Con Cuong strives to preserve Thai folk songs and musical instruments.

(Baonghean) - Folk songs such as "khap," "xuoi," "lam," and "nhuon," along with traditional musical instruments like the khaen, be, pi, and xi la lo of the Thai ethnic group, are in danger of disappearing. Concerned about preserving this invaluable spiritual cultural heritage for the ethnic people in this area, Con Cuong district – where over 75% of the population are Thai people – has established folk song and traditional instrument clubs in 12 out of 13 communes and towns, and these clubs are operating effectively.

A meeting of the Thai ethnic folk song and musical instrument club in Cang village (Mon Son commune - Con Cuong district).

Traditional folk songs, music, and dances are becoming increasingly rare during important festivals in Thai families and villages. Mrs. Vi Thi Hong (Nua village, Yen Khe commune), over 70 years old, one of the few elderly people in the village who still knows how to sing her ethnic folk songs, laments: “Nua village is home to 90% Thai people. In the past, during festivals and holidays, Thai women would dress up in their finest clothes, sing folk songs, and perform the bamboo pole dance… but now, few young people know Thai folk songs anymore. Even the lullabies of the Thai people are only known by the elderly. Therefore, when the commune decided to establish a club, we all wanted to participate to pass on this precious heritage to our children and grandchildren.”

However, the current challenge is that there are not many elderly people in the villages who still know how to sing and play traditional musical instruments. To restore and preserve the cultural beauty of the Thai ethnic group, Con Cuong district has advocated for the establishment of folk song and traditional musical instrument clubs in the villages. These clubs bring together people who love traditional culture and voluntarily participate in activities. In the last 10 years, 12 out of 13 communes and towns in the district have established Thai folk song and musical instrument clubs.

Folk song clubs in the 12 communes of the district continue to operate quite regularly and effectively, contributing to the preservation and promotion of the local traditional culture. Some communes have established 2-3 Thai folk song clubs, such as in Yen Khe and Mon Son. Each folk song and Thai musical instrument club has its own way of sustaining itself.

The Nưa Village Folk Song Club, established in September 2010, has brought together 10 key members from the village, holding regular weekend meetings. The village cultural center serves as a "stage" for the elders to perform folk songs, folk music, and folk dances. Through these group activities, and participation in performances and cultural exchanges in other villages within the commune, the love for traditional folk songs has gradually grown among the club members. To maintain activities, members also acquire or make their own musical instruments to contribute to performances. The drums, gongs, and other main instruments of the club belong to Mr. Vy Văn Lượng – a long-time member of the Thái Folk Song Club (Nưa Village). Mr. Luong shared: “Drums and gongs are the soul of the folk singing and dancing performances of the Thai people. Initially, the club operated without musical instruments, which was rather monotonous. Later, I acquired a set to serve the community, especially the younger generation, so they can learn about the beauty and richness of their traditional culture.” He also independently experimented with making other musical instruments such as the khen be and pi. Other members also voluntarily contributed or made their own musical instruments to add to the club's orchestra during each meeting.

Today, the Thai folk song club of Bản Nưa village has been selected as one of two clubs serving community tourism activities in the district. Participating in these tourism activities provides the club with support for each performance. Ms. Lương Thị Hằng, the head of the Thái folk song club of Bản Nưa village, said: “Each year, the club participates in 20-30 performances serving community tourists in the village. Thanks to this, we have funds to buy costumes, acquire more musical instruments, and cover the costs of performances and cultural exchanges in the locality.” Club members also receive additional motivation when participating in club activities. Currently, the club has 17 members, including young people.

In Cang village, Mon Son commune, every week, 37 members of the Thai folk song club gather at the village cultural center for activities. The melodious sounds of the khene, pi, and flute played by the artists blend with the nhuon, xuoi, and lam melodies… The club is a meeting place for those who love folk songs and wish to preserve the traditional beauty of their ethnic group. Besides the elderly and middle-aged, the club also attracts 13 young people and students. Among them is artist Luong Van Nghiep, who constantly strives to find folk melodies and traditional musical instruments to serve the club. He shared: “If we don't preserve the melodies passed down from our ancestors, they will gradually fade away. So for many years, I have been seeking out elderly people in the villages to collect many ancient melodies, and at the same time, writing new lyrics to create diversity, richness, and appeal.”

The love and passion for the traditional folk songs of the Cang village, such as the "khap," "xuoi," and "lam nhuon," shared by artisans like Mr. Nghiep and Mr. Than, has spread to the younger generation. More and more young people are registering to join the club. Luong Thi Hong, a high school student, has been an active member for over a year. For Hong, the folk songs that resonate at local festivals, competitions, and performances truly inspire her, motivating her to contribute her small part in preserving these beautiful cultural traditions. Besides regular activities, the club also participates in weddings and housewarming parties in the area, and during major national holidays and anniversaries of various organizations, the songs and music fill the village with joy. Thanks to its effective operation, the Cang village Thai folk song club has been able to garner support from the local people to maintain its activities. In the entire Cang village, there are 150 households, and each year, every household voluntarily contributes 12,000 VND to maintain the club's activities.

To promote folk singing and keep the flame of love for traditional culture alive among the Thai people in this area, Con Cuong district has made efforts to organize cultural and artistic exchange activities, creating a playground for those who love folk songs and Thai musical instruments such as: Thai Ethnic Folk Song Festival; Ethnic Culture and Sports Day… Every year, the district also organizes training courses to provide knowledge on organization, activities and program staging… for members of all clubs; aiming to build a new generation of artisans. To gradually restore traditional musical instruments that are at risk of disappearing, the district will also cooperate with the Provincial Ethnic Affairs Committee to open classes to teach the production and use of ethnic musical instruments for folk song and Thai musical instrument clubs; hoping that young people will know and preserve a beautiful cultural aspect of their people.

Dinh Nguyet