Promoting the value of folk songs and folk songs in the flow of human culture

Ho Duc Phoc - Provincial Party Secretary

(Baonghean) - Editor's note: In the joy not only of the Party Committee and people of Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces, but also of the entire Vietnamese nation when the Vi and Giam folk songs were recognized by UNESCO as a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity, comrade Ho Duc Phoc - Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee wrote a heartfelt article about this event. Nghe An Newspaper respectfully introduces it to readers.

The sound of the hammer knocking decided to inscribe the Vi and Giam folk songs of Vietnam into the List of Representative Heritage of Humanity by the Chairman of the Intergovernmental Committee of the 2003 UNESCO Convention, which is meaningful as the command to open the wide door of humanity, bringing our Vi and Giam folk songs to friends all over the world. From this sound of the hammer knocking, Vi and Giam folk songs officially merged into the flow of human culture, the image and position of the country, the homeland of Nghe An was raised to a new height so that we can truly join hands with the whole world to preserve and promote the heritage.

Artists instruct students of Ha Huy Tap Secondary School (Vinh City) to sing folk songs. Photo: Tran Hai

We are truly proud of the folk songs and melodies of our homeland that have existed forever in this land of much sun and rain. And it is even more precious that the Nghe people have a heavy accent but clear words, which sounds like "stuttering", but the folk songs are smooth, profound, passionate, loyal, sincere, close, and full of love. Some cultural researchers ask the question: Is it because the lives of the Nghe people are hard that they always wish for and strive for good things and have put them into the folk songs and melodies? That - can be said to be a characteristic of the folk songs and melodies of Nghe. Musician Nguyen Trong Tao once commented: "The impression of Nghe Tinh folk songs is profound, sometimes harsh and bumpy, but the emotions are deep and rich in lyricism. If you listen to the labor songs in Nghe Tinh folk songs, you will see optimism. For example, in the wood-pulling songs, boat-pushing songs... the character of Nghe people appears: although hard-working and arduous, they are full of optimism."

Contained within the folk songs, folk songs, and folk songs are deep feelings, responsibility, and loyalty, like in the mountain climbing songs: I heard that your headache has not yet improved/ I crossed the mountain to pick leaves for you to burn/ How can we be worthy of being husband and wife… Or like the lyrics in Angry but Loving: I love you, my parents beat me with a hundred whips/ But when it's over, I stand up/ But I am determined to love you… In reality, folk songs and folk songs are composed, supplemented, and edited by different classes of people to suit each period. Therefore, we can see the refined, smooth, and subtle ways of speaking, carrying simple but also "very Nghe" expressions, which have created the uniqueness, distinction, and commonality of folk songs and folk songs of Nghe Tinh. Over time, there have been ups and downs, but the rich treasure of folk songs and folk songs has always been passed down by generations of Nghe people.

The persistence of Nghe Tinh folk songs and folk songs is due to their creation and refinement from working life. It can be said that Nghe Tinh folk songs contain unique characteristics and ways of thinking, aesthetic views, Nghe people's qualities, human ethics, ways of dealing with others, attitudes towards good and evil, or expressing human feelings... of a geographical area - population. We can see in them the scenery of the countryside with banyan trees, wells, communal houses, harvest fields, or silk spinning and weaving sessions, the teachings of our ancestors, philosophies of life that create a moral foundation, in love between couples, in the fire of fighting to repel invaders. It is these folk songs and folk songs that have encouraged people and soldiers to strengthen national unity, fostering the spirit of courage and creativity in studying, working, producing, and fighting. That is also one of the factors that makes the folk songs of Vi and Dam last forever and is also one of the reasons why UNESCO recognized it as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

International delegates congratulated the Vietnamese delegation when Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam folk songs were recognized as a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity. Photo: NT

We are proud that Vi and Dam folk songs are honored by the whole world, demonstrating their strong and lasting vitality and impressive integration into world culture. But that also poses a challenge for the Party, government and people of Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces in the work of preserving and promoting the value of folk songs in the new era. Through many periods, due to war as well as social changes, the treasure of Vi and Dam folk songs has been somewhat lost. Previous research works by Associate Professor Ninh Viet Giao - who has been involved in collecting and researching Vi and Giam folk songs for many years, pointed out: "The treasure trove of Vi and Giam folk songs in the past was very rich, from hundreds of years of history, there have been countless songs sung, but because the form of Vi and Giam folk songs is to respond to working life, there are very few documents that fully record all of these songs. Also because the form of transmission is oral, currently, the remaining Vi and Giam songs are only a small part of the very rich treasure trove of Vi and Giam folk songs of Nghe An".

