The person who spreads the M'nong folk song in Duc An

From small houses, folk songs spread among the great forest

Every weekend, the small house of artist Thi Py On becomes a special classroom, where M'nong folk songs are sung by young, poetic souls, as clear as morning dew drops on forest leaves.

No blackboard, no chalk, the "classroom" only has a mat spread in the middle of the house and a special teacher - who has spent more than half of her life cherishing each folk song as a treasure. She sings first with a warm, deep voice, each sentence, each word imbued with memories and love for national identity. The children listen, then hesitantly sing along, sometimes out of rhythm, sometimes not fully spelled, but their eyes light up with excitement and anticipation. The songs she teaches are music and a part of the spiritual life of the M'nong people such as: songs celebrating the new rice season, greetings to the forest god, melodies welcoming distinguished guests to the village...

Through each song, she gently tells the children about their ancestors, about the land, about the love in the community. Her teaching method is simple but profound, not preaching, not using books, but with real emotions, with burning pride. “I hope the children will know how to sing, understand the lyrics, and then in the future can teach their children and grandchildren. If folk songs are no longer sung, it is like losing a part of the nation...”, said Ms. Thi Py On.

Many children have become more fond of the M'nong language and their own identity after being taught by Ms. Thi Py On. Thi Vy (12 years old) shared: "Artist Thi Py On taught me songs about welcoming spring, forest gods, welcoming guests... I find folk songs very beautiful and special. I wish I could sing as well as her in the future so I can perform in many places."

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A cultural teacher must not teach “for the sake of it”, but must understand that what he brings with him is the value of the whole community. Therefore, despite my old age, I still continue to learn, exchange with other artists, and carefully record each lyric and melody so that I can teach them systematically and deeply.
Artisan Thi Py On

Preserve with heart, love of culture

Not only teaching children in the village, artisan Thi Py On is also a "familiar face" in the art competitions at the commune and district levels. Every time she participates in a competition, she always brings with her deep pride in the M'nong culture, both performing and spreading that love to more people.

Mr. Trieu Van Tuat, Head of N'Jang Lu village, commented: "Mrs. Thi Py On is an exemplary person who loves the national culture very much. She not only sings well but also has the passion to pass it on. The whole village respects her and sees her as an example for their children and grandchildren to follow."

Looking at Mrs. Thi Py On sitting among the children, her eyes shining with joy when a child sings in time, or smiling proudly when hearing the folk song in the quiet afternoon, one can understand that what she does is not only to "pass on the fire", but also to preserve the soul of the land and the soul of the people. Those melodies, without people like her, would gradually sink into oblivion in the flow of modernization.

M'nong folk songs, in her mind, are not just lyrics but life. They follow the M'nong people from the time they go to the fields to celebrate the new rice, from lullabies to songs over a jar of rice wine. Ms. Thi Py On shared: "Singing folk songs is like breathing. If you don't sing, you feel empty. When you sing, you feel like you're returning to yourself."

For artisan Thi Py On, preserving and spreading traditional culture is a persistent, silent journey full of love conveyed in every musical note, every look, every small but warm singing lesson.

Source: https://baolamdong.vn/nguoi-truyen-lua-dan-ca-m-nong-o-duc-an-382994.html