To spread and preserve folk songs
From November 23 to 30, Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces will host activities to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam folk songs being recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. On this occasion, Nghe An Newspaper had an interview with Ms. Tran Thi My Hanh - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of Nghe An province about related issues.
Minh Quan(Perform) • November 23, 2024
From November 23 to 30, in Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces, activities will take place to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam folk songs being recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity. On this occasion, Nghe An Newspaper had an interview with Ms. Tran Thi My Hanh - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of Nghe An province about related issues.
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PV: Madam, 10 years ago, on November 27, 2014, at the 9th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO held in Paris, France, the Nghe Tinh folk songs were officially recognized by UNESCO as a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity. Could you please tell us about the significance of this event?
Ms. Tran Thi My Hanh:Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam folk songs are an art form that occupies an important position in the cultural life of the people of Nghe An. This art form is popular in the lives of communities, expressed in almost all daily activities, in labor and production such as lulling children to sleep, planting rice, weaving, chopping wood... The lyrics of Vi and Giam folk songs praise profound and traditional values such as respect for parents, loyalty, devotion to others as well as praise honesty and good behavior between people. Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam folk songs are widely circulated in villages, hamlets, residential areas of the two provinces of Nghe An and Ha Tinh, occupying an important position in the cultural life of local people, creating a unique identity of the culture of the people here.
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The year 2014 is a special milestone in the long journey of forming, preserving and promoting the Vi and Giam folk songs of Nghe An with the title of Representative Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. That recognition not only honors the stature and cultural values of regional identity, the soul of Nghe Tinh - the source of the love of the land and people of Nghe An, but also honors generations of Nghe Tinh people who have created and nurtured a cultural heritage that has gone down in human history. Since then, Vi and Giam has entered a new page, being cared for, preserved and promoted properly.
PV:Over the past 10 years, Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam folk songs were recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. What efforts have both Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces made to preserve and promote the value of this heritage?
Ms. Tran Thi My Hanh:The journey of nearly 10 years since being honored is not long, but the Provincial Party Committee, Provincial People's Committee, Department of Culture and Sports of Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces, and local authorities have paid great attention and coordinated many activities to preserve and promote the value of Vi and Giam folk song heritage. Particularly in Nghe An province, state management of cultural heritage in general and Vi and Giam folk songs in particular has been focused on. In 2021, the project "Protecting and promoting the value of the heritage of Vi and Giam folk songs of Nghe Tinh province, Nghe An province, period 2021 - 2025" was issued by the Provincial People's Committee, creating conditions for the implementation of tasks and practical solutions for the development of the heritage. Also in 2021, support policies for clubs and artisans who have been awarded the title of People's Artisan, Meritorious Artisan in general and the field of Vi and Giam folk song heritage in particular were issued and implemented.
Along with that is the attention to implementing activities to preserve and promote the value of Vi and Giam folk song heritage at the grassroots level and in the community. From 2014 to now, the whole province has established 50 new Vi and Giam folk song clubs, bringing the total number of clubs to 140 clubs with nearly 3,000 members, of all professions and ages participating in activities. The heritage practice area has been expanded to highland districts such as: Con Cuong, Tuong Duong, Ky Son, Quy Hop, Quy Chau, Que Phong. Up to now, 21/21 districts, cities and towns in the province have Vi and Giam folk song clubs. In addition, the whole province currently has 42 folk artists awarded by the Vietnam Folk Arts Association; 52 excellent artists and 1 people's artist awarded by the President. Vi and Giam folk song clubs and Vi and Giam folk song artists all enjoy support policies from the province and the State according to regulations.
Heritage teaching is regularly carried out in many forms: Activities in families, communities and clubs; organizing teaching in high schools; training in colleges of culture and arts; teaching singing on radio and television; training for teachers and clubs in districts, cities, towns... Heritage research and documentation work is also focused on with over 50 articles on theory, music, scripts for adaptation of Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam folk songs, 3 scientific documentaries, 3 reports on heritage preservation and promotion, 01 scientific research topic on performance space in Vi and Giam folk songs; 2 scientific seminars "What is the future for Vi and Giam" and "50 years of Nghe Tinh folk drama - integration and development trends"...
In the work of propaganda and promotion of heritage, from 2014 to now, the province has organized 3 inter-provincial Vi and Giam folk song festivals and especially the Vi and Giam folk song festival in 2023; built specialized pages, columns, wrote articles, reported on Vi and Giam folk songs on websites, on mass media; coordinated to build reports, documentaries, release CDs, VCDs of music about Vi and Giam folk songs... Vi and Giam folk songs also participate in exchanges and performances at festivals, festivals, festivals... of provinces and cities across the country. Some artists have joined the province's working delegation to exchange and perform art in European and Southeast Asian countries...
On the other hand, the cultural sector has also promoted the dramatization of Vi and Giam folk songs on the Nghe Tinh theater stage, bringing folk drama closer to the masses. The plays “Sang Mai Niem Tin”, “Dieu Con Re”, “Hoa Lua Truong Bon”, “Canh Co Trong Bao”… of the Nghe An Traditional Arts Center have successfully experimented with the dramatization of Nghe Tinh folk songs and served the people’s need to enjoy art. Many plays and programs have won high prizes in national professional art competitions.
