Chiem Hoa district of northern Tuyen Quang province is home to 18ethnic groups, each with their own special cultures. Among these,arguably the most memorable is Hat then singing – a traditionaloratorio of the Tay people.
The distinctive musical genre isbelieved to have been communicated from God to a world in which onlytwo shamans called “Ong Then” and “Ba Then” could understand.
During rituals “Ong Then” and “Ba Then” sing and play a musicalinstrument at the same time while presenting offerings to God,representing the ethnic community to ask for good health, bumper crops,happiness and a long life.
In a move to preserve the uniquecultural character of Then singing, and to lure more visitors to thedistrict, in recent years Chiem Hoa district authority has held a hostof activities to build a cultural-tourism village attached withconserving Then singing.
Additionally, the provincialauthority has also built a scientific research project, which collectsancient songs and teaches the young generation to sing the songs, thusconserving their cultural values.
Of all the talented Thensingers in Chiem Hoa district, no one can deny that artisan Ha Thuan isamong the greatest. He has spent his entire life with the Then rhythm ofthe motherland.
At 18 years old, he followed his fatherperforming Then songs in neighbouring areas and was taught to play manyamazing melodies on the Dan Tinh, a gourd lute.
Thuan hasworked hard to collect and record all the ancient songs he knows,reworking them to be more melodic. He also translates the songs from theTay to Kinh language so that young generations will find the lyricseasier to learn and remember.
Sharing the same passion as Thuan is 80-year-old Ma Thai Ngoc in Hung My commune.
Ngoc says the form of art plays a vital role in the spiritual lifeof Tay people in his village. Like Thuan, he has taught tens of peoplein his village to sing Then songs and play Dan Tinh.
According to Deputy Chairman of the district people’s committee NguyenHong Ha, as many as 21 Then singing clubs have been established in ChiemHoa district, thus sustaining the cultural values of the traditionalart form.
Then singing manifests the aspiration for a wealthylife of the local ethnic people, Ha said, adding that it is a spiritualvoice transferring through generations and become a vital part of dailylife.
Local authorities are now working hard to better conserve this unique cultural art form, he said.
Besides Tuyen Quang, Then singing is practised in many northernprovinces where Tay ethnic group live, and has drawn the attention ofmany collectors and researchers over the past decade.
InDecember 2012, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism added Thensinging to the official national intangible cultural heritage list.
Applicationwill be submitted to UNESCO in a bid for Then singing to be recognisedas a piece of intangible cultural world heritage.-VNA
The distinctive musical genre isbelieved to have been communicated from God to a world in which onlytwo shamans called “Ong Then” and “Ba Then” could understand.
During rituals “Ong Then” and “Ba Then” sing and play a musicalinstrument at the same time while presenting offerings to God,representing the ethnic community to ask for good health, bumper crops,happiness and a long life.
In a move to preserve the uniquecultural character of Then singing, and to lure more visitors to thedistrict, in recent years Chiem Hoa district authority has held a hostof activities to build a cultural-tourism village attached withconserving Then singing.
Additionally, the provincialauthority has also built a scientific research project, which collectsancient songs and teaches the young generation to sing the songs, thusconserving their cultural values.
Of all the talented Thensingers in Chiem Hoa district, no one can deny that artisan Ha Thuan isamong the greatest. He has spent his entire life with the Then rhythm ofthe motherland.
At 18 years old, he followed his fatherperforming Then songs in neighbouring areas and was taught to play manyamazing melodies on the Dan Tinh, a gourd lute.
Thuan hasworked hard to collect and record all the ancient songs he knows,reworking them to be more melodic. He also translates the songs from theTay to Kinh language so that young generations will find the lyricseasier to learn and remember.
Sharing the same passion as Thuan is 80-year-old Ma Thai Ngoc in Hung My commune.
Ngoc says the form of art plays a vital role in the spiritual lifeof Tay people in his village. Like Thuan, he has taught tens of peoplein his village to sing Then songs and play Dan Tinh.
According to Deputy Chairman of the district people’s committee NguyenHong Ha, as many as 21 Then singing clubs have been established in ChiemHoa district, thus sustaining the cultural values of the traditionalart form.
Then singing manifests the aspiration for a wealthylife of the local ethnic people, Ha said, adding that it is a spiritualvoice transferring through generations and become a vital part of dailylife.
Local authorities are now working hard to better conserve this unique cultural art form, he said.
Besides Tuyen Quang, Then singing is practised in many northernprovinces where Tay ethnic group live, and has drawn the attention ofmany collectors and researchers over the past decade.
InDecember 2012, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism added Thensinging to the official national intangible cultural heritage list.
Applicationwill be submitted to UNESCO in a bid for Then singing to be recognisedas a piece of intangible cultural world heritage.-VNA
