Replication of folk culture teams and clubs: Contributing to preserving traditional culture

Over the years, all levels and sectors in the province have implemented many specific solutions to preserve and preserve traditional cultural identities, in which activities of replicating the model of folk culture teams and clubs has been bringing practical effects.

Increasing in quantity and quality

Lang Son is a land of convergence of unique folk culture values of ethnic teams: Tay, Nung, Kinh, Dao, Hoa, Mong, and San Chay,etc. Thereby, creating cultural diversity. In order to promote the cultural identity of the ethnic teams, over the years, all levels, sectors and people have taken many practical actions, including the establishment and replication of folk culture teams and clubs.

The meeting of the members of gourd lute- Huong Hoi Then singing club, Hoi Hoan commune

Over the past 2 years, in the province, there have been more than 20 teams and folk culture clubs established, bringing the total to nearly 200 folk culture teams,  clubs with more than 2,000 members. Many clubs are active, maintain regular training, actively participate in local activities such as: Lion and cat dance team in Coc Lao village (Hoi Hoan commune, Van Lang district); Cao Lan Sinh singing club (Thien Tan Commune, Huu Lung District); Club for Conservation of Black Hmong ethnic culture (Cao Minh commune, Trang Dinh district); Diep Sli Then singing Club (Thuy Hung commune, Cao Loc district)…

People’s Artist Ha Mai Ven, Chairman of Diep Sli Then singing Club, Thuy Hung commune, Cao Loc district said: The club was established in 2017. After more than 5 years of operation, the number of club members increased from 18 to 24. In which, there are 13 members aged 10 -15. In addition to teaching classes for older members in the evenings, the club also opens more folk singing classes for younger members on weekends. The club’s activities have helped the children understand and love the folk songs of their nation more and more.

According to incomplete statistics, from 2015 to now, folk culture teams and clubs have performed over 400 conferences and events organized by all levels. In particular, on average, each year, the province has over 50 large and small art exchange programs organized with socialization funds from folk culture teams and clubs.

Not only promoting the role of preserving national cultural heritage, members of folk culture teams and clubs also collaborated with functional agencies to record about 60 films and over 2,000 documentary photos on intangible cultural heritage to present to the public. As a result, from 2015 to now, Lang Son has had 8 heritages included in the list of national intangible cultural heritage and 1 heritage recognized as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

The active participation of all levels and sectors

The above results are achieved through the efforts of all levels and sectors, the active participation of localities in preserving and promoting the values of traditional cultural heritages of the ethnic groups. Mr. Phan Van Hoa, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism said: Over the years, we have actively advised the Provincial People’s Committee to develop projects such as: project on preserving and promoting the value of lion dance heritage of Tay and Nung ethnic groups; The project of preserving folk songs, folk dances, folk music… The projects are planned to be implemented with a specific roadmap in each phase, including integration with activities to support and encourage the building and replication of folk culture teams and clubs; opened cultural heritage teaching classes at the grassroots level. At the same time, the sector also promoted propaganda programs, resolutions and documents on cultural heritages of ethnic groups. Thereby, it created a suitable cultural environment and cultural space for ethnic minorities to regularly exchange and perform…

Accordingly, from 2020 to now, the Culture, Sports and Tourism sector has coordinated to organize nearly 15 exhibitions and exhibitions on cultural heritage; organized nearly 10 seminars and training seminars on the management, protection and promotion of cultural heritage values. The sector also coordinated to establish folk culture teams and clubs in districts and city and opened more than 200 classes to teach cultural heritages, etc., attracting thousands of students. Along with that, on average, each year, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism chooses to support the organization of 3-5 classes of teaching intangible cultural heritage at the facility and support costumes and performing facilities for teaching classes with the amount of hundreds of millions VND. From the teaching classes, many clubs and folk culture teams were established.

A practice session of the members of the lion and cat dance team in Coc Lao village, Hoi Hoan commune, Van Lang district

Mr. Khong Hong Minh, Head of Culture and Information Division of Huu Lung district said: In order to well preserve and promote the value of cultural heritage, the department has advised the District People’s Committee to issue a Plan on the implementation of the project “Preserving and promoting the values of folk songs, folk dances and folk music of ethnic minorities in association with tourism development” and Project on preserving traditional costumes of Vietnamese ethnic groups” in the district in the period of 2022 – 2030. Accordingly, specialized agencies and related units in the district have developed an implementation plan with a specific roadmap. In particular, from 2022 up to now, the department has cooperated with related units to support funding to open a class to teach folk songs and embroidery skills in Huu Lien commune, Yen Thinh, since then to form and replicate folk culture clubs. Up to now, the district has established more than 10 teams and clubs to preserve folk culture, an increase of 3 clubs compared to 2020.

Along with teaching, the Culture, Sports and Tourism industry also cooperates with related units to create a cultural space to help club members perform various types of heritage such as organizing contests, performances, conferences, fairs and especially large festivals such as Ky Cung – Ta Phu, Hang Binh, Culture, Sports & Tourism week, festival of performing traditional costumes and singing folk songs of Vietnamese ethnic minorities in Lang Son province in 2022; Provincial level lion and cat dance competition in 2022… It is known that, from 2020 to now, on average, each year, all levels and sectors organize 10 mass cultural and art programs; 2 festivals, performance contests, cultural festivals at provincial level; bringing artisans and members of clubs to participate in 3 festivals, performances and cultural festivals organized by the central and regional governments.

Notably, on October 13, 2022, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism issued Decision No. 2558/QD-BVHTTDL assigning the Department of Ethnic Culture to coordinate with the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Lang Son, Kon Tum, Phu Yen, Ninh Thuan and Dak Nong to organize the building of models of clubs for folk culture activities in ethnic minority villages, mountainous areas, and resettlement areas. Mr. Ha Ngoc Minh, Director of the Provincial Arts and Culture Center said: To carry out the assigned tasks, we have developed a plan to build a model of a club of traditional folk arts and cultural activities in Lang Son in 2023. Accordingly, in 2023 we will build 10 folk culture clubs in districts and city; From the beginning of the year until now, we have built 2 more models of folk culture clubs. It is expected that by the end of 2023, we will continue to coordinate with localities to build the remaining clubs.

With the active and active participation of the Culture, Sports and Tourism sector, the interest of all levels, sectors and the joint efforts of the people, it is believed that the cultural heritage values of the ethnic minorities in Xu Lang will become more and more widespread, contributing to preserving the source, promoting the unique cultural features of Xu Lang.

 

Mr. Hoang Van Pao, Chairman of the Provincial Cultural Heritage Association

Folk culture is the soul and identity of each nation and each locality, if folk culture is preserved and promoted well, it contributes significantly to creating the “soft power” of culture, promote local socio-economic development. The replication of the club model is meant to promote and encourage people’s participation in preserving and promoting national cultural values.

In the coming time, in order for folk culture teams and clubs to operate more effectively, in my opinion, it is necessary to focus on building and organizing folk music clubs, which must be associated with synchronous, comprehensive, and safe solutions to ensure feasibility; focus on selecting, researching, preserving and promoting the types of folk songs, folk dances and folk music of ethnic minorities must be associated with tourism development with typical and unique values and focused investment, avoid spreading, scattering… At the same time, it is necessary to organize the construction and exploitation of a specific type of tourism, suitable to the characteristics of the community’s culture, to expand economic sectors to develop ethnic minority and mountainous areas… create jobs, increase people’s incomes, and promote local economic, cultural and social development.