Nghe An strives to preserve and promote the folk song heritage of Vi and Giam.
On November 27, 2014, the Ví and Giặm folk songs of Nghe Tinh were recognized by UNESCO as a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity. After 10 years, the preservation and promotion of this folk song heritage in Nghe An province has been carried out comprehensively across many fields, creating a widespread impact within the community.
Multiple conservation solutions
Immediately after the Ví and Giặm folk songs were officially recognized asRepresentative Intangible Cultural Heritage of HumanityNghe An province has undertaken practical activities to preserve and promote the value of this cultural heritage. Notably, the Provincial People's Committee issued a Project on the Protection and Promotion of the Value of Vi and Giam Folk Songs for the period 2021-2025; accordingly, the Department of Culture and Sports, in coordination with local authorities, advised on and implemented the project's contents, including research, collection, inventory, documentation, and digitization of Vi and Giam folk songs; developing clubs and artisans; transmitting the heritage; and promoting its value.
Furthermore, the province also has special policies related to the protection and promotion of the value of the Ví and Giặm folk songs, such as Resolution 29/2021 of the Provincial People's Council, which stipulates support policies for artisans and clubs in the field of intangible cultural heritage and artists working at the Provincial Traditional Arts Center. This contributes to encouraging and motivating the active role of artisans and clubs in preserving and promoting heritage, including the Ví and Giặm folk songs of Nghe Tinh.
According to Resolution 29/2021 of the Provincial People's Council, when artisans are awarded the titles of People's Artisan or Distinguished Artisan by the President of Vietnam, in addition to the benefits they are entitled to, the province will provide an additional support of VND 1,500,000/person/month for People's Artisans and VND 1,000,000/person/month for Distinguished Artisans. For clubs dedicated to preserving and promoting intangible cultural heritage, the province will provide VND 30,000,000/club for newly established clubs to purchase musical instruments, props, and for performances; and support for operating expenses of VND 5,000,000/club/year.
From 82 folk song clubs at the end of 2014, the province now has 140 folk song clubs in 20 districts, cities, and towns, with a total of over 3,000 members. In addition, the province has 48 folk song artists who have been awarded the title of "Outstanding Artist" by the President of Vietnam, and one artist who has been awarded the title of "People's Artist".
In many localities, the activities of folk song clubs specializing in the Ví and Giặm styles have been very vibrant, making a positive contribution to the local cultural and artistic movement. Ms. Hoang Thi Hoai Thanh, Head of the Culture and Information Department of Hung Nguyen District, said: “The entire district currently has 16 Nghệ Tĩnh Ví and Giặm folk song clubs. Most clubs are operating well, capable of social mobilization, performing for tourism, and also receiving attention from the local government. In addition to the 5 million VND/year support from the province, Hung Nguyen district allocates an additional 3 million VND/year from its budget to support the folk song clubs. Some clubs in the communes of Hung Tan, Chau Nhan, Hung Dao, Hung Thinh… also receive support from the communes ranging from 2-3 million VND/year.”
Among these, the Hung Tan Commune Folk Song Club is one of the earliest established and most active. From an initial 20 members in 2013, the club now has 35 members, meeting once a month. From 2012 to the present, the Hung Tan Commune Folk Song Club has won 2 first prizes, 1 second prize, and 1 third prize at the Nghe Tinh Folk Song Festivals. In addition, the club actively collaborates with the Mobile Information Team to teach folk songs to primary and secondary school students in the area.
"The most meaningful thing is that we have passed on our love for folk songs to the younger generation, so that the precious spiritual and cultural heritage of our nation can be preserved and developed," shared Phan Dang Minh, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Hung Tan Commune and Head of the Club.
In Do Luong district, Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh Quang - Vice Chairman of the District People's Committee, said that in recent years, the District People's Committee has directed communes to establish and strengthen the Nghe Tinh folk song clubs, with appropriate support policies; encouraging outstanding artisans and club members to compose new lyrics and teach folk songs to the younger generation...
