(VOVworld)- The 4th Then singing festival held recently in Lang Son province revitalized the folk art of Tay and Nung ethnic minority groups in northern Vietnam. It also featured cultural values of local people like ritual ceremony, a collection of traditional Tinh musical instruments and samples of stilt houses of Tay ethnic group and a book of Nom scripts. The festival was like a miniature museum of special cultural heritage of Vietnam’s northern region.
Then singing and Tinh musical instrument are unique in Vietnam’s northern mountainous region. Then singing has become an inseparable spiritual food and the soul of local people. According to traditional concept, Then means “God” and Then singing was handed down from the God, therefore, Then singing is often held during important occasions and ceremonies to pray for peace, good crop and even call spirits of the deceased. Then singing and Tinh instrument playing differs by regions. Then singing in Lang Son province is passionate while that in Tuyen Quang it is like marching songs, in Ha Giang, it is slow and in Bac Kan is like story telling. Hoang Duc Hau, Director of the Ethnic Minority Culture Department says: "Then singing is accompanied with dances. Accompaniment music is not only the sound of Tinh musical instrument but also those of shaking instruments and the fans used by the dancers. Then singing performance has been closely associated with the spiritual life of local people. They sing Then when they harvest a bumper crop, they sing Then during the new year. The content and the forms of Then singing are diverse".
The Then singing and Tinh musical instrument festival attracted artists from 10 northern cities and provinces. This was an occasion to honour, preserve and promote this unique folk art which has helped enrich the spiritual lives of Tay, Nung and Thai ethnic minority people. The festival also honoured artists and those who have contributed greatly to preserving and promote Then singing. A dossier is being prepared to seek UNESCO recognition of Then singing as an intangible cultural heritage of humankind. Vi Van Thanh, Chairman of Lang Son province’s People’s Committee says: "The festival attracted more than 300 artists and artisans from 10 provinces. This was one of activities to preserve and promote cultural values of different ethnic groups in the north. Artists and artisans exchanged and introduced unique cultures of different regions and Then singing to domestic and foreign visitors".
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There are two types of Then singing: folk Then which serves ritual ceremony and new Then with new versions based on the folk melodies. It’s important now to preserve and promote the performance of Then singing including accompanied ritual ceremonies. From 30 to 40% of performance at this festival featured new versions of Then singing and the rest was dedicated to folk Then, which was performed by both young and old artists.
Lan Anh