To let Vi and Giam melodies resonate in contemporary life

10 years since Nghe Tinh Vi-Giam folk songs were recognized by UNESCO, it is also 10 years since the people here have made efforts to ensure that this heritage is perpetuated in contemporary life.

On November 27, 2014, the Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam folk songs were recognized by UNESCO as a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity. This is an important milestone in preserving and promoting the value of the Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam folk song heritage, raising the visibility of the domestic and international community for a heritage rich in identity of a cultural region. Over the past 10 years, the authorities and people of Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces have joined hands to contribute to the increasingly widespread heritage of their homeland domestically and internationally. During a working trip organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for reporters to visit the locality, VietNamNet reporters had the opportunity to meet many artisans in the Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam Folk Song Club in Phan village (Nghe An).

The space for performing folk songs and folk songs to resonate forever in contemporary life is gradually narrowing. Photo: Song Lam

To keep Vi and Giam alive in the hearts of Nghe An people, artist Cao Thi Tu loves Vi and Giam folk songs, so she regularly participates in club activities, performs, and interacts with people who share the same passion. "My club members and I strive to teach the next generations so that Vi and Giam lives forever in the hearts of Nghe An people. I am very happy, but I have to sacrifice some time for my children and farming," artist Cao Thi Tu shared. Artist Ngo Thi Huyen has been imbued with folk songs and Vi melodies since she was born. Her childhood memories are of the times when villagers often gathered to sing Vi and Giam during their free time. When Vi and Giam folk songs were recognized by UNESCO, many people joined the club, from the elderly to children. Except when she is busy with farming, in her free time, artist Ngo Thi Huyen enthusiastically participates in performances and exchanges. She encouraged her children and grandchildren to join in, to better understand and love the heritage, thereby having the awareness to preserve the precious heritage of their ancestors. Mr. Nguyen Trong Tam, Deputy Head of the Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam Folk Song Club, Hung Tan Commune, Hung Nguyen District, Nghe An Province, said that the club mainly operates out of passion and responsibility for the heritage. "After being honored by UNESCO, Vi and Giam folk songs have received more attention, and people's awareness in preserving and protecting the heritage has been raised. Every year, the club receives 5 million VND from the government to maintain its activities. Therefore, we mobilize socialization and make efforts to teach it to the next generations," Mr. Tam said. According to Mr. Tam, Vi and Giam were born in a working environment, and people sang the folk songs to forget the daily fatigue. But recently, there are not many performance spaces left, Nghe An Traditional Arts Center recreated it on the walking street in Vinh City, stimulating creative passion, bringing Vi and Giam into a new performance environment for this art form to live forever in the community. To keep the source flowing forever, Ms. Phan Thi Anh, Head of the Department of Cultural Heritage Management (Department of Culture and Sports of Nghe An) said that in 2021, the Provincial People's Committee issued a Project to protect and promote the value of heritage in 2021-2025. Currently, the province is drafting a Project to protect and promote the value of the Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam folk heritage in Nghe An province for the period 2026-2030, to send to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for consideration and submission to the Government for approval. Ms. Phan Thi Anh said that Vi and Giam folk songs are a type of folk culture, the artisans who preserve the heritage are getting older, if they do not quickly collect, research, and preserve the ancient melodies and lyrics, they will be at risk of being lost. In order for Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam folk songs to truly spread and last forever, the Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism suggested that Nghe An province be proactive, active, and coordinate better with Ha Tinh province and central ministries, branches, communities and people nationwide to effectively implement the national action program to protect and promote the value of this intangible cultural heritage. In particular, continue to promote propaganda and education activities to raise awareness and responsibility of the entire political system and the whole society, especially the young generation, for protecting and promoting the value of Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam folk cultural heritage. Source: https://www.vietnam.vn/trao-34-giai-cuoc-thi-anh-va-video-viet-nam-hanh-phuc-happy-vietnam-2024/