The elderly in Luc Ngan district participate in the folk singing exchange between ethnic minority groups.

Inspiring young generations

“Luc Ngan district is home to seven ethnic minority groups, accounting for 49 percent of the district’s population. They have the greatest passion about the folk singing of all ethnic minority groups nationwide,” said Nguyen Ba Dat, President of the district Association of the Elderly. They sing folk songs in every local festival throughout the year, particularly in spring festivals. The Nung ethnic minority people sing Sli and Soong Hao; the San Diu people sing Soong Co; the San Chi people sing Cnang Coo; the Cao Lan people sing Sinh ca. Their songs feature their mountains, forests, villages, and love affairs.

Attending a class held by the San Chi folk singing club in Kien Lao commune, where local elder people are teaching young people how to sing folk music, we can feel the attraction of the art to their daily lives. They dress like professional performers even in their audition.

Three classes are held every month in the communal house. Local young people are taught how to sing Cnang Coo folk singing of San Chi ethnic minority people. Lam Minh Sap, head of the club said, “in order to keep local young people’s interest in folk songs amid domination of modern music, local elder people go from house to house to encourage local young people to join their classes.”

Sap expressed his hope that their efforts will inspire the love for folk songs among young people, thus keeping the value of the traditional culture. Currently, the club’s classes have 20 participants.

Meanwhile, elder members of the Sinh singing club of the Cao Lan ethnic minority people in Deo Gia commune write new lyrics for their folk songs. Bang Van Manh, born in 1985, a member of the club said, “Since 2012, I have learnt by heart lyrics of more than 200 folk songs thanks to the teaching of old members. Since then, I developed my passion for folk singing. I usually encourage my friends and relatives to perform in local music events.”

Preserving the traditional cultural values

Old people are the one who keeps the essence of local folk songs. Therefore, the district Association of the Elderly is assigned to preserve the value. The association instructs its local chapters to make sure their members will join singing groups, teams and clubs.

The association also actively joins hands with the district chapter of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union to organize music events in communes and the district, while teaching young people to sing folk songs. The local elderly have developed a greater sense of responsibility to do the job since the Sinh sing of Cao Lan people and Cnang Coo singing of the San Chi people was listed among national intangible cultural heritage in 2012.

Members of San Chi folk singing club in Kien Lao commune perform folk songs by using mobile phones.

To restore, promote and educate folk singing for the young generation and create a cultural space in the community, Luc Ngan district’s Culture-Sports Centre has organized an annual exchange festival for ethnic groups’ folk singing clubs, often in the first lunar month. To welcome a new year and pray for all blessings, ethnic minority people from mountainous Luc Ngan district and Dong Mo town, Chi Lang district of neighboring Lang Son province flock to the festival.

To be educated by older generations, many youths are keen on learning and develop ways of singing, thus helping enrich folk songs. Ho Dap commune’s Youth Union launched a movement to preserve folk singing of the Nung ethnic minority group, while the Youth Unions of Cong Luoc village of Deo Gia commune and Ben Huyen village of Nam Duong commune organized competitions to compose new texts for old songs of Cao Lan and San Diu ethnic groups.

Nguyen Ba Dat expressed his hope that the local authorities and unions will join hands to multiply folk singing clubs, provide funds to hold festivals regularly to create the community cultural space.

Tuong Vi