4 more national intangible cultural heritages

The Khmer Chhay-dam drum is a type of drum with one side covered with leather. The drum body is made from a hollowed-out old areca nut trunk. The drum head is large and covered with dry buffalo or python skin; the smaller drum tail is connected to a metal drum leg.

Depending on whether the person is an adult or a child, large or small drums are used. Each Chhay-dam dance performance usually has 4-6 Chhay-dam drums, two Cuol (gongs) along with Chul (cymbals) and Krap (seng drums).

"The art of Chhay-dam drum performance of the Khmer people in Tri Ton district and Tinh Bien town, An Giang province" is often performed during Chol Chnam Thmay festival, Dolta festival, Ook om bok festival or on occasions of bumper harvests...

This is also a way to unite the community, showing respect for ancestors and gods in the minds of the Khmer people.

"Tong Goi Boat Cheo Singing Festival, Tan Hoi Commune, Dan Phuong District, Hanoi City" is a unique form of folk performance in Vietnam, performed on land with boats.

The Boat Rowing Festival was first held in 1683 and is traditionally held every 25 to 30 years, in years of favorable weather and good harvests in the four villages. Old documents record that the last festival was held in 1922 and was interrupted by war. It was restored in 1998.

Currently, the Rowing Festival is held every five years from January 13-15 every year, attracting a large number of people in the region to participate.

The most special thing in the festival is the Cheo Tau singing performance with the responding melodies between two boats, which are wooden dragon boats, not launched but symbolically rowed on land.

Each ship has 13 people including the ship queen, 2 ships and 10 ships. The ship queen is about 50 years old, must be good at dancing and singing, and have a complete family. The ship and the ships are young girls between 13-16 years old, from well-educated families, obedient, good at singing and dancing. When performing, the ship queen plays the gong, the 2 ships lead the singing and the ships sing along. Behind is a pair of elephants with two elephant trainers whose job is to blow the horns and give signals.

The content of the songs in the Cheo Tau performance are individual songs and the response songs of the "ship" and the "statue", all aimed at praising the merits of the Thanh Hoang Tong Goi Van Di Thanh.

Tan Hoi’s Cheo Tau singing consists of 20 melodies, divided into forms such as: Hat trinh, hat thuyen and hat bo bo. The singing process is performed strictly in the following order: Ceremony, incense offering, wine offering, Bai Tau (or Bai Tuong), hat bo bo, singing Ly songs, hat vi… The special thing is that until now, all the songs of the Cheo Tau art have been preserved intact with their ancient lyrics by the people of Tan Hoi.

"The forest worshiping ritual of the Pa Di people in Muong Khuong district, Lao Cai province" is a unique ritual that shows the close relationship between people and nature and forests.

Like other ethnic minorities in the highlands, the Pa Di people (a small group of the Tay ethnic group) in Muong Khuong district, Lao Cai province also keep for themselves a forbidden forest and call it a sacred forest.

The forest worship ceremony is held by the Pa Di people at the end of the first lunar month every year, in the village's forbidden forest with offerings being products produced by the villagers themselves.

In addition to praying for a bountiful harvest and good luck for the villagers, the forest worship ritual also has educational significance, teaching everyone not to destroy forests and actively protect the environment and water resources.

"Basket weaving of the Tay people in Nghia Do commune, Bao Yen district, Lao Cai province" Basket weaving is a traditional craft of the Tay people in Nghia Do (Bao Yen). Under the skillful hands of Tay women, bamboo and giang trees in the forest have become unique and sophisticated products, not only as daily necessities but also as favorite souvenirs for tourists from all over.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism also requested the Chairmen of People's Committees at all levels where intangible cultural heritages are included in the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritages, within the scope of their duties and powers, to carry out state management in accordance with the provisions of the law on cultural heritage.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/them-4-di-san-van-hoa-phi-vat-the-quoc-gia-post879815.html