Preserving the legacy of Then practice: A 5-year journey after being honored

In December 2019, Then practice of the Tay – Nung – Thai ethnic groups was registered by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage representing humanity. Lang Son province is one of the provinces holding typical Then practice cultural heritage. Since being honored until now, it has been nearly 5 years, the legacy of Then practice is being preserved and promoted in the right direction.

According to cultural researchers, Then is an overall folklore phenomenon typical of some ethnic groups in the Northern mountainous region, including the Tay and Nung ethnic groups. Then beliefs have integrated and generated many cultural and artistic activities such as music, dance, folk shaping, forms of association and social relations… to satisfy the spiritual life of people. In which, Lang Son is a typical area of Then practice.

Lang Son – The unique Then region

Dr. Hoang Van Pao, Chairman of the Provincial Cultural Heritage Association said: Then singing of Tay and Nung people in Lang Son is an ancient cultural activity with ritual systems, an opportunity for descendants to pay tribute to ancestors and gods for a smooth and good business season. Therefore, Then means Thien (sky), singing Then is singing the song of the sky.

Performing Then singing at the launching ceremony of Then Khau Bo Singing Club – Na Phai, Hoang Viet commune, Van Lang district

Like other localities in the country, now in the province, Then practice exists in two main forms: Ritual Then – Ancient Then (for religious practice) and New Then (arranged, composed based on the staged ancient Then sound). In which, Then ritual in Lang Son includes some types such as praying Then; wishing Then; celebrating Then; Then pray for the season… Then is distributed in almost all districts and city in the province, gradually forming and affirming typical Then regions such as Bac Son – Binh Gia; Van Quan – Chi Lang; Trang Dinh – Van Lang; Cao Loc – Lang Son city… Each region has its own characteristics of musical rhythm and is imbued with the identity and uniqueness of that region in Then events. Then Lang Son today still retains a relatively full range of melodies such as to may, kham hai (crossing the sea), sluoi lua (sailing), pai tang (walking), Chau dance…This is the factor that makes the variety, richness and attractiveness of Then Lang Son compared to Then in other localities in the region.

The research works of a number of prestigious scholars have shown that Then is composed of 3 main elements: artisans, Then’s sacred objects, rituals. Artisans are an important factor, holding a central position in the preservation and transmission of Then heritage.

Outstanding artisan Be Thi Van, Na Van village, Tri Phuong commune, Trang Dinh district said: To become a Then performer, the family must have a lineage, a tradition of Then practice, be musically gifted (playing lute and singing), must have a ceremony and undergo a process of learning and training. Since I was 17 years old, I have been given an ordination ceremony and started practicing my profession. Up to now, after having undergone 4 great festivals of Then, I have achieved the highest “title” in the Then line with a hat with 13 tassels.

Promoting the legacy of Then practice after being honored

Since being registered until now, together with the provinces that own Then heritage, all levels and sectors of the province have had many solutions to contribute to preserving, promoting and spreading Then’s values in the community. Mr. Phan Van Hoa, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism said: Immediately after the practice of Then was honored by UNESCO, we developed a plan to preserve and promote the value of this representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity, ensuring synchronization in accordance with the provisions of the UNESCO Convention. Accordingly, we have stepped up the propaganda and promotion of heritage values to the community. At the same time, we organized activities to honor and reward artisans, set up clubs, open classes to teach folk singing, including Then singing… In particular, the department advised the Provincial People’s Committee to issue Plan No. 42 on February 22, 2022 to implement Decision No.3404 on December 22, 2021 of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism approving the Project “Preserving and promoting the values of folk songs, folk dances and folk music of ethnic minorities in association with tourism development in the 2021-2030 period”.

A performance of Then singing – gourd lute at the opening ceremony of Culture – Sports – Tourism Week in 2023

Accordingly, from 2019 to now, on average, each year, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism organizes from 1 to 3 classes to teach Then singing and gourd lute for people of various ages at the facility. At the same time, the department supports musical instruments and some performance costumes for the people. In addition, the  Culture, Sports and Tourism sector cooperates with the Provincial Folk Song Conservation Association to mobilize and encourage establishments with a large number of Tay and Nung ethnic groups to set up clubs of Then singing – gourd lute associated with teaching the younger generation. Since 2019, the province has established nearly 20 folk music clubs, bringing the total number of folk music clubs in the province to nearly 70 clubs with more than 1,600 members, in which, 90% of the club preserves and promotes Then singing and gourd lute.

In the districts and city, the cultural sector also pays great attention to the training of Then singing for the young generation. Mrs. Luong Thuy Nha, Chief of Culture and Information Division of Van Quan district said: Currently, Van Quan has 57 artisans practicing ancient Then rituals, including about 10 young Then artisans. Every year, we cooperate with schools to invite artisans, including young artisans, to introduce the value of Then heritage at extracurricular activities.

Along with the cultural sector, over the past time, the education and training sector has brought Then heritage to teach in extracurricular lessons and activities at schools. Up to now, the whole province has 23 schools at 3 levels of education that have been organizing teaching and establishing Then singing clubs, gourd lute, attracted over 400 students, an increase of 60% compared to 2018, typical among them such as Huu Lung has 5 clubs, Trang Dinh has 4 clubs, Cao Loc has 3 clubs, Van Quan has 2 clubs… Along with teaching, from 2019 to now, the Culture, Sports and Tourism industry has regularly created a cultural space to help different types of folk songs be preserved and promoted, including Then singing, through festival events such as Ky Cung – Ta Phu temple, Bong Kham, Hang Pinh festival (Bake festival); Culture – Tourism Week, Peach Blossom Festival…

On the other hand, the Culture, Sports and Tourism sector actively established clubs and put Then singing and gourd lute performances into performances at tourist attractions and community tourism villages such as: Ky Lua Walking Street (Lang Son city); community tourism villages of Huu Lien, Yen Thinh (Huu Lung), Mong An, Thien Hoa (Binh Gia), Vu Lang, Chien Thang, Bac Quynh (Bac Son); Thac Xang and Thac May (Van Lang) tourist attractions…

With the initiative and actively of the Culture, Sports and Tourism sector, the interest of all levels and sectors and the joint efforts of the people, Then practice heritage is increasingly preserved and spread strongly, contributing to preserving the source and promoting the cultural values of Xu Lang.