethnic script. Because the Dao Nôm script is a treasure passed down through generations by our ancestors. Students must possess these qualities to be able to learn this ancient script.

Speaking about promoting ethnic cultural identity in the area, Mr. Giang Seo Van - Secretary of the Party Committee of Muong Khuong commune, said: "Muong Khuong commune has a large population of ethnic minorities. To preserve and promote the unique cultural identity of these ethnic groups, we have implemented many solutions, including promoting the role of artisans and having villagers teach each other so that the content of the teachings is effective and relevant. In this way, culture will flow deeply into the community, contributing to creating a land rich in cultural colors and improving the material and spiritual lives of the people."

Thanks to the dedication of Meritorious Artisan Tan Khai Cuong to his ethnic culture, the Dao community in Muong Khuong commune often speaks of him with pride and gratitude. In particular, in September 2022, Master Artisan Tan Khai Cuong was awarded the title of Meritorious Artisan by the President of Vietnam . This is a well-deserved reward for his work over the past decade, which is to become a living example of extending the thread of traditional culture to the future.

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/noi-dai-soi-day-truyen-thong-post883151.html