Singing on Thach Son land

(Baonghean) - Coming to Anh Son today, not only can you clearly feel the changes in your homeland under the majestic Kim Nhan peak, but you can also immerse yourself in the smooth and profound Vi and Giam folk songs of Vi and Giam folk song clubs. In particular, Thach Son commune is a typical example of the district in the Vi and Giam folk song development movement.

In Anh Son district, there are currently 2 folk song clubs ranked at the provincial level and 6 other newly established clubs. Among them, the most active, vibrant and quality club is the Thach Son Commune Folk Song Club. Originally a mobile information team of the commune was established with the role of participating in building cultural and performing programs to serve the local political tasks; serving the people in the area and some neighboring areas. Gradually, the club became a familiar address, a place for regular cultural and artistic activities of the people in the commune in particular and neighboring communes of Anh Son district in general. In 2010, when there was a policy of the province on the establishment of folk song clubs in the districts, aiming to build a folk song and singing movement, the Thach Son Commune Vi and Giam Folk Song Club was officially established.

A performance by the Vi and Giam Folk Song Club of Thach Son commune.

We found our way to Thach Son commune in the middle of the hot Lao windy days. Appearing before our eyes was a land of beautiful mountains and rivers with overlapping hills and alluvial plains along the banks of the fertile Lam River with endless green of rice, corn, potatoes, and cassava. That poetic landscape has partly created for the people here a romantic soul, rich in literature and art, to weave smooth, soulful folk songs. Just arriving at the entrance of the commune, the loudspeakers were already playing folk songs, the more you listen, the more you can clearly hear the sounds of the repertoire composed by the authors in the Club.

On a mat spread out in the middle of the house, Club President Nguyen Quang Thong and members were enthusiastically singing the song "Sparkling Soul of Nghe An Countryside". Talking to us, Mr. Nguyen Van Vinh, currently Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Thach Son Commune, also a member, a famous flute player of the club confided: In the beginning, the club had only 11 members, most of whom were middle-aged and elderly people. They came together because of their passionate love for the folk songs of their homeland. The early days of building the movement to sing and play Vi and Giam folk songs were very difficult because the influence of Nghe Tinh folk songs in people's lives was not as strong as it is now, there were not many new lyrics and people were not really interested. However, with the love of literature and art, love of folk songs and based on the spirit of volunteerism (self-composing and self-contributing funds), the club gradually overcame difficulties and grew.

Up to now, the club has 27 members, the age is getting younger. The youngest is Le Na, Song Thuong, 11, 12 years old this year. The oldest is nearly 80 this year. However, age has never been a gap in the club, everyone gathers together in one house, some play the guitar, some sing, some compose new lyrics... All for the goal of creating a spread in the movement. Not only serving the local people, but also the competitions and performances organized by the district and province have the participation of the club. From 2011 to now, the club has participated in the Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam Folk Song Festival and has won many awards and certificates of merit; known by many clubs in districts, cities, towns and the public in and outside the province.

In particular, performances such as “Lach lang mo hoi; Gai Lang Khoai, trai Yen Phuc; Huong ve bien, dao; Thuan huu hop chong; Donating land to build a house...” have become the club’s own brand, deeply imprinted in the hearts of the public inside and outside the province. Mr. Nguyen Quang Thong, Chairman of the Club, confided that in Thach Son, every family is eager to sing folk songs, every hamlet wants to establish a club. Not only has the number of artists grown, but artisans in Thach Son like Mr. Thong have funded themselves, packed their bags and gone to collect ancient folk songs. They even went to districts such as Thanh Chuong and Nam Dan to learn about the singing movement, and how to establish a club, from there developing the movement locally.

Talking about the experience of building the club, teacher Le Khac Hieu, Anh Son Town Secondary School, who is also a core member of the Thach Son Folk Song Club, said: The most important thing is that members must have passion, enthusiasm, and be willing to "eat at home, carry the burden of the whole village", all for the goal of making the "vi" and "giam" songs fly far.

Saying goodbye to the Thach Son Commune Folk Song Club, we were both impressed by the love for folk songs of the local people and hoped that the authorities would soon have mechanisms and policies to contribute to nurturing the activities of the folk song clubs. And, if there were a folk song movement like that everywhere in Nghe An, this intangible cultural heritage, representative of humanity, would certainly be passed on forever.

Trinh Van Phu

(Center for Conservation and Promotion of Nghe An Folk Heritage)