Preserving performance space for folk songs

(Baonghean) - In preserving and promoting the heritage of folk songs, Vi and Giam, besides the lyrics, the space and performance environment are identified as one of the important factors. However, to restore a suitable space and performance environment for Vi and Giam is a challenge for folk song clubs today.

As we know, folk songs, "ho", "vi", "giam" were formed in labor and are closely associated with the labor professions of the people of Nghe An. Each profession has its own songs and melodies. Therefore, the space of "ho", "vi", "giam" in Nghe An is very rich, such as the space of the mountains and forests has "vi" for climbing mountains, the space of the fields has "vi phuong phay" and "vi dong mach"; the space of labor on the river has "ho on the river", "vi do dua song La", "vi do dua song Lam"... When together with space and time there are special signs, creating event highlights, we have "dam cua quyen", "giam Duc Son"... The uniqueness of "ho", "vi", "giam" is due to the close connection with the space and working environment of the people, the rhythm of "ho", "vi", "giam" is also mostly the rhythm of labor (ho pulling wood, ho dam soil building, ho on the river...). That is why when listening to the folk songs of Nghe An, listeners not only feel the beauty of the lyrics and voices, but also see in them the whole working culture of our ancestors.

Vi singing performance on Lam River.

Most of the singing, vi and giam melodies have a relatively free and flexible performance environment in space and time. However, there are also activities where space and time are strictly regulated, such as singing vi and phuong vai. Artist Tran Van Tu - Head of the singing club vi and phuong vai Kim Lien, Nam Dan said: In the past, singing phuong vai often started at dusk, when the girls turned on the lights, sat far away, the boys sang happily outside the alley... and ended at midnight, near dawn. The singing space also gradually changed over time: at first, the two sides of men and women had a distance, one inside the house, the other outside the alley; later, when the singing became intimate and close, the boys were invited into the yard, into the house. That space and time were followed in each step of the singing procedure from greeting singing to answering singing and finally farewell singing. However, nowadays, phuong vai or ho, vi and giam are only sung on stage. And reconstructing the performance space and environment encountered certain difficulties.

Artisan Bich Tuyen - Head of the Trung Do Ward Folk Song Club - Vinh City said: To restore the performance space is extremely difficult. Because the performance environment of Ho Vi and Giam folk songs is the environment of labor; the space of folk songs is the space of the vast universe with rivers, fields, mountains, and seas... The space where we are preserving Ho Vi and Giam folk songs today is an artificial space, on stage, in festivals... not strong enough to recreate and reflect the original space of folk songs. Like the Trung Do Ward Folk Song Club, every time they participate in a folk song festival or organize folk song performances to serve the people, the most difficult thing is still to recreate the old scene. To recreate it, the Club has to rent costumes and performance props, and mobilize members to make props that can be made themselves... but in general, it only recreates a part of the scene.

In order to restore the space and performance environment of folk songs of Nghe An, in all folk song festivals held annually, the Organizing Committee stipulates that each participating program must ensure 70% of the original elements in the environments, spaces, and performance forms, including costumes, props, and musical instruments. However, according to Ms. Vo Thi Van - Head of the Folk Song Club of Ngoc Son Commune, Thanh Chuong District, the most difficult thing for the Club at the moment is still building the space, props, and folk song core. Nowadays, folk songs are being passed down and developed, but it is difficult to attach them to the environment and performance space as before. Moreover, there are very few veteran artists left, requiring the folk song clubs at the grassroots level to be meticulous in researching and collecting props of ancient folk songs to perform in accordance with the regional identity.

In recent times, in order to preserve and promote the folk song heritage of Nghe An, in addition to bringing folk songs into schools, our province has established more than 80 folk song clubs in localities. In fact, the establishment of folk song clubs has actively contributed to improving cultural life and preserving the Vi and Giam folk songs that our ancestors left behind. The nature of folk song activities is closely linked to the performance form, performance space, costumes, and simple props of the masses. Therefore, returning the performance space, performance form, and performers to the community is in line with the goal of preserving folk songs - exactly as the criteria set by UNESCO for Vi and Giam folk songs after they were recognized as representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

However, saying it is difficult does not mean we cannot do it, because in any condition, the decisive factor is still people. Therefore, we cannot let the preservation process take place naturally, but need to have positive moves to promote it in accordance with the space and environment of today's era. Artisan Cao Xuan Thuong - Head of Dien Hoa Folk Song Club (Dien Chau) said: Today's folk songs have the appearance and breath of modern life, they are songs praising the new countryside, reflecting bad habits in society, and the folk songs we compose are associated with propaganda of social evils, family planning... then the space and environment for performance must be the scenes of today, of current life. Only then can folk songs be promoted, can they attract many people to participate, not be limited to a certain entity.

Mr. Pham Tien Dung - Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism said: The existence and development to new heights of folk songs, vi, and giam in the spiritual and cultural life of Nghe An people today is a vivid proof of the everlasting vitality of folk songs in the hearts of the people. To preserve and restore suitable performance spaces and environments to recreate the daily life and work of our ancestors in the past, there are many ways: building projects to restore spaces and forms of activities through tourism programs, introducing and promoting local culture; bringing folk songs into rituals and festivals. At clubs, folk song activities are organized at the village communal house yard. And even when folk songs are performed on stage in festivals, recreating old scenes and spaces... is a mandatory and indispensable element of each program... These are also ways for us to preserve and maintain the environment and performance space for folk songs. Because no matter what is said, the lyrics must be attached to that space.

Thanh Thuy