(VOVWORLD) - Spring is the season of love. For the Tay ethnic people in Quang Binh district, Ha Giang province, a wedding is not only a ceremony for a couple to become husband and wife but also an opportunity to showcase their cultural identity through Quan Lang songs. These lyrical melodies, performed by elders, include words of guidance and best wishes for the bride and groom.
 Quan Lang singing is an essential part of Tay weddings. (Photo: Vinh Phong/VOV5) |
Quan Lang singing is a beautiful tradition of Tay weddings. It’s a form of call and response singing between representatives of the groom's family and the bride’s family.
"I’m the third generation in my family to inherit the Quan Lang singing tradition. I started learning to sing when I was 15. I learned the melodies performed during the bride's welcoming ceremony—washing feet, climbing the steps, opening the door, spreading the mat, lighting the lamp, presenting the ceremonial offerings to the bride’s family, and seeking permission from the ancestors to escort the bride home. Through these songs, I’m preserving Tay customs," artisan Hoang Van Bien said.
Quan Lang singers who represent the groom’s family bring betel nuts and areca leaves to the bride’s home. They oversee the entire wedding – the engagement ceremony, seeking blessings, preparing the bride price, and escorting the bride to her new home.
According to Tay customs, the groom's procession must include two male and two female Quan Lang singers, the groom, the best man, and friends or younger male relatives of the groom, who carry the wedding gifts. Quan Lang singers, the highest representatives of both families, act on behalf of the family in all matters.
“Before the wedding, the groom’s family must find a representative, known as the ‘Ong don’, who brings the bride price to the bride’s family. This person must be well-respected, have a harmonious family, and be successful in life. Similarly, the bride’s family must select a ‘Ba đứa’, who will respond to the groom’s family at each stage of the ceremony,” said artisan Bien.
The Quan Lang songs provide guidance for refined and graceful conduct in life. They describe how the bride should behave toward her husband and in-laws and how the groom should interact with his wife and her family.
Quan Lang singing at a Tay wedding includes three stages: Don (welcoming the groom’s party to the bride’s house), Nop (presenting the bride), and Dua (escorting the bride to her new home). Artisan Bien says Quan Lang call and response singing doesn’t require musical instruments.
"After arriving at the bride’s house, we present the offerings to the ancestors and sing a song called ‘Khay hap’. The bride’s family responds with a song called ‘Invitation to lunch’ before proceeding with the bride-requesting ceremony. The groom’s party must formally request the bride three times,” said Bien.
The lyrics of a Quan Lang song go: “After careful consideration by the couple and both families, an auspicious day and month have been chosen for the wedding ceremony. Today, on behalf of the groom’s family, I bring offerings to formally request the bride’s hand in marriage and wish the young couple happiness.”
 A wedding ritual of the Tay people. (Photo: Vinh Phong/VOV5) |
The Tay wedding ceremony includes such traditional customs as the rope-blocking ritual, the mat-spreading request, invitation songs for tea and betel nuts, the ancestor tribute ceremony, the money-offering ritual, and the bride-welcoming ceremony. These customs may vary by family or area.
"At my wedding more than ten years ago, the Quan Lang songs sung during the bride’s reception ceremony praised the parents' efforts in raising their daughter from childhood to adulthood. The groom’s family brought gifts to express their gratitude to the bride’s parents," said Ly Thi Coi, a Tay woman from Quang Binh district.
These days Tay weddings no longer adhere to all the customs of the past. They have preserved only the core traditions of their culture.
“Families have carefully studied the customs of their ethnic group to ensure that wedding ceremonies are conducted properly. Quang Binh district has integrated various local cultural programs to promote the values of Tay culture. We’ve introduced Quan Lang singing classes into the school curriculum," said Nguyen Thi Tuc, head of Quang Binh district’s Department of Culture.
Quan Lang singing is an essential part of the spiritual life of the Tay people, deeply rooted in their cultural heritage. The Ha Giang Folk Artists Association and Quang Binh district are collecting and compiling Quan Lang related materials and texts to ensure that this unique art form reaches a wider audience.