Song of the coastal people

(Baonghean) - There are many ways to explain the place name Cua Lo, among which, I am most satisfied with this simple analysis: Because the place where the Cam River flows into the sea between the mountain range of Nghi Thiet commune on one side and the Lo Son mountain range of Nghi Tan ward - Cua Lo town on the other side, when the sea breeze blows in as well as the wind from the West blowing out to the sea, people see this place as a draft door. From the draft door, people call it Cua Lua, later becoming Cua Lo...?

Cua Lua is an ancient coastal land, with a geological structure formed by the Cam River alluvium that has been diligently deposited over the years and then connected to the Lam River alluvium in the South. The name of the ancient land is due to many archaeological surveys that have "encountered" peat mines in the Cam Truong village area, and also found an ancient seagoing boat anchor under the ground of the Doai commune. More than a hundred years ago, everything was dark and unclear, we can only "see" that old space through historical documents that researchers have painstakingly left behind, then we see that Cua Lua was a poor, remote fishing village, sparsely populated on a long stretch of sea and the surrounding wild forests.

Singing practice session of folk song lovers in Nghi Thuy ward, Cua Lo town.

Since 1469, when the Grand Chancellor, Duke, and Prince Consort Nguyen Su Hoi was appointed as the Governor of the Twelve Sea Gates (guarding the 12 seaports from Sam Son to Cua Tung), he entered Cua Lua to reclaim land, establish settlements, and create a coastal village with Van Loc, Tan Loc... firmly in the position of "tiger crouching dragon", which has been the eastern outpost of Nghe An for more than 500 years. During that time, through many painful and heroic changes, that village has persisted and grown into a coastal tourist city, shining with future opportunities.

The way of interpreting Cua Lua according to folk oral tradition has taken on a strange mystery, surely that door, in this era, has become a wide open entrance for world integration. That is why from a small and poor fishing village in the Central region, Cua Lo has been awarded by the World Tourism Organization as "the most beautiful beach in Northern Vietnam". In addition to that obvious longing, they are also passionate about the unique cultural sub-region here, which, despite integration or the flat world, still cannot be "herded away" or faded. The convergence of many mountains and islands, temples, pagodas, shrines, and shrines contain spiritual legends, breathing into the lives of residents a unique village culture, cherished over the years into the quintessence of the ancient customs of the salty foot of the waves.

In Cua Lo Town, there are many historical-cultural relics bearing the spiritual imprint of coastal people. Van Loc Temple, Mai Bang Village Temple, Yen Luong Village Temple... have become places to entrust the spirit of coastal people passed down from generation to generation. Every year, on several important holidays, coastal people temporarily put their boats back at the dock, making an appointment to go far away on this or that day so that the owner can return and bow under the sacred incense, praying for a full hold of silver fish and calm seas. I guess that, having endured many fierce storms, the residents here increasingly realize their undying love for their homeland, and grow in their pride and belief in the eternal spiritual values ​​typical of their locality. If you don't believe it, then try going to the coastal areas on big festivals and fishing ceremonies, to see how full of love for the land and people are.

I talked with Mr. Nguyen Canh Trung (Block 4, Nghi Thuy) about the culture of that ancient coastal area in the space filled with colorful flags and streamers on the days before Tet. Mr. Trung is a veteran, also a "former" ordinary fisherman like many others in this fishing village, and he seems to have all the typical characteristics of people living at the forefront of the waves and winds. He said that in addition to spiritual culture, the people of Cua Lo sea are also imbued with unique culture and arts, living in harmony and solidarity in songs and chants dedicated to the sea and life. This year, nearly sixty years old, Mr. Trung is tall, has a strong, hearty voice, and the confident demeanor and haughtiness of a brave seaman. He is originally from Nghi Thuy, the tone of each word is full of village character, recalling the memories of the ship and the ocean with many dangers drifting far away but as light as a feather! “My ship sailed all the way to Bach Long Vi, and to the fishing grounds in the joint Vietnam-China fishing area. There were trips that lasted months, and I experienced storms and whirlwinds. When the sea rejected my old age, I reluctantly returned. It took me a while to get used to the rough waters on land…”