Many dedicated researchers of Vi and Dam folk songs such as Le Ham, Thanh Luu, Do Bao, Nguyen Dong Chi… also believe that the Vi and Dam folk songs currently circulating are only a small number compared to the Vi and Dam folk songs of the past. Thus, we have many things to do in the work of collecting, preserving, conserving and promoting the values ​​of this art form. But we are more confident when the Vi and Giam folk songs have been recognized by the world as Heritage and we can expect more from the development of Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam folk songs when many contemporary musicians are using it as material to compose many songs that touch people's hearts, such as: Far away, Hello, Lam Hong girl, Red village militia girl, Looking at the tree, remembering the person, Listening to the ferry singing at night, remembering Uncle Ho, Uncle's advice before going far away, Listening to Nghe Tinh folk songs in the middle of Moscow, Areca fragrance in Uncle Ho's garden, A heartwarming song of a Ha Tinh person, People who built Ke Go lake, Loving the land of Nghe, Angry but loving, Passionate river,... That affirms the influence of Vi and Giam folk songs on contemporary music and is an important foundation for Vi and Giam folk songs to continue to spread in life today and forever...

Up to now, in many localities, people have established many folk song clubs. Especially from 2000 to now, the Folk Song Theater has been changed to the Center for Preservation and Promotion of Nghe An Folk Song Heritage, which has made an important contribution to the work of collecting, researching, preserving and promoting the values ​​of Vi and Giam folk songs. Accordingly, the clubs' activities have become more and more in-depth with many forms of performances in hamlets and villages. Up to now, according to statistics of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, in the province there have been 82 folk song clubs in localities, with over 1,600 artisans. Along with that, we also organize folk song teaching in schools (since 2008), on the media, making Vi and Giam folk songs continue to spread in the community. In the new period, to continue promoting the value of Vi and Giam folk songs, it is required that all levels and sectors continue to pay attention to promoting the activities of folk song clubs; care for and encourage the artisans at the grassroots level, because they are the important core to hold the melodies and pass them on and spread them to the people in the localities.

For Vi and Giam folk songs to last forever, we need to make them appear regularly everywhere, every time, in many spaces and times. This requires the Center for Preservation and Promotion of Nghe An Folk Heritage and the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism to play a central and core role in promoting the propaganda and promotion of Vi and Giam folk songs in many forms. In addition to researching, collecting and staging Vi and Giam folk songs, it is necessary to strengthen guidance and build a network of folk song clubs in localities. This is considered the most important solution to preserve and promote the value of Vi and Giam folk songs in the community and true to the nature of folk songs, carried out in parallel with connecting localities inside and outside the province to organize many exchanges, promote and widely introduce Vi and Giam folk songs to people across the country. Every year, it is necessary to compile a heritage inventory file and a profile of artisans to submit to the authorities for consideration and conferment of titles; Coordinate with departments and branches to research policies and treatment regimes for folk artists; support club activities and have plans to train the next generation of folk singers.

On the other hand, the Culture, Sports and Tourism sector needs to promote connections and cooperation with domestic and foreign travel agencies to introduce tourists to places with relic sites and folk song clubs; build and have strategies and policies to call for and attract investors and businesses in the field of culture and arts to invest in exploiting the potential and priceless treasures hidden in the folk songs of Vi and Giam. Through that, tourists can enjoy the attractive Vi and Giam folk songs in open spaces of the countryside, wharves, communal houses... both online (watching directly at the locality) and as a "specialty" when coming to Nghe An (souvenirs are CDs; printed collections of Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam folk songs; toys, utensils with music and images of Vi and Giam folk songs...). There is coordination with sectors, localities and organizations to actively encourage the organization of folk singing activities in the form of festivals and singing competitions of Vi and Giam folk songs for all ages; increase exchanges and communication with sectors, localities and people of Ha Tinh province to jointly maintain and develop the "specialty" Vi and Giam folk songs of the two provinces of Nghe - Tinh.

Compared to the two ends of the country's carrying pole, Nghe An and Ha Tinh are lands with harsh climates, socio-economic development, and people's lives in the regions are still difficult. But in there, there is still a pride in the treasure trove of folk songs, which are honored by the whole world. It can be affirmed that the "Hong mountain, Lam river" region, the source of folk songs, has been, is and will flow forever, like the song: When Hong Linh has no more trees/ Lam river has no more water/ Then there and here will be no more love... That is also the message, the culture, the character of Nghe people in life in the past and forever.

HDP