Members of the “Then” singing club in Tan Trao commune in the northern province of Tuyen Quang. (Photo: VNA)  

The local community in Tan Trao Commune, the northern province of Tuyen Quang established a “Then” singing club in early 2022, with the goal of preserving the unique traditional cultural performance of the Tay ethnic group.

Trieu Thi Lam Hanh, the head of the club, emphasised that for its members, “Then” singing represents their cultural heritage, an invaluable asset, and the very soul of the Tay people.

As young individuals raised in stilt houses and immersed in “Then” songs, they feel a deep responsibility to learn and preserve their deeply instilled cultural roots.Initially, the club had 17 members, with ages ranging from 9 to 44.

Be Hoai Thuong, an 11-year-old from Tan Lap village, has been part of the club since its inception.

She shared that she grew up with “Then” lyrics and the sounds of the Tinh musical instrument played by her grandmother and mother, which instilled a love for these ethnic sounds from a young age. Encouraged by her family to join the club, the 9-year-old Tay girl was initially shy to practice in front of others.

Now, Thuong is a core member, confidently performing and teaching tourists how to play the Tinh instrument.At the souvenir shop of Truong Thi Ngat, another club member, a Tinh instrument is always on hand. When there are no customers, she plays the instrument and sings “Then” melodies.

Ngat also records herself singing and shares these videos on her personal Facebook page to promote cultural values to her friends.Currently, the club in Tan Trao commune has 22 members.

According to Hanh, they used to meet every Friday and Saturday evening at the Tan Lap village cultural house to practise singing, playing instruments, and dancing. Now, as their skills have improved, they gather twice a month.For over a year, in addition to local cultural activities, the club has participated in various cultural events across Tuyen Quang province and performed for tourists visiting the Tan Trao Special National Relic Site.Hoang Duc Soai, Chairman of the Tan Trao communal People's Committee, noted that the commune is home to 12 ethnic groups, including the Tay, Nung, Dao, Cao Lan, and San Chay.

To preserve and promote the cultural identity of these ethnic minorities, the commune has partnered with the Department of Culture and Information of Son Duong District to arrange language classes and encourage the use of traditional languages and costumes during holidays and events.

They also support folk art clubs to motivate community participation in preserving cultural heritage.In Son Duong district, there are four clubs dedicated to “Then” singing and Tinh musical instrument playing, with nearly 90 members.

Ha Thi Hong Lien, Head of the District’s Department of Culture and Information, stated that the district plans to continue collaborating with specialised departments to preserve and promote the cultural identities of ethnic groups, including the Tay, Nung, and Thai.

The district regularly organises training classes, cultural exchanges, and artistic activities among communes, villages, hamlets, and folk art clubs, with a focus on discovering and nurturing cultural talents to enrich and sustain their heritage./.