A Lifetime of Then - Tinh

In the deep green mountains and forests, there is a gentle and kind man who is contributing day by day to reviving one of the most precious intangible heritages of the Tay people: Then singing and Tinh lute. That is Mr. Dao Van Hoi, living in Cay Thong hamlet, Duc Luong commune.

Mr. Dao Van Hoi was drunk on Then and Tinh all his life.

Once the Commune Police Chief, after retiring, Mr. Hoi did not choose for himself the usual leisurely life in his old age. Instead, he joined the Association of the Elderly of Phuc Luong Commune (old) and devoted all his heart to preserving and conserving Then singing melodies and Tinh lute sounds which were in danger of being lost over time.

Born and raised in a land where the Tay people make up more than 80% of the population, where the culture of Then singing and Tinh lute was once the voice of the heart, the lullaby of his grandmother and mother, Mr. Hoi always had a concern: "If no one stands up to take the initiative again, then from now on, the young generation will only know about Then singing and Tinh lute through stories, gradually becoming obscure and then disappearing...".

That feeling became the motivation for him and the Executive Committee of the Commune Elderly Association to join hands to establish the Intergenerational Then Singing and Tinh Instrument Club of Phuc Luong Commune in 2023.

Starting with only 7 members, mainly elderly people, but thanks to the sense of responsibility, enthusiasm and methodical organization, the Club has now grown to 20 members, including middle-aged people, young people and especially 4 teenagers who are studying Then singing and Tinh lute.

Mr. Hoi regularly practices playing the Tinh lute.

Upon receiving the consensus of the Party Committee and the People's Committee of the commune, Mr. Hoi was assigned to be in charge of the culture and arts of the Elderly Association of the commune. He worked day and night to go to each hamlet, meeting the elderly who knew how to play the Tinh lute and hummed the ancient Then tune to invite and encourage them to participate.

“We went to each house, talked, recounted memories, and rekindled love for national culture, from which we were able to reassemble the team.” - Mr. Hoi shared.

After its establishment, the club agreed on clear operating regulations and organized regular meetings every Saturday. The initial practice sessions were filled with excitement and confusion, but after three months, the members gradually mastered Then singing techniques, knew how to use the Tinh instrument, and began to perform confidently.

To improve the quality of activities, Mr. Hoi and the Club's Board of Directors have proactively invited Then singers and Tinh players from within and outside the province to teach them instrument playing skills, ancient Then singing styles, and modern Then melodies. Thanks to that, many Club members not only know how to sing but also confidently play the instrument and perform independently.

Some outstanding members have been invited to perform at many major cultural events in the province. In particular, last year, the club represented the province at the 15th National Then Singing Festival in Tan Trao, Tuyen Quang and left a deep impression on the audience.

Members of the Then singing and Tinh lute performance club.

For Mr. Dao Van Hoi, the greatest joy is not only the applause when performing, but also the sparkling eyes of the young people when they first hold the Tinh instrument, or the trembling humming voice of an old man rediscovering his childhood memories in the ancient Then melody.

From the effective operation model of the Then singing and Tinh lute club, Mr. Hoi has drawn some valuable experiences: The establishment of the club does not follow the trend but originates from the actual needs, the people's love and the available cultural potential; organize regular and methodical activities, operate according to clear regulations, closely follow the orientations of the Party and State on preserving and developing traditional culture; regularly renew the way of activities, from practicing, learning to play instruments, learning to sing to organizing exchange sessions, thereby attracting the participation of many generations...

At a rare age, Mr. Dao Van Hoi is still enthusiastic, fulfilling the role of "sower" and "soul keeper" of Tay culture in the midst of modern life that is changing every day in the mountains and forests of Duc Luong.

He has proven that to revive a melody, it does not need great things, just a heart full of love and a community working together to nurture it.

For Mr. Hoi, Then and Tinh are not just music, but also memories and indelible pride. He has contributed to making Then and Tinh melodies resonate, blending into the rhythm of people's lives, making life more joyful and fresh.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/van-hoa/202507/mot-doi-say-then-tinh-eab0d26/