National culture in the luggage of the young generation

In the western region of Thanh Hoa, the image of ethnic minority children in traditional dresses and skirts is not strange. But only when stopping at schools, listening to the sound of gongs and cymbals resounding from small rooms at the end of the classrooms, I can clearly feel the cultural life that is being preserved and nurtured every day here.

Students of Ngoc Lac Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities in traditional costumes of the Muong ethnic group. Photo: Nguyen Dat

Passion from the Club "I love Thai ethnic cultural identity"

The small room at the end of the Yen Thang Secondary School building is lit up every afternoon. That is where Ms. Trinh Thi Phuong, a Literature teacher, diligently spends every spare moment outside of class to “keep the fire burning” for the “I love Thai ethnic cultural identity” club founded by the school. Not just an extracurricular activity, the club has become a “special class” for gifted students who love to explore the culture of their own people.

Each activity is warmed by the unique sounds of the mountainous region. The sound of gongs and cymbals echoing the rhythm; the bustling footsteps on bamboo sticks of the Sap dance; the children's chattering and asking about the meaning of each Thai Khap dance, or the origin of the Thai Cha Mun ritual - a national intangible heritage, the pride of the locality. Most of the children are from the area, have seen the festival many times but do not really understand deeply about those cultural values. Thanks to these activities, the children get to "touch" each layer of culture, from costumes, musical instruments to the meaning of traditional rituals.

The practice space is just larger than a classroom, but is always bustling with color. Thai dresses with brocade patterns woven by grandmothers and mothers over a long period of time; hand-embroidered scarves; silver bracelets glowing in the afternoon light... All create an atmosphere that is both solemn and full of pride.

Ms. Phuong often confided to her students: "Culture only lives when young people seek it out and nurture it." From that belief, she has persistently cultivated each skill, each dance, each local cultural story for the students. The club is not only a playground, but also a place where students practice skills, broaden their knowledge, and more importantly, help nurture pride in their national culture.

Lo Thi Nhu Quynh, a student of class 8A, with bright eyes and a clear voice when talking about her ethnic identity: “As a Thai ethnic child, I am very proud of my ethnic culture. I think preserving the values ​​that our ancestors left behind is the responsibility of our young generation. The Cha Mun Festival is not just a ritual, but the greatest pride; a priceless heritage that we learn and continue.”

Chairman of Yen Thang Commune People's Committee Vu The Vinh said that culture is the "root" for the locality to develop community tourism and build civilized villages. Therefore, bringing ethnic culture into schools, establishing clubs, and organizing heritage practice activities for students is not only an educational solution, but also a way to closely connect school - family - community. "It is these experiences that will help them become "cultural ambassadors" in the future," said Mr. Thang.

...to the rhythm of village life

From Yen Thang, we went to Ba Thuoc Secondary and High School. The large school is located in the valley of the majestic Pu Luong range. In each local history lesson, the teachers incorporate stories about brocade weaving, making rice wine with leaves, Khap dance, bamboo dance... Things that seem familiar in the village now become vivid lessons, helping students feel closer and more proud of their roots.

Students of Yen Thang Secondary School listen to an artisan talk about the local Cha Mun Festival.

Mr. Ha Van Ngoi, Vice Principal of the school, said: "It is the lessons with the breath of the village that have nurtured the students' love for their homeland's culture. When they understand traditional customs, they not only enjoy it but also actively spread the values ​​of their homeland. What is special is that many students have boldly participated in performing with the art troupes of villages and hamlets whenever the locality welcomes tourists . Standing on stage, wearing traditional costumes, performing in front of tourists is a valuable practical experience, helping them become people who preserve and develop culture in the future."

Lo Thi Duong Cam, a student of class 12A4, shared: “Besides class time, I always eagerly wait for extracurricular activities to practice dances and khap dances that are imbued with the identity of the Thai people. Not only that, I also join the village's art troupe. Every time a group of tourists visits the village, the art troupe gathers to perform and introduce the culture of my homeland.”

According to Cam, the times standing on the rustic stage in the middle of the village helped her master each movement and each traditional melody. The performances also brought her a small income to support her studies, but the most precious thing was the feeling of living in the cultural space of her own people, and then loving and being attached to that identity more every day.

Talking about her future dream, Cam shared that, "after graduating from university, I want to return to my homeland to work in tourism, continuing to introduce Thai culture to more people."

Head of the Department of Culture and Society of Pu Luong Commune, Ha Van Hanh, said: "In recent years, the locality has always focused on bringing indigenous culture into schools, considering this a sustainable direction to preserve indigenous culture. The People's Committee of the commune regularly coordinates with local schools to organize experiential activities, invite artisans from villages and hamlets to perform, and guide students to learn panpipes, dance, and make traditional handicrafts. This is considered a way to connect the younger generation with the community, helping them understand that each melody and each way of life in the village contains values ​​that previous generations have worked hard to cultivate. The local government will continue to accompany the school in preserving and promoting cultural heritage, considering this a long-term task. We hope that, from today's small activities, a younger generation will understand, love and be proud of the identity of their homeland, from which they will become the ones to continue and preserve the culture."

Article and photos: Dinh Giang

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/van-hoa-dan-toc-trong-hanh-trang-cua-the-he-tre-269953.htm