Turning folk songs into tourism products.

(Baonghean) - Currently, there are 17 folk song clubs operating regularly and effectively in Vinh City. The performances and cultural programs of these clubs have become an indispensable source of spiritual nourishment for the city's residents. However, the city is aiming to spread folk songs not only within the community but also to attract tourists visiting Vinh.

After the Nghe Tinh folk songs were officially recognized by UNESCO as a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity, those who love these folk songs in Vinh City in particular, and the people of Nghe An in general, were very excited and proud, especially the members of the Trung Do Ward Folk Song Club – one of the most effective clubs in Vinh City. Ms. Bich Tuyen, the head of the Trung Do Ward Folk Song Club, was formerly an actress in the 4th Military Region Art Troupe. She loved folk songs from a young age; it was the simple, rustic, and endearing melodies that "draw" this girl from Quang Tri to marry into Nghe An. After retiring and living in the local community, she often contributed to the ward's cultural activities with those heartfelt folk songs. After the ward decided to establish a Folk Song Club, Ms. Bich Tuyen was elected as the head of the club.

A practice session of the Trung Do Ward Folk Song Club (Vinh City). Photo: Tu Hoa Lam

The Trung Do Ward Folk Song Club was established in early 2014, attracting 50 members. The oldest is Mr. Ho Xuan Hung (75 years old), and the youngest is Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh Thao, born in 1981, currently a teacher at Trung Do Primary School. The club holds monthly meetings at the ward's Cultural Center. Besides practicing and rehearsing new folk songs, and organizing self-composed and self-performed activities, the club also helps members bond and support each other through life's joys and sorrows. It's noteworthy that the Trung Do Ward Folk Song Club, despite being newly established, consistently leads in city-organized folk song festivals and competitions. However, besides financial difficulties, the club needs to teach traditional folk songs; receive training in composing new songs; and be provided with music books and VCDs about Nghe An folk songs.

Ms. Bich Tuyen's concerns are shared by many folk song clubs in Vinh City. The Vinh Tan Ward Folk Song Club, established in April 2010, has attracted over 100 members. Since its inception, the club has not only served at ward events but also participated in performances organized by the city and province, achieving high results. Furthermore, the club regularly collects, composes, and develops programs that promote the traditions of the homeland, such as lullabies, Xam singing, children's songs, ritual songs, ceremonial songs, gratitude songs, poetry recitation, reciting the Tale of Kieu, and Ca Tru singing.

Artistic programs deeply rooted in national cultural identity are regularly rehearsed and staged to serve major events and holidays organized by the ward and city. The songs and melodies of the club have become familiar and indispensable whenever the ward holds an event. However, the club currently operates on a seasonal basis, and composing new melodies is difficult due to the limited number of composers. The club urgently needs to update its knowledge and add new and traditional melodies; only then will its activities be rich, attractive, and engaging for young people to participate.

Mr. Nguyen Quang Vinh – Director of the Vinh City Center for Culture, Sports and Tourism – said: In recent years, the Center has specifically guided wards and communes in the city to establish folk song clubs, hoping that these clubs will be places for exchange and meeting of folk song enthusiasts, and also places for the older generation to pass on to the younger generation the simple, endearing, and soulful folk songs of Nghe An province. Besides introducing folk songs into schools, maintaining the activities of folk song clubs is the most sustainable and long-term approach to preserving and promoting folk songs in the community. In the future, the Vinh City Center for Culture, Sports and Tourism will continue to advise the City People's Committee on mechanisms and policies to support the clubs' operating costs; regularly invite artists from the Center for Preservation and Promotion of Nghe An Folk Song Heritage to teach folk melodies, and distribute VCDs of folk songs to the clubs.

Currently, the city hosts two main festivals annually: the Hong Son Temple Festival and the Quang Trung Temple Festival. To enrich the ceremonial activities, in 2015 we will organize an exchange of folk songs (ví and giặm) between clubs in the city and some folk song clubs from Nam Dan district and Cua Lo town – this can be considered a highlight in the series of tourism linkage activities between the three regions of Nam Dan – Vinh City – Cua Lo town. In addition, at historical sites such as Hong Son Temple and Quang Trung Temple, we will establish folk song performance teams to entertain tourists upon request.

With this approach, it is hoped that Vinh City will be the first locality to launch a program bringing folk songs to tourists through festival activities and performances at typical historical sites… And not only Vinh City, but many other localities in the province also need to have good and appropriate ways to ensure that folk songs will forever endure in the hearts of every citizen...

Thanh Thuy