Then the echoes by the mountain

Amidst the misty mountains, the melodies of then singing and tinh playing still echo every weekend evening in Ban Nua hamlet, Nghinh Tuong commune (Vo Nhai district). More than just music, it's a thread connecting generations, a testament to the dedication of those who deeply love Tay culture.

Members of the Then singing and Dan Tinh playing club in Ban Nua hamlet, Nghinh Tuong commune (Vo Nhai district) practice the song "Then Song Dedicated to the Party".

On Saturday evening, as the twilight fades behind the mountains, the cultural center of Ban Nua village comes alive with the rich melodies of Then singing and the resonant sound of the Tinh lute accompanying the rhythmic tapping of hands. There, more than 40 members of the Ban Nua Village Then Singing and Tinh Lute Club gather to practice, preserving a gradually fading cultural heritage.

The club was founded in 2017, headed by Ms. Ha Thi Huong Nhai, Deputy Secretary of the Nghinh Tuong Commune Youth Union (born in 2001). The youngest member is only 14 years old, the oldest is nearly 70, and all generations share a common passion: preserving the soul of the nation through each folk melody and the poignant sound of the zither.

Ms. Ha Thi Huong Nhai shared: "I noticed that many young people are no longer interested in the songs and dances of our ethnic group. If we don't find a way to preserve them, one day they will disappear. With that concern in mind, I returned to my hometown, joined and maintained the Then singing club to continue the passion and love for art of our ancestors and spread it among my generation."

That passion wasn't newly formed; it had been nurtured since childhood. Nhai grew up listening to the lullabies of her grandmother and mother. In the fifth grade, she asked her parents to buy her a small zither so she could practice playing melodies she knew by heart. Later, Huong Nhai studied Cultural Management at the Viet Bac College of Culture and Arts, continuing to hone her skills before returning to her homeland and passing that passion on to the community.

In each club meeting, besides traditional Then melodies such as "Then Tang Nang" and "Tang Boc," which carry sacred and folk-inspired sounds, members also perform many new Then songs praising the Party, President Ho Chi Minh, and the homeland, such as "Moonlight on President Ho Chi Minh's Path," "President Ho Chi Minh Returns to My Hometown," "Following the Party, We March On," and "Then Songs Dedicated to the Party"... From these old values, Then singing today has a new vitality, becoming more accessible and widely disseminated.

Members of the Then Singing and Dan Tinh Playing Club in Ban Nua Hamlet.

To create a complete performance, club members must meticulously prepare everything from traditional Tay ethnic costumes, headscarves, necklaces, indigo-dyed clothing, and sashes to props and performance skills. Regular practice sessions take place after dinner on Saturdays and Sundays. The whole village buzzes with activity as people call each other to the village or commune cultural center to practice singing, tapping rhythms, and tuning their instruments.

Ms. Nong Thi Hong Gam, a member of the club, shared: "I've loved Then singing since I was a child, and I still do. We only hope for more attention and support in terms of funding, costumes, props, etc., to continue preserving and promoting the beautiful culture of our ethnic group."

Besides performing internally, club members regularly participate in exchange programs, folk art festivals, and ethnic cultural events organized by Vo Nhai district. Many of the club's performances have left a deep impression on audiences and tourists, not only because of their simplicity and sincerity, but also because of their responsible spirit in preserving culture.

In the misty haze of the mountains and forests, the sound of the then singing flows like a stream of time, transporting people back to the terraced fields, the stilt houses fragrant with the scent of wood smoke, back to the roots of the nation. And there, people like Huong Nhai, like the women, girls, and children in the Ban Nua Then Singing Club, tirelessly keep the flame alive, so that the sound of then singing will never fade in the vast forests of Vo Nhai.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/van-hoa/202506/then-vang-ben-nui-e780146/