Uncle Ho's hometown, this May…

(Baonghean) - Every May, along the roads, streets, and in the homes of the people of Nghe An, the heartfelt anticipation for the festival commemorating President Ho Chi Minh remains. This time of year, the vibrant red of flags and flowers, the melancholic folk songs of remembrance of the homeland, linger in the eyes and on the lips of the artisans of the fields… Everything is ready for the 2016 Lang Sen Festival.

“All preparations are complete. This afternoon, please come to the commune's cultural center for the dress rehearsal of the folk songs to be performed at this year's festival,” – the Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Khanh Son commune (Nam Dan district) – also the “general director” of the commune's festival-welcoming cultural program – enthusiastically shared over the phone. Unable to miss this joyous occasion, we returned to this culturally rich region of Central Vietnam.

Teachers and students from Hung Chinh Kindergarten (Vinh City) visit Lang Sen, President Ho Chi Minh's birthplace. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Not far from Hoanh Son communal house, the sounds of lively music and singing could be heard. This year, at the festival, each commune-level unit was allowed to perform two acts within a 30-minute timeframe. The first was the folk song and dance program "Forever Beautiful at 20," a musical story about the life of Comrade Nguyen Tiem – the first Provincial Party Secretary of Nghe An, a loyal and steadfast son of the revolutionary land of Nam Trung (Nam Dan); the second was the song and dance "Pilgrimage to Uncle Ho's Homeland," conveying the sacred remembrance in the hearts of every Vietnamese person towards the beloved Father of the nation.

The nearly 20-member art troupe was carefully selected, mainly members from the folk singing club of Khanh Son commune and some youth union members in the area. Ms. Le Thi Binh (Hamlet 8, Khanh Son commune) – one of the main singers of the folk singing club – shared: “I have participated in three Lang Sen Festivals already, but every year, going on stage always moves me to tears. Each song is imbued with feelings of gratitude and respect for Uncle Ho.”

Therefore, we meticulously practiced every step, carefully guiding each other on pronunciation, vibrato, and discussing costumes… to bring out the true essence of the folk songs of the Ví and Giặm genres, capturing the sacred atmosphere of the festival."

The atmosphere of rehearsals and performances for the 2016 Lang Sen Village Festival is bustling in various localities. With the festival emphasizing its significance as a festival for the people and focused on the people, the Lang Sen Village Festival program has undergone many positive and attractive changes in recent years. For example, this year, the cultural program will not be concentrated in a single day at the district level, but will instead be spread out to the communes, organized into clusters to serve a wider audience.

The Khanh Son commune folk singing club practices before the 2016 Lang Sen Festival. Photo: Thanh Cuong.

The entire district is divided into four performance clusters: Nam Thanh, Nam Kim, Xuan Hoa, and Kim Lien. In early May, the Nam Thanh cluster's performance was organized and was a resounding success. Mr. Le Van Son, a cultural officer from Nam Thanh commune, said: "It is estimated that thousands of people from the communes in the cluster flocked to the Nam Thanh commune stadium; it was a very lively and exciting event."

All the performances were excellent and unique. The sound and lighting were professionally handled by the host commune, Nam Thanh, ensuring the quality of the program. In this cluster, the performance from Nam Thanh commune won first prize. Everyone agreed that this way of organizing local cultural events should be maintained, as it gives people more opportunities to come and enjoy them.”

The main ceremony hasn't even begun, but the preparatory activities are already in full swing. Determined to avoid falling into familiar patterns, this year even the film screenings about President Ho Chi Minh have been changed, showing in many communes throughout the district instead of just in Kim Lien commune as in previous years.

On the other hand, it is expected that the procession carrying President Ho Chi Minh's portrait from the Kim Lien historical site to the stadium will have many improvements in decoration, such as lotus flower pedestals lit with candles or electric lights around the palanquin, adding a more enchanting look to the procession and enhancing the sacred atmosphere of the festival in his hometown.

Gratitude and remembrance for the Father of the Nation is always a profound emotion for the people of President Ho Chi Minh's hometown in particular and the people of Nghe An in general. This gratitude is not just expressed through songs and hymns offered to him during annual festivals, but has become an action of building, developing, and beautifying the image of his homeland.

Wandering along National Highway 46 from Vinh City to Nam Dan, admiring the schools, houses, and new rural roads embracing the golden hues of the ripening rice fields, the bright blue of the May sky adorned with flags, banners, and billboards welcoming major events of the province and the country, seems to further enhance the significance of the Lotus Village Festival.

Mr. Tran Huu Giap, Director of the Culture and Sports Center of Nam Dan district, said: "Currently, hundreds of banners and pennants welcoming the election of National Assembly and People's Council representatives at all levels, combined with welcoming the Lang Sen Festival, have been prepared and arranged by staff of the district's Culture and Sports Center and hung along key roads in the district."

At the same time, communes, towns, agencies, and units all simultaneously displayed the national flag to celebrate the major events. The festive atmosphere was therefore even more vibrant and joyful, and this decoration helped numerous tourists on their pilgrimage to President Ho Chi Minh's birthplace feel the affection of the people of Nam Dan for him.”

In May, streams of vehicles from all regions roll along the peaceful road leading to Sen Village, President Ho Chi Minh's birthplace. Offering incense before his sacred spirit, they silently rejoice at the beautiful changes in this land of outstanding people and eagerly anticipate the vibrant cultural and artistic activities awaiting the Sen Village Festival…

Phuoc Anh