Thai culture nourishes the soul

(Baonghean) - I was born and raised in a Thai ethnic family. Passionate about art, inheriting my mother's captivating folk singing voice and my father's clear panpipe, I was fortunate to have my love of music awakened by my parents and villagers from a very early age. I grew up and matured in the "treasure trove" of folk songs, folk music, and folk dances of the Thai ethnic group in Con Cuong district.

When I was a boy, my father and brother often taught me how to play the pi ang, dan tinh, khen be, tang bu… Because of my passion for learning and musical talent, in a short time, my khen sound became smoother, my ability to play the dan tinh became more proficient, and especially I knew how to use the khen sound to accompany my soulful folk songs. I could sing anytime, anywhere, when I went to the fields to get firewood, when I went down to the stream to get water, or when I sat by the fire in the winter to warm myself and confide in my girlfriend. The locals complimented me on my “clear singing voice like the sound of a forest stream”. That encouraged me a lot and further encouraged me to do something to preserve the precious traditional values ​​of my people.

Artist Luong Van Nghiep performs Thai ethnic musical instruments.

After getting married, life became busier and busier, but I still set aside special time for musical instruments and folk songs… On quiet nights or at village festivals, the people of Cang village were used to enjoying my flute and singing, so I felt that I had to make my hometown music more captivating. Every now and then, when I couldn’t sing, I felt nostalgic, anxious and waiting. Playing and singing Thai folk music to me is the joy of life.

Because I love cultural and artistic activities and have a knack for collecting, composing, and staging folk music and dance, I boldly participated in many district and provincial art competitions and had results that were worthy of my years of quietly absorbing the music of my homeland, encouraging me to continue to spread it. In addition, I also learned, explored, and improved traditional musical instruments such as: pi ang, xo lo, dan tap tinh, tang bu... and had many compositions that won prizes in many rounds of participating in the Lang Sen festival and singing folk songs of ethnic groups in the mountainous areas of Nghe An.

I am worried that with the changes of time and the invasion of foreign cultures, many young Thai people are no longer passionate about their own ethnic music and folk songs. In reality, when I clearly saw the risk of the disappearance of our ethnic folk songs, folk music and folk dance, I have been struggling and looking for ways to preserve and maintain them for many years. In 2009, I participated in a singing - dancing - music class organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in Mon Son commune, Con Cuong district and trained 26 students. This is a significant number contributing to the preservation of our ethnic folk songs, folk music and folk dance.

Despite the difficult conditions, in May 2010, I still boldly established the Thai Ethnic Folk Song Club in Cang village. When it was first established, the club had only 14 members, but now the number of artists has increased to 42. They are the core team that regularly participates in performing in cultural events of the commune, district, province, competitions and has won high prizes.

I also have another great joy that my granddaughter - Luong Thi Thu Hoai (born 2006) has continued the family tradition, participating in the "3rd Ethnic Minority Art Performance Festival, 2014" organized by the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Nghe An, winning the B prize. That is not only a source of pride but also a motivation for me to continue the work of preserving and maintaining the cultural identity of my people.

A performance by the folk music and dance club of Cang village, Mon Son commune, Con Cuong district.

Now nearly 60 years old, I still tirelessly research and create tap tinh instruments, khen be, xo lo or tang bu... to teach the younger generation. That work brings joy and "energy to life" to me. Luckily, I have taught and inspired my passion to many young people in the village. I also collect and practice nursery rhymes for the children in my hometown. From my tireless efforts to preserve the folk songs, music and dances of my ethnic people, I never thought that one day I would receive such valuable awards and recognition. In 1999, I was awarded a certificate of merit by the People's Committee of Nghe An province for "Having many achievements in cultural and information work in mountainous areas and ethnic minorities from 1991 to 1999"; In 1996, I was awarded a Certificate of Merit by the Nghe An Provincial Border Guard Command for "Having many award-winning works in the ethnic cultural festival" on the occasion of the National Border Guard Festival (March 3, 1996); in 2009, the Director of the Central Music Institute awarded me a Certificate of Merit for "Having made positive contributions to the work of preserving and promoting the traditional folk music of the Thai ethnic group"; in 2003, I was awarded a Certificate of Merit by the Director of the Nghe An Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Border Guard Command for "Having many achievements in 10 years of implementing the program of coordination and combination between the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Border Guard in 2013 - 2003". For many consecutive years, I was awarded a Certificate of Merit by the Chairman of the Con Cuong District People's Committee for "Composing many good works in the Mass Art Performance Festival". In particular, in 2013, I was honored to receive a Certificate of Merit from the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee for "Outstanding achievements in 15 years of implementing Resolution 5 of the Central Committee (VIII term) on building and developing an advanced Vietnamese culture imbued with national identity".

Most recently, the Con Cuong District Department of Culture completed my profile and sent it to the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism for provincial approval and reported to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for approval of the title "Excellent Artisan" of the Thai ethnic group in Con Cuong district.

Those recognitions are a great source of encouragement. Although I have achieved many noble titles and awards, I still feel happy when the people of my beloved Cang village lovingly call me “the keeper of the soul of the homeland”.

Nguyen Vy(Nghe An Traditional Music and Dance Troupe)

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Recorded according to the story of Mr. Luong Van Nghiep when he went on a field trip to Cang village, Mon Son commune (Con Cuong).