To date, Do Luong has 18 folk song clubs, each with 20-30 members, creating a widespread network of folk singing from the district to the grassroots level, extending to agencies and schools, with many vibrant and practical activities, such as the folk song clubs in Boi Son, Tan Son, and Giang Son Dong communes…
Along with the activities of folk song clubs, the role of artisans and exemplary cultural figures cannot be overlooked, with their tireless efforts in transmitting the Ví and Giặm folk songs. These include People's Artist Võ Thị Hồng Vân from Ngọc Sơn commune, Thanh Chương district, who for many years has run free folk song classes at her home, attracting a large number of students from Thanh Chương district; Meritorious Artist Cao Xuân Thưởng (Điện Châu). People's Artist Võ Thị Hồng Vân has hundreds of works of various sizes and genres: solo singing, duet singing, performance, short plays, dramas, and musical dramas... based on the Ví and Giặm folk songs of Nghệ Tĩnh; and Mr. Biện Ngọc Khánh, a music teacher and head of the Youth Union at Vinh Tân Primary School (Vinh City), who has made significant contributions to introducing Ví and Giặm folk songs into schools.
Creating a performance space for folk songs and dances.
According to People's Artist Trinh Thi Hong Luu – former Director of the Traditional Arts Center of Nghe An province – like other forms of intangible cultural heritage, the Vi and Giam folk songs of Nghe Tinh belong to the community, live within the community, and are preserved and promoted by the community. Currently, the spaces for practicing the Vi and Giam folk song heritage are relatively diverse, such as in community gatherings, Vi and Giam folk song festivals, and tourist destinations...
For example, at the Kim Lien National Special Historical Site, since 2015, the inclusion of Vi and Giam folk songs in tourist performances has been a regular practice, creating a positive impression on visitors. In Vinh City, since 2022, Vi and Giam folk song performances have been organized on pedestrian streets, creating an interesting highlight every weekend.
In particular, since 2022, the Provincial Traditional Arts Center has organized performances of the Ví and Giặm folk songs, aiming to integrate folk music into the vibrant performance environment of people's lives. To date, the Center has organized more than 20 folk song performances at Ho Chi Minh Square (Vinh City), attracting considerable public attention.
However, even after 10 years since the recognition of Ví and Giặm folk songs as a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity, the preservation and promotion of this heritage form still face many difficulties and challenges. The quality of activities in Ví and Giặm folk song clubs is uneven; many clubs operate sporadically and disjointedly due to a lack of attention and support from local authorities. The number of people participating in writing lyrics for Ví and Giặm folk songs is decreasing. A significant portion of the younger generation is no longer interested in folk songs in general and Ví and Giặm folk songs in particular; the integration of folk songs into schools has not been implemented in a coordinated manner.
In particular, to date, despite many efforts by relevant sectors and localities, the folk singing style of Ví and Giặm has not yet become a distinctive tourism product of Nghe An. In recent years, the Department of Culture has been planning to organize live performance shows associated with Ví and Giặm folk singing at the Kim Lien historical site andNghe An MuseumThe idea was intended to serve tourists, but for various reasons, it has yet to become a reality.
In the coming period, along with continuing to implement the project to protect and promote the value of the Ví and Giặm folk song heritage for the period 2021-2025, the Department of Culture and Sports will continue to advise and submit to the Provincial People's Committee for promulgation the Project to protect and promote the value of the Ví and Giặm folk song heritage for the period 2026-2030, focusing on further promoting research, collection, and documentation of Nghệ Tĩnh Ví and Giặm folk song melodies; promoting the role of the community through organizing teaching classes in the community, developing a network of clubs at the grassroots level and among artisans; developing a network and providing cultural services and products associated with Nghệ Tĩnh Ví and Giặm folk songs at tourist areas and in the community… so that the Ví and Giặm folk song heritage will forever remain a source in the flow of contemporary culture.
Mr. Bui Cong Vinh – Deputy Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of Nghe An Province.
