Aspiration to spread Vi and Giam folk songs

Contribute efforts to keep folk songs alive

For those who love Vi and Giam folk songs in the "nut land" of Thanh Chuong, everyone knows about the Ngoc Son Commune Folk Song Club - the earliest established and most active grassroots Vi and Giam Folk Song Club not only in Thanh Chuong district but also in Nghe An province. The person who has led the club for more than 14 years since its establishment is Ms. Vo Thi Hong Van - the only artist in the field of intangible cultural heritage of Nghe An province to be awarded the titlePeople's Artist

Born in 1965 in a farming family in Ngoc Son commune, Vo Thi Hong Van was already a famous local artist since she was a little girl studying at the village school. In 1985, Vo Thi Hong Van was selected by the Thanh Chuong District Cultural Center to join the district's mass art troupe. In 1987, she was selected by the Nghe Tinh Folk Song Theater. But that year, her father died in an accident. As the eldest sister in a large family (after Van, there were 6 younger siblings), Van had to put her dream aside, return to her hometown to farm and nurture her passion for folk songs through local art activities.

In early 2009, Ms. Vo Thi Hong Van proposed to the Center for Culture - Information (now the Center for Culture - Sports and Communication) of Thanh Chuong district and the Party Committee and People's Committee of Ngoc Son commune to allow the establishment of the Folk Song Club of Ngoc Son commune.

In July 2009, the club was launched with 24 members. In addition to singing together to satisfy their passion for Vi and Giam folk songs, the club also helps communes, districts, agencies, units, and schools write scripts and stage propaganda programs on major holidays, traffic safety, population, drug prevention, etc. to have more funds for operations. Not only that, the club also actively participates in festivals and competitions of Vi and Giam folk songs of Nghe Tinh in districts and provinces and often wins high prizes.

In addition to maintaining the activities of the Ngoc Son Commune Vi and Giam Folk Song Club, Ms. Van also regularly opens free folk singing classes at home. Every summer, her class has about 20-30 students. Recently, Ms. Van has also actively participated in activities to promote the Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam folk song heritage in provinces and cities across the country.

In 2022, she and representatives of folk song clubs in the province went to Bac Ninh province to meet and exchange with the Lien Anh and Lien Chi Quan Ho singers of Diem village (Hoa Phong commune, Yen Phong district) and Hoai Thi village (Lien Bao commune, Tien Du district) to strengthen cooperation and friendship between the two heritage regions. In addition, she also took members of the Vi and Giam Folk Song Club of Ngoc Son commune to exchange in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Bac Giang province...

One of the activities that Ms. Van is most passionate about is campaigning to establish the Song Lam Thanh Chuong Vi and Giam Folk Song Club to create a larger playground for Vi and Giam folk song lovers in the district; creating a foundation for grassroots folk song clubs.

In 2015, Ms. Vo Thi Hong Van was one of the first 12 artisans in the province to be honored as a Meritorious Artisan. In September 2022, she was one of 64 Meritorious Artisans nationwide to be awarded the title of People's Artisan by the President. For many years, the artisan has lived simply in a small house about 2 km from Cau Ro intersection, in front of which is a small restaurant. This is also the meeting place of the Ngoc Son Commune Folk Song Club for 14 years now and is also where Ms. Van organizes free folk song classes.

“I just hope that folk songs like Vi and Giam -intangible cultural heritageof humanity always remains in the hearts of generations. Therefore, I always want to devote all my strength and enthusiasm to organizing meaningful activities to spread folk songs, vi, and giam more widely," People's Artist Vo Thi Hong Van confided.

Struggling to keep the "fire" of passion burning

Attending a meeting of the Vinh Tan Ward Vi and Giam Folk Song Club, one can see the pride of the members when participating in this club. Although the club members are from many different professions, from officials, teachers, traders, freelancers... and even students, they all have a passion for Vi and Giam folk songs and all want to contribute to the development of the movement. The person who plays an important role in keeping the flame of passion burning is Meritorious Artist Hoang Thi Cam Van - Club Manager.

Born in 1957 in Dong Hoi town, Quang Binh province, Ms. Hoang Thi Cam Van was introduced to Nghe Tinh folk songs through the military art movement. In 1995, after 20 years in the army as a medic, Ms. Van was discharged and followed her husband to live in Vinh Tan commune (now Vinh Tan ward, Vinh city).

Thanks to her enthusiasm and dynamism in local movements, she was trusted and elected by the people of the block to be the Head of the Women's Association of Phuc Tan hamlet (now Phuc Loc block, Vinh Tan ward). With a talent for singing and the enthusiasm of the women's association members, Ms. Van established the hamlet's art troupe, actively serving the people of the block and participating in performances at many local cultural and social events.

In 2011, following the city's policy, the Vinh Tan Ward Folk Song Club was established with the core being the Phuc Tan hamlet art troupe with 43 members. This is also the first Vi and Giam folk song club established in Vinh city. As the Club's Chairwoman, artist Hoang Thi Cam Van has researched and collected original melodies, staged programs, researched props, staged scenes for performances, and practiced singing for members...

In addition, to attract more young people to the club, Ms. Van also went to primary and secondary schools in the ward, coordinated with music teachers to find potential young singers, then went to the children's families to convince their parents to let them join the club.

Under the leadership of Ms. Hoang Thi Cam Van, the club regularly participates in many art programs and competitions in the city and province, bringing home many awards. In particular, through 4 Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam Folk Song Festivals in 2011, 2014, 2016 and 2018, the club won high prizes. In addition, the club is regularly invited to perform at cultural activities of the city such as night streets, walking streets; cultural exchange activities between Vinh city and districts and towns in the province and with sister localities at home and abroad.

In 2013, the Vinh Tan Ward Vi and Giam Folk Song Club was recognized as a provincial model. In 2015, artist Hoang Thi Cam Van was honored as an Excellent Artist. In the story, Ms. Van expressed her concern about maintaining and developing the Vinh Tan Ward Vi and Giam Folk Song Club in particular and preserving and promoting the value of Vi and Giam folk songs in general: “Compared to the original 40 members, the number of members of the club has gradually decreased, to only more than 30 members. The reason is that many people, although still passionate and dedicated to folk songs, are old and weak, so they cannot continue to participate, while attracting new members is becoming more and more difficult.

In addition, although the Provincial People's Council has issued a resolution on support policies for People's Artists, Meritorious Artists, and clubs in the field of intangible cultural heritage, implemented from January 1, 2022, up to now, folk song and Vi Giam clubs have not received support funding. Meanwhile, the club's funding mainly depends on the voluntary contributions of its members...".

"I always wonder how to raise funds for the club to have regular activities, and whether the young generation can still maintain their passion when they have to worry about their daily lives...", Ms. Hoang Thi Cam Van confided.