Back in the rear, his mind was still focused on the sails and the bows of boats cutting through the waves. So, he did something that seemed impossible for fishermen who were used to “eating the waves and talking about the wind”, which was… composing folk songs to serve the spiritual life of workers on ships, boats, and the whole team of women selling baskets and baskets at seafood wholesale markets in the area. He talked about this interesting turning point as easily as if it were a joke: “I was blessed with a singing personality, and my singing is just so-so. I can play 4 or 5 types of instruments: monochord, moon lute, two-stringed fiddle, guitar… I like singing folk songs and think that folk songs originate from the working life of the people. Here, we have abundant material from the sea, more than anyone else, I understand the sea and the sea people to the bone. Just “bring” it in!” Having said that, he laughed heartily, his hand holding the moon lute, playing a rowing song. That fragile plucked string instrument in his hands bounced with a strange richness, vitality, and strength.

From the sea to the sea

The rhythm of the song is exciting in the heart

Ho do ho do drill drill drill is drill drill

The dawn has broken

We cast our nets and cast our nets.

Catch lots of fresh fish and shrimp

Make life more beautiful

Make your homeland more beautiful and rich...

He spoke and sang passionately as if he were in the middle of his own vast open-sea world, as if his singing voice burst forth naturally, without constraint. And it is not just him, I know that in recent years, this generous man has actively contributed to multiplying the songs and melodies of his homeland to all the blocks and wards in the town. For 8 years now, he has held the position of Chairman of the Folk Song Club of Cua Lo Town, taking on himself the "general" tasks that take time and effort, just to satisfy his love for Vi Giam Folk Songs, and to fulfill his wish to bring folk songs into the life of the workers in his hometown. He said: "Up to now, all the wards in the town have a folk song club, the key members are fishermen and small traders. All the festival activities, the joys and sorrows of the people are integrated with folk songs...".

Mr. Trung and the folk song lovers in this coastal area also have a bold wish, which is to build a plan to bring folk songs to the main seafood markets, so that folk songs become a familiar, simple and civilized market culture. “Many people say it is difficult, I think it is not difficult. Because folk songs are a part of working life, as long as you are passionate about your hometown's melodies, you will realize that beauty is already emanating from your work. “Capturing” that pure, healthy beauty will immediately create a rhythmic rhyme. And the small traders in the market also love folk songs very much,” Mr. Nguyen Canh Trung affirmed. And he believes that preserving this folk art movement is a way to multiply the good values ​​in the culture of the coastal village, becoming a tourist highlight of the coastal city in the future.

Having said that, he led me to Nghi Thuy seafood wholesale market. In the afternoon, the wholesale market had begun to empty out. The market only became a little bustling at dawn, and during the day, vendors sold to individual customers. The market smelled strongly of grilled fish, mixed with the fishy smell of fresh shrimp, squid, crabs... splashing around in the aeration basin. Seeing Mr. Trung's imposing figure from afar, the women excitedly sang as a welcome:

We are happy to weave nets.

Traditional profession for generations

Hands are always graceful

Every stitch…

It turns out that this is a part of a folk song composed by Mr. Trung, which the ladies have memorized through many local performances. Ms. Nguyen Thi Hai - a market vendor, smiled brightly as she shared about her passion for the folk songs, which, despite the market's calculations for a living, she and her colleagues still sing every day: "Whenever I have free time, I sing, sing to forget the fatigue and hardship, to see life more beautiful and fresh. Looking at us, we just work hard, but when there is a performance, we leave our baskets at home, put on clothes and go on stage without a care." Ms. Hai said that both her husband and her family are "folk singers" of the block and ward. On occasions of praying for fish or village temple festivals, the couple also perform folk songs with the folk song club that are suitable for the traditional customs and meet the spiritual life of the people.

The story of the coastal village culture lingered on until the afternoon had passed on the other side of the waves. I remembered the rustic name of Cua Lua, and felt deeply in my heart the harmony and convergence of the unique culture of this beautiful coastal area. Harmonizing modern values ​​to elevate the level of a coastal tourist city, but not dissolving before the rush and chaos of the storm of the times. It seemed that the people here were still conscious of cherishing traditional values, to harmonize in each person's soul the sea village features of nearly a thousand years old...

Phuong Chi