In general, through these activities of the Culture sector from the province to the grassroots, Vi and Giam are increasingly directly associated with the daily life of the people of Nghe An, creating vitality and spreading widely in the community. In particular, the role of the community in protecting and promoting Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam folk songs is increasingly promoted.
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PV:Although certain achievements have been made, the preservation and promotion of the value of the folk heritage of Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam still faces many difficulties and challenges?
Ms. Tran Thi My Hanh:Nowadays, the ancient folk melodies (original) as well as the performance methods of Vi and Giam folk songs are gradually fading away in the community. The number of folk artists who hold and practice the ancient melodies is decreasing due to old age, not having enough strength to practice and teach. Besides, the young generation is not enthusiastic about this type of heritage, so the inheritance is not much. Some practitioners today do not have a firm grasp of the performance techniques and content of traditional melodies. The environment and performance space have changed, there are no longer conditions to practice the ancient melodies. The adaptation or "composition" without a firm grasp of the ancient melodies has changed, even distorted the heritage.
In addition, propaganda and promotion of Vi and Giam folk songs on online platforms and through cultural exchange activities inside and outside the province and abroad are still limited, not creating a widespread spread. Mobilizing socialized funds for cultural and artistic activities in general, and Vi and Giam folk songs in particular, is still limited, mainly depending on the state budget.
PV: To preserve the Vi and Giam cultural heritage with the nation and human culture, what solutions do we need in the coming time, Madam?
Ms. Tran Thi My Hanh:In the coming time, Nghe An province will evaluate the implementation of the Project on Protecting and Promoting the Value of Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam Folk Song Heritage in Nghe An province for the period 2021-2025 and submit to the Prime Minister for approval the Project on Protecting and Promoting the Value of Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam Folk Song Heritage in Nghe An province for the period 2026-2030, thereby mobilizing resources (funding, facilities, human resources...) for the work of preserving and promoting the value of cultural heritage, including Vi and Giam folk song heritage.
The province will focus on effectively implementing short-term and long-term policies and plans on preserving and promoting the values of Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam folk songs, such as: Completing and putting into use the Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam folk song theater; support policies for artists and Vi and Giam folk song clubs; incorporating the plan for preserving and promoting Nghe Tinh folk songs into socio-economic planning, building tourism infrastructure associated with Vi and Giam folk songs; continuing to propagate and educate to raise awareness among all classes of people about the values of Nghe Tinh folk songs and the community's responsibility in preserving and promoting heritage.
In addition, promote the development of the network of Vi and Giam folk song clubs in each village and hamlet; maintain the organization of Vi and Giam folk song festivals and competitions every year. Continue to effectively implement activities to teach Vi and Giam folk songs in the community and other appropriate forms. Focus on restoring the performance space of Vi and Giam folk songs, prioritize the restoration and transmission of traditional songs and performance forms that have been lost, and at the same time encourage self-composed works. Develop plays and performance programs of theater troupes to serve political tasks in the province, perform, introduce and promote Nghe Tinh folk songs in other provinces and cities in the country and internationally.
Another important solution is to develop Vi and Giam folk songs into a typical tourism product of Nghe An in many forms: Strengthening propaganda and promotion of Vi and Giam folk songs of Nghe Tinh through the Internet and social networking systems. Creating and posting videos, images... performing Vi and Giam folk songs of Nghe Tinh on various online platforms (YouTube channels, websites, fanpages...) to promote worldwide. Developing a network, providing services and cultural products of Vi and Giam folk songs of Nghe Tinh in tourist areas and spots; selecting and investing in building brands for Vi and Giam and local tourism brands associated with Vi and Giam...
PV:On this occasion, what notable activities will there be in the two provinces of Nghe An and Ha Tinh to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Vi and Giam folk songs being honored by UNESCO, Madam?
Ms. Tran Thi My Hanh:Activities to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Vi and Giam folk songs being recognized by UNESCO took place from November 23 to 30, in which, in Nghe An province, there were 2 main activities, including: The 10th anniversary of Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam folk songs being recognized by UNESCO and the exhibition "Colors of cultural heritage, nature and traditional handicrafts of Vietnam". In addition, there were also special activities such as: Traditional folk art festival "Vietnam - colors of heritage"; Awarding ceremony of the contest of composing lyrics for Vi and Giam folk songs; Exhibition of light sculpture art; Exhibition of "Vietnamese Ao Dai"; art exchange programs.
In Ha Tinh province, there are activities including: Festival "Returning to the Vi and Giam region - Connecting the quintessence of heritage" and TV bridge of the art program "Two banks of Vi and Giam"; Festival of Vietnam's intangible cultural heritage recognized by UNESCO and National Conference - Workshop to evaluate the work of preserving and promoting the value of Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam folk heritage.
PV:Thank you for this conversation!
