Turning off National Highway 1 onto the newly paved road leading into Ma Bap, visitors are greeted by the newly built village gate.

A performance by the Ma Bap Then singing and tinh lute club.

On both sides stretch lush green rice fields and well-built houses, reflecting the prosperous and comfortable life of the local residents.

At the centre of the village stands the community cultural house - a traditional stilt house of the Nung people set within a spacious compound of several hundred square metres. One by one, members of the Ma Bap Then singing and tinh lute club gather there.

Luong Van Nguyen, deputy head of the club, said that in the past, a few people knew how to sing Then, but activities were small-scale and loosely organised.

In 2023, Huong Lac commune (now Lang Giang commune) decided to establish the club, bringing together more than 30 enthusiasts who can play the tinh lute and sing Then. The oldest member is over 70 years old, while the youngest is just over 30.

When the club was established, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, along with the commune and village authorities, provided timely support in performance costumes and tinh lutes.

This enabled the club to operate more effectively and attract large numbers of local residents to enjoy the performances. The Then melodies and the sound of the tinh lute have increasingly spread throughout the community, fostering the local cultural and arts movement.

Pham Thi Y, one of the most active members and head of the club, shared that the content of Then songs often prays for peace for all living beings, good health for people, favourable weather, abundant harvests, and encourages everyone to do good and avoid evil.

The establishment of the club meets the cultural and spiritual needs of the people. With regular activities, it helps the Then melodies resonate far and wide, contributing to the transmission of this folk art to younger generations.

Every week, the club practices and holds activities at the village cultural house. The performed pieces are mainly based on traditional Then melodies.

In addition to performing for local residents, the club also represents the village and commune at various festivals and cultural exchanges with neighbouring communes and other provinces.

Through these activities, the club helps promote and introduce the image of Ma Bap and its honest, friendly, and warm-hearted people to friends from near and far.

Long Duc Trong, the village head and founder of the club, has played a significant role in preserving and teaching Then singing and tinh lute playing to club members and the local community.

The Ma Bap Then singing and tinh lute club regularly practices.

From a young age, he and other elders grew up listening to and immersing themselves in the simple, familiar sounds of Then and the tinh lute.

To further train members, he and the club’s executive board have invited Then artisans from other provinces to teach and provide advanced instruction.

As a result, many members have become core figures of the club, such as Hoang Duc Bich, Luong Van Lam, Vi Thi Duyen, and Hoang Thi Le.

A distinctive feature, the Then singing and tinh lute club regularly learns, refines basic skills, and collects ancient Then melodies to share among members. In addition, the club places special emphasis on passing Then singing on to future generations.

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