Then vitality in Kinh Bac region

BAC NINH - In 2019, "Then practice of the Tay, Nung, Thai people in Vietnam" was recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This is a source of pride not only for the heritage-owning community but also for the entire Vietnamese people. In Bac Ninh, the sound of the Tinh lute, the sound of the cymbals and Then melodies resonate among the highland villages, appear in schools, on social networks and have also become one of the unique products of community tourism tours.

Community - the fulcrum of heritage

Bac Ninh - Kinh Bac is a land of culture, a place where many ethnic groups live together, including a large number of Tay and Nung people. For a long time, the heritage of Then singing and Tinh lute has been closely associated with the cultural and religious life of the people, reflecting the spiritual world , beliefs and aspirations of the community. Recognizing this unique value, in recent years, the province has implemented many systematic, persistent and responsible solutions to preserve, revive and spread Then art as an important factor, contributing to enriching the cultural identity of Kinh Bac.

Students practice preserving Then singing heritage.

Van Son commune has 97% of the population being ethnic minorities, the Then cultural space is constantly nurtured by the community. Mr. Nguyen Van Hoan, Vice Chairman of the Commune People's Committee, said: "Van Son currently has 8 traditional art clubs, of which 3 Then clubs with more than 30 members regularly participate and practice. The local government always cares and creates conditions for Then clubs to perform to serve political tasks and cultural events. Propaganda work to preserve and protect heritage is regularly deployed through the loudspeaker system, in schools, opening classes in the community and encouraging young people to participate...".

Not only Van Son, the movement to preserve Then heritage is increasingly spreading in many communes and wards in the highlands. In Bien Son commune, the Nung Folk Song Club with nearly 90 members aged 55 to 75 still enthusiastically participates in regular activities. Ms. Chu Thi Cham, Vice President of the Club, shared: “Because of the love for Then, everyone voluntarily gathers together to participate in activities. As a teacher, I am well aware that culture is the root and origin of the nation. I learned to sing Then from Meritorious Artist Luc Van Tich and People's Artist Trieu Thuy Tien, then I taught it to my students. In addition, I also put Then melodies on social networks to promote and spread more widely.”

Also because of the love and desire to preserve the heritage of her ancestors, artist Vi Thi Kim, Head of the Then Singing and Tinh Instrument Club of Truong Son commune, came to Then not only to satisfy her passion from childhood but also to actively pass on her precious knowledge to her children and grandchildren. She said: “Since I was little, I followed my grandmother to watch the spring rituals to ward off bad luck and to pray for newborn babies, so Then has been ingrained in my blood. After that, due to family circumstances, I did not have the opportunity to practice Then until 2017, when I happened to hear Then melodies again on the phone and so I found a teacher to learn and found a tree to make an instrument. At that time, seeing that the state was also very interested in Then art, I became even more active, both studying and encouraging my children and grandchildren, like my grandson who is now in first grade but loves Then singing very much. I hope that all levels and sectors from the province to the commune will continue to pay attention, create conditions and support the teaching of Then to the young generation because they are the future owners of the heritage.”

The government is interested in supporting

Along with the love and efforts of the community, the participation of the government is an indispensable factor. According to Mr. Truong Quang Hai, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, in recent years, with the attention and direction of the Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial People's Committee and the guidance of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the work of collecting, preserving and promoting Then and Tinh in the province has had many positive changes, many clubs have been established. A team of dedicated artisans has taught the younger generation, and the heritage has been widely spread in life.

Currently, the whole province has dozens of Then singing and Tinh lute clubs and art troupes, attracting hundreds of participants. Many clubs have become the core of grassroots culture, achieving high achievements at festivals, competitions and performances. Along with preserving traditional performing forms, the province also promotes creativity, develops new Then in parallel with ancient Then, brings Then into schools, opens many Then singing classes; organizes festivals, supports artisans and creates more performance spaces... Then singing heritage is also included in cultural exchange programs, community tourism tours, becoming one of the unique cultural and tourism products of localities. In particular, in the context of digital transformation, Then is increasingly spreading on social networks via Facebook, YouTube, TikTok. This helps to expand the audience, shorten the gap between heritage and the public, especially the young generation.

During 17 years of teaching Then singing in the highland communes of Bac Ninh, People's Artist Trieu Thuy Tien (from Lang Son) understands better than anyone the potential vitality of this heritage. The artist shared: "The Tay and Nung communities with abundant cultural potential when living and working in Bac Ninh have brought with them a rich Then heritage inherited from many places. More and more young people love Then and seek to learn and preserve their national identity. That is an extremely encouraging sign for the future of the heritage."

In the context of increasingly narrowing traditional performance spaces, along with the risk of losing ancient Then melodies, costumes and props are sometimes mixed in some places; the research and composition team is still small, investment resources and support for artisans are not commensurate... The story of preserving Then singing is also posing many challenges, requiring more attention from authorities at all levels, the cultural sector, and the dedication of artisans and the community.

In the coming time, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Bac Ninh will continue to advise on policies to support artisans, create spaces for artisans to teach, exchange and spread the heritage; actively organize the teaching of Then singing and Tinh lute in schools and clubs. Establishing and maintaining effective Then singing and Tinh lute clubs in localities is also a way to affirm the vitality, position and new standing of Then singing heritage in today's life.

 

Article and photos: Thanh Lam

Source: https://baobacninhtv.vn/suc-song-then-giua-mien-kinh-bac-postid432300.bbg