The sound of Mong flute at the foot of Pu Lon peak

Self-written and self-performed performances

The children’s performance almost fully synthesized all the art forms of the Mong people during the days welcoming the New Year. From playing the flute, playing the khen, throwing balls, dancing… And the best was the performance of some boys playing the khen and doing somersaults.

The students of the Club are performing a show in the school yard.

This program is a bit long, very attractive, smooth and seemingly without any "mistakes". Teacher Vi Van Hung, the school's Team Leader, commented: "Today you guys did very well, beyond my expectations". Then he explained to me: This performance is a bit complicated, like the act of blowing the flute and doing somersaults at the same time, you have to practice many times, you have to really love it to be able to do it. Because when doing somersaults, you still have to keep the flute sound in the right rhythm, in the right tune, otherwise not only will you blow it wrong but it will also lead to the dance team being out of tune.

I was stunned by the passionate eyes following the hand movements, swaying when changing lanes; the hands like bamboo shoots, both soft and strong when changing from the umbrella dance to the horse galloping dance... Teacher Hung continued: This is a self-directed and self-performed performance, composed by me!

Vu Ba Tuan cherishes the Mong flute very much.

I asked in surprise, you are Thai, how can you stage Mong people's performances?

You have to learn, brother. I am a member of the Ky Son District Mass Performing Arts Team, so I have learned a lot from the Mong artists. In addition, we have invited Mr. Vu Lau Phong, a panpipe artist, to occasionally teach the children. If it weren't for Mr. Phong, probably in the future, no one in Tay Son would have heard the sound of the panpipe anymore...

Make the sound of the panpipe "resound far and wide"...

Dr. La Thi Thanh Huyen - Vice Principal of Tay Son Ethnic Boarding Secondary School, Head of the Club shared: Ky Son is a countryside with rich tourism potential, especially folk cultural tourism. Our ambition is to build a tourism school model, thereby training students in some basic skills of potential jobs in the tourism industry; at the same time, helping students have a sense of learning and career orientation in the future.

The establishment of the Club, first of all, is to attract the attention of students, to kindle love and pride in the unique cultural values of the Mong people, so that they have the responsibility to preserve and promote their ethnic cultural identity... In addition, by participating in the Club, students are also informed about many other topics such as fighting child marriage, abandoning bad customs...

Ms. Huyen honestly said: According to the survey, only 41.58% of students think that tourism activities are very important. However, we are not discouraged because of that. The reason is that some students do not fully understand the importance of tourism for economic development, for changing the lives of themselves, their families, and their villages.

“Even if there are tourists, the children can participate in performing arts to serve them, it will change their thinking and mindset. Because they will gradually understand that tourism is not just about “going out”, but also experiencing, enjoying, and feeling many things. Doing tourism is not only about dancing and singing, but also about guiding tourists, managing, promoting, and marketing tourism…” - Ms. Huyen affirmed.

Vu Ba Tuan, a student of class 9A, confided: “In addition to singing, dancing and playing the flute, our teachers also introduced us to the tourism potential of the commune and some tourism skills. I wish that more and more tourists will come to my hometown. Beautiful and fresh places such as Huoi Giang 1 and Huoi Giang 2 villages, where there is a precious ginseng with seven leaves and one flower; or visitors will come to Si Di mountain, where there are precious Po Mu and Sa Mu forests, beautiful as in a picture, and a cool climate.”

Mong Ethnic Folk Art Conservation Club of the School

Goodbye Pu Lon, goodbye teachers and students of Tay Son Boarding Primary School, I could not help but feel sad. Pu Lon has already dropped its curtains to go to sleep. Hurriedly in the twilight, the sound of the Mong flute still holds my feet. The sounds are not yet complete, the flute tunes are not yet mastered, but they have and will resonate far and wide…

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Ms. Tran Thi My Hanh - Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of Nghe An province: The Mong ethnic folk art preservation club of Tay Son Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities is a very good model to attract students' attention, to kindle love and pride in the unique cultural values of the Mong people, so that they have the responsibility to preserve and promote their ethnic cultural identity... In addition, by participating in the Club, students are also informed about many other topics such as fighting against child marriage and abandoning bad customs. In the future, the Department may provide additional financial support to equip the tools for the Club's activities.

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