Risk of distortion and loss of heritage
Recently, Meritorious Artist Pham Chi Khanh (Vietnam Traditional Opera Theatre) and folk music researcher Bui Trong Hien received a "request" from the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Kon Tum province to organize a "Training Course on Tuning Kon Tum Gongs and Drums".
Through the training, the trainees, who are artisans specializing in crafting and tuning gongs in Kon Tum province, were introduced to the basic theory, the role of gong scales of ethnic groups, the principles of tuning, and the structure of various types of gongs.
Over time, under the influence of new lifestyles and cultural and artistic trends, the gong scale has gradually faded and is in danger of disappearing completely. Folk music researcher Bui Trong Hien lamented: "Currently, gong ensembles with incorrect pitches are still being performed because, in reality, no one in the villages knows how to tune the gongs. Sadly, members of many gong ensembles don't recognize that the gongs are out of tune because they don't know what is correct either."
Since being inscribed on the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2016, the Vietnamese practice of worshipping the Mother Goddess of the Three Realms has been free to develop, as evidenced by the increase in the number of places of worship and the number of mediums.
Worryingly, under the guise of promoting and publicizing the heritage, some localities, organizations, and individuals have conducted spirit medium rituals outside sacred spaces, giving rise to what is called "theatricalized spirit medium rituals" or "artistic spirit medium rituals." This diminishes the "sacredness" of the heritage, secularizes the belief, and leads many people to misunderstand the heritage, viewing spirit medium rituals as a simple cultural and artistic activity.
According to Professor Dr. Tu Thi Loan, Chair of the Science and Training Council of the Vietnam National Institute of Culture and Arts, the training and transmission of the heritage of the Tam Phu Mother Goddess worship of the Vietnamese people is proceeding smoothly, but the number of mediums and ritual singers is increasing rapidly, inversely proportional to the quality of this workforce.
Previously, young mediums had to adhere to a rigorous 12-year training period as a "medium" before being allowed to become a master medium. Nowadays, however, many people become mediums after only 3 years, or even just one year, and self-proclaim themselves as master mediums. Some followers and disciples engage in "competitive" or "show-off" mediumship, causing family discord and financial losses as they chase after the trend of performing rituals and opening shrines. "These young mediums compete to show off their status and flaunt their wealth and prosperity."
"The appearance of large-denomination lucky money is increasing; offerings are becoming more modern and luxurious. Many people are now understanding pragmatically that the more offerings they make and the grander the ceremony, the more blessings they will receive from the Goddess. This leads to excess, excess, and an overemphasis on materialism, losing the moral and spiritual aspects of the rituals dedicated to the deities," Professor and Doctor Tu Thi Loan expressed her indignation.
A comprehensive strategy is needed.
From 2019 to the present, original Quan Ho villages in Bac Ninh province have received support of 30 million VND/time/year, Quan Ho performance clubs have received support of 20 million VND/time/year; Quan Ho artisans have been awarded the title of artisan and receive a monthly salary...
Meanwhile, Phu Tho province has effectively issued and implemented the Project on Preserving and Promoting the Value of Xoan Singing Heritage for the period 2020-2025; restoring and creating a strong and sustainable vitality for the Xoan singing heritage, with all 31 ancient Xoan songs being preserved by veteran artisans, passed down to the next generation of artisans, and fully documented and digitized; and publishing the book "Comprehensive Collection of Studies on Phu Tho Xoan Singing" as a research, teaching, and dissemination document. In particular, Phu Tho province has issued regulations for awarding the title of Phu Tho Xoan Singing Artisan.
Speaking to a reporter from the People's Army Newspaper, Ms. Nguyen Truong Phuong Ha, Deputy Head of the Cultural Heritage Management Department of the Phu Tho Provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said: “Each Xoan singing artisan, upon being awarded the title, will receive a certificate of merit and a reward of 5 million VND. Currently, Phu Tho has 66 Xoan singing artisans who are actively practicing and teaching this heritage among the people. Traditional festivals associated with Xoan singing are also maintained and restored, creating a community cultural space for practicing and performing this heritage.”
In reality, many People's Artists and Distinguished Artists are now elderly, and their daily income is unstable. Meanwhile, according to Decree No. 109/2015/ND-CP, if People's Artists and Distinguished Artists cannot prove that their current income is lower than the basic salary, they will not receive additional support. This means that, besides the money received upon being awarded the title, many artisans will not receive any subsidies, even though they have dedicated their lives to cultivating their love for heritage.
Another drawback is that if an artisan receives a special allowance upon being awarded a title, that individual is forced to forgo all other subsidies. This drawback stems from the limited awareness among society, communities, and government levels regarding the management, protection, and promotion of intangible cultural heritage; some localities only focus on building heritage dossiers for inclusion in national and international lists, lacking activities to protect and promote the value in conjunction with sustainable development...
According to Dr. Tran Huu Son, former Vice President of the Vietnam Folk Arts Association, due to a lack of understanding of the basic characteristics of heritage and the influence of these characteristics on heritage, the preservation of intangible cultural heritage in many localities is currently incorrect and does not respect the role of the community and related elements. Meanwhile, Associate Professor Dr. Lam Nhan, Chairman of the Council of the Ho Chi Minh City University of Culture, argues that to sustainably promote the value of intangible cultural heritage, community-based management is needed, with joint efforts to preserve and protect the heritage. Only then will intangible cultural heritage retain its core values so that when recreated, innovated, or enriched, its unique and distinctive identity is not lost.
In reality, due to limited investment resources, the conservation and promotion of intangible cultural heritage values are still in a state of disarray, lacking a comprehensive development strategy. To address these shortcomings, Associate Professor Dr. Bui Hoai Son, Standing Member of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Education, proposed: "While awaiting the approval of the amended Law on Cultural Heritage, the Department of Cultural Heritage, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, should issue more specific regulations to guide communities in practicing intangible cultural heritage."
Vietnam currently has nearly 1,900 National Heritage Sites and National Heritage Sites; 497 national heritage sites, and 15 sites inscribed by UNESCO on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguard and the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. |
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