Like seeing the homeland through folk songs

(Baonghean) - Maybe you don't like the folk songs of your homeland, or you've never heard a full verse. But it's very possible that everything will change if one day you're lost in a strange land with faces you've never known and suddenly hear a folk song of your homeland in the wind. You'll want to cry because you've found a familiarity somewhere in a faraway land.

I can no longer remember how many times I have listened to the folk songs of Nghe An. And when I am in high spirits, I can even "confess" a few verses of the verses so that my spiritual life is not too monotonous and boring. However, it seems that all of this is simply to affirm my "knowledge" of one of the most unique spiritual heritages of my homeland. Only when I cross the border, a stranger in a strange place, do I suddenly love and miss the folk songs strangely. That feeling kept haunting me during a long business trip to Laos and Thailand organized by the Provincial People's Committee in the first weeks of September. This is the second time since 2014 that the Nghe An Provincial People's Committee has carried out tourism promotion activities in Laos and Thailand.

This activity aims to open up the tourism corridor along the road: Nghe An - Laos - Northeast Thailand. Coincidentally, the delegation was accompanied by artists from the Center for Preservation and Promotion of Nghe An Folk Heritage. Those working in Nghe An culture want to once again introduce and promote the unique spiritual cultural heritage of their homeland.

Artists from the Center for Conservation and Promotion of Nghe Tinh Folk Song Heritage performed at the Conference to promote and develop Vietnam - Laos - Thailand road and air tourism routes in Khon Ken (Thailand), September 2015.

That morning when we were present at the large hall of Kosa Hotel in the center of Khon Kaen City - Khon Kaen Province (Khon Ken - Thailand) to attend the Conference on Promoting Tourism Routes, we saw a lot of people waiting and welcoming the group. They were businessmen, representatives of travel agencies and especially many overseas Vietnamese and Vietnamese workers who are doing business and living in Khon Kaen. Everyone was amazed when they saw the artists from their homeland with turbans, brown ao sang and many props brought from the country.

In the space filled with golden sunshine in the Northeast of the Kingdom of Pagodas, everyone was filled with emotions when they listened to the folk songs of their homeland. Many people were in tears when they heard, saw, and directly enjoyed the folk songs of their homeland for the first time. It seems that deep in the hearts of many people, somewhere, the two words "homeland" still echo, even though they are the 3rd or 4th generation born and raised in the land once called "Siam".

Among the people who were watching the artists perform and wiping away tears, I saw a man around 60 years old. A bit shyly, he said it had been a long time since he had been able to directly participate in a folk song party in his hometown. His name is Praset, his Vietnamese name is Nguyen Van Be, originally from Duc Tho district, Ha Tinh province, who evacuated to Thailand in 1970. Mr. Be said that every time he heard the folk songs and the Vi tunes, he felt a deep, lingering nostalgia for his homeland. Sharing the same sentiment, Mr. Meky - Le Van Van, a businessman specializing in the production and trading of household goods in Khon Ken shared: Although he had heard and known about Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam folk songs recognized by UNESCO as a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity, only when he directly interacted with the artists could he fully understand the love, the meaning, the deep affection of his fatherland.

On the late afternoon bus of the Nghe An delegation to the Vietnamese Association of Khon Ken province, I sat next to Meritorious Artist Hong Duong - Center for Preservation and Promotion of Nghe An Folk Heritage, he confided that only when going abroad and meeting overseas Vietnamese can he see the meaning of what he does. Artist Hong Duong also recalled a memory in 2014, when he and the artists of the center performed for the Vietnamese community in Sakon Phanom, one of the places with the largest concentration of overseas Vietnamese in Thailand. At that time, he and People's Artist Hong Luu went to the market and were unexpectedly "discovered" and surrounded by the people. In response to everyone's enthusiastic requests, among the stalls with meat and fish, the two artists sang with all their love in the vi verses for the people. “After decades of singing folk songs, standing under the stage lights, that was the first time I sang in the middle of the market. I sang passionately and forgot everything” - Meritorious Artist Hong Duong said.

Artist Thien Hue receives affection from overseas Vietnamese.

Artists bringing their voices to serve Vietnamese people abroad is not a new thing, especially now that traveling between countries is not too difficult. However, singing Nghe Tinh folk songs in other countries to promote the land and people of Nghe An is still a new activity. Artist Thien Hue said that since birth, she has been "infected" with the folk songs of her homeland and the folk songs and vi songs have permeated her without her knowing. Thien Hue has worked and contributed for 10 years at the Center for Preservation and Promotion of Nghe An Folk Song and Giam Heritage. This is the first time the girl with that gentle smile has performed abroad. "I don't know, bro. In the country, I have performed on stage many times in front of thousands of people, but I am not as nervous and emotional as I am here. The people love and care for me very much. Maybe that's why I sing more emotionally" - Thien Hue shared.

Among the group of artists performing for the people in Khon Ken province, perhaps artist Minh Thong has the most profound memories of the days of touring in Thailand. The thing is, that day before the performance, Minh Thong had a severe stomachache. Everyone had to take him to the emergency room at Khon Ken Provincial Hospital. Not wanting to affect the whole group because of himself, Minh Thong still tried to get up that evening with the other artists to perform for the overseas Vietnamese. He said that he did not want to disappoint the expectations of the people for their homeland through their songs.

Currently, there are about 100,000 overseas Vietnamese and Vietnamese workers living and working in Thailand. Of which, the Northeast region of Thailand has about 60,000 people. What is special is that the Vietnamese community in the Northeast region of Thailand mainly has its homeland and roots in the Central region of our country. Therefore, people understand and love more the folk songs of the harsh, windy and sunny Central region, and Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam folk songs are no exception. The love of overseas Vietnamese for Vi and Giam verses also comes from the nature of Nghe An folk songs, which are the hearts of generations of children on the Lam Hong strip of land sent to the country; the lyrics and singing originate from labor production, from the salty drops of sweat. Mr. Cao Van Hoi, also known by his Thai name Naixomphon Daochon, a member of the Vietnamese Association in Khon Ken province, said that his hometown is Ha Nam province, but every time he listens to Nghe Tinh folk songs, he cannot help but feel moved. He hopes that Nghe An folk artists will come to Khon Ken more often so that people can be closer to their homeland.

Mr. Nguyen An Ninh, Head of the Traditional Folk Song Troupe - Center for Preservation and Promotion of Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam Folk Song Heritage, said that since Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam Folk Songs were recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, the center has been able to perform abroad 5 times for our compatriots. Wherever the troupe went, they were warmly welcomed by overseas Vietnamese. Mr. Nguyen An Ninh also said that on September 30, 5 artists from Nghe An began their journey to bring their hometown folk songs to serve compatriots in Australia. Joining this tour were People's Artist Hong Luu and Meritorious Artist Tien Dung. "That shows how strong the vitality and influence of Nghe An folk songs are" - Mr. Nguyen An Ninh shared.

Article and photos:Dao Tuan