Light up the love of Vi and Giam in the South

(Baonghean) - Although newly established, the Nghe Tinh Southern Folk Song Club has affirmed its role in spreading, transmitting, and kindling the love of Vi and Giam in the Nghe community in the South.

» Priest Nguyen Dinh Thuc incites parishioners

After the Ví and Giặm were recognised by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity, the people of Nghệ An who are living, studying and working in the South have been struggling to establish a folk song club in the Southern land.

On September 17, 2016, in Ho Chi Minh City, Nghe An folk song lovers and Nghe Tinh Business Association officially launched the Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam Folk Song Club in the South.

The establishment of the Club is not only the hope and expectation of Nghe An children living far from home, the result of a process of mobilization and efforts of many enthusiastic people, but also an important milestone marking and opening a new stage in the process of "Southward advancement" of Vi and Giam folk songs.

Singing Vi Giam folk songs in the program "Spring of Love". Photo: Sy Hoang.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Oanh, an excellent artist and the Club's Chairwoman, said: The purpose of establishing the Southern Vi and Giam Folk Song Club is not only to sing for fun, but the more important and noble task is to preserve, pass on and nurture the love of folk songs to the next generations, specifically the large number of students, workers, and children of Nghe An people in the South, to know how to sing and sing well the Vi and Giam melodies of their homeland, thereby educating and fostering love for the homeland and country.

It is also a great honor and responsibility for the members as well as many fellow countrymen. We hope to resonate with the younger generation and everyone with the spirit that those who know how to sing, sing, and those who don't know how to sing, cheer together.

Mr. Nguyen Quang Khanh (36 years old), Director of Hoan My Company, a member of the Club shared: "To be able to contribute my small part to preserving, transmitting and spreading Nghe folk songs is a source of pride for me."

Currently, the club has about 40 members participating in the Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam folk song club in the South. They work in many different jobs, such as traders, workers, teachers, but they share the same love and passion for Vi and Giam folk songs.

Although living and working in many localities (throughout the Southern provinces), busy with private work, when there is an event, the members all gather to practice promptly, together creating dance and singing programs imbued with the identity of their homeland.

What is special is that in addition to members from Nghe An, the club also has many members from other provinces. They are not from Nghe An, but through the process of contact and living together, they have come to admire and love Nghe culture and especially Nghe Tinh folk songs.

Singer Thu Thuy, a member of the club, shared: “I am very happy and excited to participate in the activities of the Southern Vi and Giam folk song club. Here, I not only get to sing, but also learn and understand more about the beautiful and interesting things in Nghe culture.”

With the efforts of all members, in the past half year, the Club has built many high-quality programs. This achievement is thanks to the consensus and support of Nghe An children and Nghe Tinh Business Association in both material and spiritual terms.

The basic advantage is that the Club has many members who are capable of writing lyrics, composing new lyrics, directing and staging folk songs. Ms. Hong Oanh, a member of the Club, has nearly 10 new lyrical Vi and Giam songs, which have been and are being used in the Club's programs. The content of the Club members' works focuses on their homeland of Nghe An with deep and passionate feelings.

Like many other clubs, the biggest difficulty currently facing the Vi and Giam Folk Song Club in the South is operating conditions. The board of directors is struggling to find a way to raise long-term funds for the club and hopes to hold a Vi and Giam folk song singing contest for Nghe An children in the South to further promote the spread of folk songs and discover and nurture talented people.

Talking about the Association's brainchild, Mr. Nguyen Canh Nam - Chairman of Nghe Tinh Business Association in Ho Chi Minh City, emphasized: "Since its inception, the folk song club has had a strong impact, making Vi and Giam increasingly spread in the community, receiving the support of many Nghe people living far from home.

In the coming time, the Club will do better in socialization work so that the Vi and Giam Club can operate regularly and develop more and more, contributing effectively to promoting the image of the homeland, people and culture of Nghe An.

Huy Thu