Uncle Ho's hometown, this May...

(Baonghean) - Every May, on the roads, streets, and houses, in the aching hearts of every Nghe An child, there is still the excitement of waiting for the festival season to commemorate Him. At this time, the red flags and flowers are brilliant, the sound of Vi and Giam singing, nostalgic for the homeland lingers in the eyes and lips of the field artisans... Everything is ready for the 2016 Sen Village Festival.

“All preparations are complete. In the afternoon, please come to the commune cultural house to attend the rehearsal of folk songs performed at this year’s festival” – the Vice Chairman of Khanh Son Commune People’s Committee (Nam Dan) – who is also the “general director” of the festival’s art program of the commune, enthusiastically shared over the phone. Not wanting to miss the happy occasion, we returned to the cultural homeland famous throughout the Central region.

Teachers and students of Hung Chinh Kindergarten (Vinh City) visited Uncle Ho's hometown, Sen Village. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Not long from Hoanh Son communal house, the road echoes with the sound of music and bustling singing. This year, at the festival, each commune-level unit is allowed to perform 2 acts, within a time frame of 30 minutes. That is the folk song and dance program "Forever Beautiful at 20" which is a musical story about the life of comrade Nguyen Tiem - the first Provincial Party Secretary of Nghe An, a loyal and upright son of the revolutionary land of Nam Trung (Nam Dan); the second act is the song and dance "Pilgrimage to Uncle Ho's Homeland", conveying the sacred longing in the soul of every Vietnamese child towards the beloved Father of the nation.

The art team of nearly 20 people was carefully selected, mainly members of the Vi and Giam folk song club of Khanh Son commune and some members of the local youth union. Ms. Le Thi Binh (Hamlet 8, Khanh Son commune) - one of the main singers of the Vi and Giam folk song club shared: "I have participated in 3 Sen Village Festivals, but every year, when I go on stage, I am moved and moved. Each song is filled with gratitude and respect for Uncle Ho.

Therefore, we are meticulous in every step of practice, carefully teaching each other how to pronounce words, vibrate, discuss costumes... to "bring out" the best quality of folk songs, in the sacred atmosphere of the festival day".

The atmosphere of practicing and performing arts to serve the people, towards the 2016 Lotus Village Festival has been bustling in the localities. With the meaning of the festival being of the people, towards the people, in recent years, the Lotus Village Festival program has had many positive and attractive innovations. Like this year, the art program does not focus on performing continuously for several days in the district but rather spreads out to the communes, positioned in clusters to serve the majority of people.

Khanh Son Commune Vi and Giam Folk Song Club practices before the 2016 Sen Village Festival. Photo: Thanh Cuong

The whole district is divided into 4 performance clusters: Nam Thanh, Nam Kim, Xuan Hoa and Kim Lien. In early May, the Nam Thanh performance cluster was organized and was successful beyond expectations. Mr. Le Van Son - Cultural officer of Nam Thanh commune said: "It is estimated that thousands of people from communes in the cluster flocked to the Nam Thanh commune stadium, very crowded and excited.

The performances were all good and unique, the sound and lighting were well-prepared by the "host" commune, Nam Thanh commune, to ensure the quality of the program. In this cluster, the performance of Nam Thanh commune won first prize. Everyone had the same opinion that we should maintain this way of organizing local art performances so that people have more opportunities to come and enjoy them.

The main ceremony has not yet arrived, but the key activities are already very exciting. Determined to organize the festival to avoid falling into the familiar rut, this year, even the film screening activity on the theme of Uncle Ho has been changed, showing in many communes in the district, not just concentrated in Kim Lien commune like every year.

On the other hand, it is expected that the program of carrying Uncle Ho's photo from Kim Lien relic site to the stadium will have many improvements in decoration, such as surrounding the palanquin will be a lotus platform lit with candles or electric lights, creating more sparkle for the palanquin procession, enhancing the sacred atmosphere of the festival in his homeland.

Gratitude and remembrance of the Father of the nation are always the lingering emotions of all the people of Uncle Ho's hometown in particular and Nghe An people in general. That gratitude is not only the words and songs offered to Him on the occasion of the annual festival, but has become an act of building, constructing, and beautifying the image of His homeland.

Wandering along National Highway 46 from Vinh city to Nam Dan, looking at the schools, the roofs, the new rural roads embracing the rich yellow color of the ripe rice season, the bright blue of the May sky surrounded by the colors of flags, banners, and billboards welcoming the major events of the province and the country seems to further enhance the meaning of the Sen Village Festival.

Mr. Tran Huu Giap - Director of the Nam Dan District Cultural and Sports Center said: "Currently, hundreds of banners and pennants welcoming the election of National Assembly and People's Council deputies at all levels combined with welcoming the Sen Village Festival have been decorated and arranged by the staff of the District Cultural and Sports Center to hang on key routes in the district.

At the same time, communes, towns, agencies and units also simultaneously hung the national flag to celebrate major events. The festival atmosphere was therefore even more exciting and joyful, especially this decoration helped the large number of tourists on the pilgrimage to Uncle Ho's hometown feel the affection of the people of Nam Dan for him.

In May, cars from all over the country roll on the peaceful road leading to Sen village, Uncle Ho's hometown. Offering a stick of incense to his spirit, silently rejoicing at the beautiful changes of the land of talented people and eagerly waiting for the bustling cultural and artistic activities awaiting the Sen Village Festival...

Phuoc Anh