Enduring vitality

(Baonghean) - Pride, emotion, and the desire for the folk songs of Nghe Tinh to spread widely, contributing to the beauty of the rich cultural identity of Nghe An province, were the sentiments of artisans, artists, and cultural management staff during an exchange organized by Nghe An Newspaper in coordination with the Center for Preservation and Promotion of Nghe An Folk Song Heritage on the occasion of UNESCO's recognition of Nghe An folk songs.

The Ví dặm folk song performance: "The Weaver's Village Under the Moonlight," was featured in an exchange event organized by Nghe An Newspaper in collaboration with the Center for Preservation and Promotion of Nghe An Folk Song Heritage.

The Ví dặm folk song "The Teachings of Confucius" was performed at the cultural exchange event.

People's Artist Hong Luu and young Tran Thi Ngoc Tram interacted on the occasion of UNESCO honoring the folk songs of Nghe An province.

People's Artist Hong Luu: "To ensure folk music endures through time"

People's Artist Hong Luu

Upon hearing the news that UNESCO had recognized the Ví and Dặm folk songs as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, all of us artists shared the same feeling: emotion, immense pride, and a happiness that words cannot describe.

When UNESCO recognized the Ví and Dặm folk songs as a Representative Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, it meant the world had placed a very great responsibility on Nghe An province. The Party Committee and people of Nghe An must find ways to further promote and preserve the Ví and Dặm folk songs of their ancestors. In the past, figures like Nguyen Du, Nguyen Cong Tru, and Phan Boi Chau were great practitioners and creators of this heritage, leaving us a vast treasure trove of famous songs. The scholarly lyrics of Ví and Dặm folk songs are thanks to the participation of intellectuals. During the resistance against the French and American forces, our Ví and Dặm songs were sung to encourage soldiers on the front lines and to motivate the home front to increase production. Today, we must attract all forces to participate in preserving and promoting the value of Ví and Dặm folk songs. If everyone works together, there is no reason why our Ví and Dặm folk songs cannot develop and endure through time.

Student Tran Thi Ngoc Tram - Class 8B, Ha Huy Tap Secondary School - Vinh City: "Folk songs contain lessons about being a good person":

Tran Thi Ngoc Tram

"From a young age, my mother taught me folk songs. I love singing folk melodies like the Ví and Dặm styles because they contain life lessons passed down from our ancestors and parents. When I sing, I feel the warmth of what our forefathers have given me. Therefore, I love folk songs and want to sing those lyrical, heartfelt, and profound songs. My singing is the voice of my heart..."

Artisan Nguyen Trong Dong (Thanh Tuong commune, Thanh Chuong district): “Where there is labor, there is folk music”

Artisan Nguyen Trong Dong

Folk songs, particularly the Ví and Dặm styles, are very important in the daily lives of the working people of Nghe An province. Wherever there is labor, there are folk songs. Our people compose them themselves, sing them themselves, and use them to encourage each other to forget the cold and rain, to finish plowing the fields quickly; to fight against the feudal classes and strata of the past. This is why folk songs were performed in groups and associations, such as the weaving guilds, the Eastern guilds, the Western guilds, etc., to sing songs like "make the Chinese run away, make the Westerners tremble, sing to overthrow the entire court"... So many anecdotes of our ancestors originate from the cradle of Nghe An folk songs along the Lam and La rivers, so wherever the people of Nghe An and Ha Tinh go, they sing folk songs. I am very happy that there are now many schools teaching folk singing, and many young people now sing folk songs very well.

Mr. Ho Mau Thanh - Provincial Party Committee member, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism: Creating all conditions for the development of Vi and Dam folk songs:

Mr. Ho Mau Thanh - Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Nghe An Province

The UNESCO recognition of Nghe An folk songs (Vi and Dam) is not only a source of pride for the people of Nghe An, but it also demonstrates that Nghe An's culture is capable of deep interaction and exchange with countries in the region and around the world. It is the people of Nghe An who have brought their folk songs beyond their homeland to the world. These folk songs have nurtured the character and soul of the people of Nghe An, enabling them to persevere in this challenging land with its harsh natural environment, to fight invaders, to protect their villages, and to build a prosperous and beautiful homeland.

To ensure the longevity and value of this heritage in cultural and social life, the Culture sector will focus on several specific tasks: Strengthening the inclusion of folk songs in school curricula; promoting the nationwide folk song singing movement, creating conditions for establishing folk song clubs in communes, wards, towns, and districts to serve as the core of the folk song movement. Currently, the folk song repertoire of "ví" and "dặm" is vast, rich, and diverse; we have not yet collected, cataloged, or preserved it all, so we must continue to work on it. Initially, we must maintain a folk song singing competition once a year for Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces, and once every two years for inter-provincial competitions. Importantly, we must not forget to honor the artisans. Currently, 78 artisans have been submitted to the Provincial People's Committee for consideration as outstanding artisans. The province has directed efforts to honor these individuals, as they are the key figures in elevating the folk singing movement to a new level befitting its heritage.

Duc Chuyen - Ho Quy(Take note)