Nghe An strives to promote traditional cultural values ​​of festivals

PV:Sir, for many years, traditional festivals have been considered a bridge connecting the past with the present, one of the traditional and cultural educational environments of the nation, and a legitimate spiritual need of the people. So, could you tell us specifically about the nature and role of festivals in today's life?

Mr. Bui Cong Vinh:In the treasure trove of intangible cultural heritage, festivals are a popular type of cultural heritage, imbued with national identity, consisting of two parts: the ceremony and the festival.

The ceremony with worship rituals and religious practices shows respect, gratitude to the gods and prays for blessings and protection for good crops and a peaceful and happy life... The festival is the space and time for cultural, religious and artistic activities of the community.

With unique activities of high collective nature, each festival has its own typical features and contains many beautiful cultural values, imbued with national identity. Each festival is directed towards a character (or a group of characters) considered sacred, needing to be respected, grateful, and remembered by future generations through many activities. These are famous generals, good mandarins who have made many contributions to protecting the country and protecting the people, worshiped in relics. Sometimes they are human gods, but there are also many relics worshiping natural gods, who are characters who have made many contributions to the construction of the homeland, in labor production, and closely associated with people's lives.

Therefore, the festival is an opportunity for people to express their gratitude and honor the merits of the gods and national heroes. From there, it helps educate generations of people to imbue them with the morality of "drinking water, remembering its source", "eating fruit, remembering the person who planted the tree", raising community awareness, strengthening solidarity, attachment, mutual love, and helping each other in the community.

Festivals are cultural products that have crystallized over a long period of time in the historical process of the community. They are a bridge between the past and the present, helping today's generation understand the contributions of their ancestors and be more proud of the traditions of their homeland and country. Festivals also help to unite the community, contributing to effectively building a grassroots cultural lifestyle.

Therefore, preserving and promoting traditional festival cultural heritage is an important and urgent task contributing to preserving a culture imbued with national identity so that culture becomes a goal and driving force for sustainable socio-economic development.

PV:Nghe An is a land with a rich culture and history, a large area with full sea, plains and mountains, a large population with 6 ethnic groups living together; therefore, Nghe An has many traditional festivals with strong regional nuances. Can you explain more about this?

Mr. Bui Cong Vinh:According to the inventory of intangible cultural heritage for the period 2011 - 2021, Nghe An province has 78 traditional festivals, mainly taking place in communes, hamlets, villages, and hamlets... with limited space and scale.

There are 9 festival heritages that have been recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as National Intangible Cultural Heritage, including: Chin Gian Temple Festival (Que Phong district), Con Temple Festival (Hoang Mai town), Thanh Liet Temple Festival (Hung Nguyen district), Qua Son Temple Festival (Do Luong district), Ong Hoang Muoi Temple Festival (Hung Nguyen district), Bach Ma Temple Festival (Thanh Chuong district), Xang Khan Festival of the Thai ethnic group in Western Nghe An, Yen Luong Temple Festival (Cua Lo town) and Nguyen Canh Hoan Temple Festival (Do Luong district).

Like many other places, traditional festivals in Nghe An mainly take place in the first 3 months of the year, a few take place at the end of the year. Spring is the season when farming is quite leisurely and is also the beginning season, so people hold festivals to pray for a year of favorable weather, calm seas, and favorable business and farming...

Along with traditional festivals, cultural festivals, village festivals, clan festivals, the procession of the Certificate of Recognition of Historical - Cultural Relics, cultural titles, folk rituals of ethnic minorities associated with customs and practices of the ethnic groups have been restored and organized by the people, contributing to the development of cultural life at the grassroots level.

PV:How do you evaluate the management and organization of festivals in the province in recent years? At the same time, could you tell us about the plan to organize the festival in 2024?

Mr. Bui Cong Vinh:In recent years, especially since Decree No. 110/2018/ND-CP dated August 29, 2018 of the Government took effect, the management and organization of festivals in Nghe An has received attention from authorities at all levels, management and guidance of professional agencies, so basically festivals rarely have negative phenomena affecting the cultural environment of festivals. Entertainment activities in festivals basically ensure the requirements of traditional customs, suitable for the cultural space of the festival, contributing to creating a joyful and exciting atmosphere.

