Quy Chau improves the cultural life of ethnic minorities

Preserving traditional culture

As a regular practice, every month, Artist Vi Van Mai in Ba Cong village, Chau Hoan commune (Quy Chau) goes to the community cultural house to practice and perform various musical instruments such as the khen, bi, and the nhuon and xuoi singing with the members of the commune club. In traditional Thai costumes, the artists, boys and girls from the mountainous region, gracefully move to the rhythms of each traditional musical instrument.

Mass art performance to preserve the culture of ethnic groups in Quy Chau district in 2022. Photo: Ke Kien

Artisan Vi Van Mai shared: “In addition to the time spent on the farm, every month I gather everyone at the community cultural house to practice performing arts. All members of the club are enthusiastic, taking some time and doing housework to review folk songs and dances together, compose new tunes and teach each other traditional musical instruments; it is from these artistic activities that many children in the village now know how to dance, sing and practice musical instruments to preserve the culture of their people.”

Quy Chau is a land with a strong traditional cultural identity, especially preserving many musical instruments and traditional melodies of the Thai ethnic group. In the 5th mass art performance to preserve the culture of ethnic groups in Quy Chau district, 2022, which was just held, more than 400 artisans and actors from mass art troupes of 12 communes and towns participated in performances at the clusters, reenacting traditional dances, costumes, festival excerpts, cultural rituals, and typical folk traditions of the Thai people in Quy Chau such as: huom van, hat nhuon doi dap, rite phi den, children's songs... performed with folk songs, folk dances, folk music and new compositions, songs, dances, and music with folk identity such as nhuon, xuoi, lam, xap, on, oi... with content praising the Party, Uncle Ho, homeland, country, love of nature...

Traditional melodies of the Thai ethnic group in Quy Chau district. Photo: Ke Kien

Through mass art performances in villages, hamlets, cultural blocks and Thai ethnic cultural preservation clubs, artisans and actors in the district have the opportunity to exchange and learn experiences, thereby continuously creating, performing and teaching folk cultural and artistic heritage, contributing to promoting the cultural and artistic movement at the grassroots level, responding to the "Movement of the whole people uniting to build a cultural life" and preserving the national cultural identity in the entire district.

Ms. Vi Thi Xanh in Cuom village, Dien Lam commune said: "Although the commune still faces many economic difficulties, the people here always take time to watch cultural and artistic activities, especially the performances of folk songs of the Thai people; they consider this as an indispensable spiritual food to have more motivation, enthusiasm in working and producing, contributing to building the cultural life in the locality."

Promoting cultural values ​​associated with tourism

In recent years, the work of preserving and promoting cultural identity values ​​in Quy Chau district has always been given attention and direction. Up to now, the whole district has been maintaining and expanding Thai ethnic cultural preservation clubs in 11 communes; organizing art performances of Thai ethnic cultural preservation clubs at district level every 2 years; maintaining a class teaching Thai folk songs with more than 50 students participating through the teaching of artisans; directing the establishment of Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam Folk Song Club in Lam Hoi village, Chau Hoi commune and Hoa Binh village, Chau Binh commune.

Bamboo dancing at Hang Bua Festival (Quy Chau). Photo: Ke Kien

In addition, folk songs, folk music, folk dances, writings of the Thai ethnic group, excerpts from Xang Khan are directed to be preserved and promoted in cultural and artistic activities at the Hang Bua Festival, the Sen Village Singing Festival, the Cultural Village and Village Arts Performance Festival, the Xang Khan Festival in villages and hamlets and cultural exchange activities at the grassroots level such as the ceremony to receive the title of cultural village, hamlet, new rural village; the National Great Unity Day; exchanges and performances of gongs, carving, bamboo dancing, singing nhuon, xuoi... at the Hoa Tien village community tourism village, Hoa Tien commune...

In addition to promoting cultural values, Quy Chau district also promotes tourism development. The whole district has 15 relics and scenic spots; including 2 national historical relics, 1 provincial relic; there are 5 accommodation facilities with 83 rooms serving guests. In 2017, the district focused resources on building a new Chieng Ngam temple; in 2019, coordinated the organization of marking the planning of relics and scenic spots of Hang Bua, Chieng Ngam Temple Historical - Cultural Relic; directed the construction and development of Hoa Tien village community tourism village; coordinated the organization of scientific seminars and planning of 2 tourist areas (Khe Ban waterfall, Chau Binh commune and Hoa Tien community tourism village, Chau Tien commune). Up to now, Hoa Tien village community tourism village has 6 households that meet the standards to serve tourists. The district also maintains two cooperatives, a Thai cultural preservation club, and Hoa Tien brocade products to provide products for tourists and tourist attractions. The district has also organized 11 training courses on Thai language and writing for 461 students.

Exciting games at Hang Bua Festival. Photo: Ke Kien

Comrade Le Thanh Ha - Vice Chairman of Quy Chau District People's Committee said: "To preserve and promote the unique cultural identities of the Thai ethnic group in Quy Chau, in the coming time, the district will continue to invest resources in cultural activities, folk sports, traditional festivals, local and ethnic cultural identities; increase investment and support for the preservation and promotion of ethnic cultural values, such as: folk songs, folk music, folk dances, ethnic sports, traditional games, festivals, ethnic costumes, etc.; focus on developing various types of clubs, especially the Thai ethnic cultural preservation club; integrate investment capital sources to build, upgrade and elevate the Quy Chau District Ethnic Museum to become the Western Nghe An Ethnic Museum.

Along with that, the district invests in developing tourism products, prioritizing typical products, exploiting traditional cultural values; connecting tourist attractions, relics, and scenic spots in the whole district and outside the district, forming tours and tourist routes, contributing to promoting and introducing the land, people and cultural traditions of the ethnic groups of Quy Chau.