Many traditional rituals and customs of Nghe An people are expressed in traditional festivals, making the festivals bear the mark of the region, becoming unique features that attract a large number of people to participate and enjoy. Through organizing festivals, creating cultural exchanges, contributing to promoting the traditional culture of the nation, the image of the homeland and people of Nghe An.

However, besides the positive aspects, traditional festival activities in Nghe An still have some shortcomings and limitations. Festival culture in the province is diverse in terms of regional, ethnic identity, but some festivals, especially festivals in the plains, are mostly organized according to a common pattern, with overlapping scenarios; in-depth study, research, and exploitation of festival features and cultural identities of each locality to create differences in festivals and highlight festivals have not been thoroughly implemented. Commercial - tourism activities, services for visitors associated with festival organization are still monotonous, not attractive to tourists.

The work of propagating and mobilizing people to comply with regulations, preserve the dignity of places of worship, environmental sanitation... has not been thorough. Therefore, the awareness of complying with regulations and festival regulations, preserving the dignity of places of worship, and environmental sanitation of some festival participants is not high. There are still situations of jostling and pushing during festivals, inappropriately dressed festival goers, littering causing environmental pollution; the situation of soliciting to sell offerings, writing petitions, reading fortunes...

In order to effectively and efficiently implement state management of festivals, the Department of Culture and Sports issued Notice No. 176/TB-SVHTT dated January 16, 2024 onFestival organization plan 2024Accordingly, in 2024, the whole province will have 27 festivals included in the management list, of which 21 festivals take place in the spring (lunar January - March), the rest take place at other times of the year (from lunar April - October). Localities will have specific plans for each festival to ensure organization according to the principles prescribed by law, which are solemn, practical, effective, suitable to the scale and content of the festival.

Previously, the Department also advised the Provincial People's Committee to issue Official Dispatch No. 164/UBND-VX dated January 9, 2024 on strengthening the management and organization of festivals in 2024, thereby requiring provincial departments, branches, sectors, and organizations; People's Committees of districts, cities, and towns; People's Committees of communes, wards, and towns with festival activities to strictly implement the Government's regulations on festival management and organization; ensure that festival activities are organized solemnly, in accordance with traditional rituals, practically, safely, economically, in accordance with civilized lifestyle, preserving and promoting the cultural traditions of the nation and good customs and practices of the locality.

PV: To effectively manage festivals and overcome the above limitations, what solutions do we need, sir?

Mr. Bui Cong Vinh:In order for the festival to be a cultural space to help people have moments of relaxation, contemplation, and enjoyment of healthy spiritual rituals, thereby guiding people to good things, arousing pride and awareness of good traditional cultural values, the Department of Culture and Sports will strengthen coordination with localities in directing, managing and guiding all festival activities.

In particular, focusing on propaganda and introduction of the festival, ensuring both promoting the unique features of the festival and raising awareness of people when participating in the festival. Strengthening the mobilization of people and tourists participating in the festival, especially service businesses at the festival, to be aware of environmental protection, protection of relics, civilized behavior in spiritual activities, festivals, not forcing prices, not soliciting customers.

In addition, strengthen inspection, examination and supervision before, during and after the organization of festivals, promptly prevent and strictly handle violations, especially acts of taking advantage of relics and festivals for personal gain, inciting violence, illegally circulating and trading cultural products; do not let the organization of star offering and bad luck removal transform into profiteering services at festivals and relics, especially at the beginning of the year; prevent acts of taking advantage of festivals for illegal profits, resolutely do not allow acts of jostling, fighting, superstitious activities, disguised gambling, begging, small change exchange services for profit; excessive sound volume, chaotic situations in ritual practices at relics and festivals, widespread festival organization causing waste and expense, violating regulations on implementing civilized lifestyle.

In the long term, the Department of Culture and Sports will focus on supporting localities in teaching and practicing traditional religious rituals so that they are not lost; building research programs and projects on traditional festivals in a systematic and in-depth manner as a basis for activities to preserve, maintain and promote festival heritage; focusing on training for relic management staff, festival organization staff, improving the management and organizational capacity of grassroots cultural staff.

Mr. Bui Cong Vinh - Deputy Director of Department of Culture and Sports

PV: Thank you for the interview!