Historical “storytellers”

“History is not only in books but also comes alive through the voices of narrators,” said Nguyen Thi Hong Phuong, a narrator at An Giang Museum, after introducing the national hero Nguyen Trung Truc. For her and other “historical storytellers,” this is not just a job but also a journey to inspire and foster patriotism in each generation.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Phuong (right cover) is introducing to visitors. Photo: THUY TIEN

“Let history touch the hearts of listeners…”

Among the stream of visitors of all ages at An Giang Museum, branch 1, many people were attracted by the warm voice and emotional eyes of Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Phuong, 36 years old. After graduating from university, she worked as a tour guide in Ha Tien, until 2018 when she moved to work at the museum and has been attached to the profession of tour guide for the past 7 years.

For Ms. Phuong, explanation is the art of connecting artifacts and people, between the past and the present. “Each age group has a different approach. I always try to make the story easy to understand, but still maintain depth, so that history touches the listener's heart,” Ms. Phuong said, her eyes still following each artifact in the museum. For young children, she chooses a short, vivid storytelling method. When explaining to students and researchers, she leads into cultural documents of Oc Eo, National Hero Nguyen Trung Truc, Mac Cuu - the founder of Ha Tien... For families, she gently introduces ancient architecture, each photo, each artifact on display.

The job seems repetitive, but for Ms. Phuong, each presentation session is a new experience. Not only does she memorize the material, she also "breathes life" into each story. There were times when, when telling about the national hero Nguyen Trung Truc or the battles of the army and people of An Giang through the two resistance wars against France and the US, her voice suddenly dropped, her eyes filled with tears. The tourists were also silent, some even cried. "The greatest success of a tour guide is to bring tears to the listeners' eyes," Ms. Phuong said softly, but her eyes could not hide her pride.

Keep the profession with passion and learning

Narration is not just storytelling. It is a job that requires flexibility, communication skills, the ability to grasp psychology, and most importantly, knowledge of history and culture. In particular, the narrator must have an emotional voice and know how to "breathe life" into the story. Understanding that, Ms. Trinh Ngoc Thao, 26 years old, one of the young narrators of An Giang Museum always makes constant efforts.

In the early days, she encountered many difficulties, from practicing her voice, standing, interacting to understanding the psychology of tourists. To do her job well, she constantly learned from her colleagues, regularly watched documentaries, read more documents to expand her knowledge and practice presentation skills. "I often followed my colleagues, put myself in the position of the listener to learn how they interpreted, observed emotions, storytelling style... Then I practiced every day to find my own style," Ms. Thao said. Now, Ms. Thao has her own style, coherent, gentle but firm, close but still full of emotions. She wants the listener not only to understand, but also to relive history. When emotions are conveyed, history will no longer be far away.

The woman tells stories from her heart

Coming to Hon Dat - where the sea and land meet, the Ba Hon National Historical and Scenic Site is like a silent witness of wartime. This is where fierce battles took place, and the People's Armed Forces Hero Phan Thi Rang (Ms. Su) heroically sacrificed her life. Welcoming guests at the site is Ms. Nguyen Thanh Binh - a tour guide who has been with us for many years. In a simple traditional Vietnamese outfit, with a rustic appearance and a smooth voice, she recounts each battle and each historical detail with all her heart. "Living in this space, being able to tell the heroic story of my homeland, I feel very proud," Ms. Binh said emotionally.

Ms. Binh knows by heart every story, every battle, every artifact, even the smallest detail. “Unlike tour guides who go to many places, tour guides like me work in one fixed place. Each story can be told hundreds of times, but that does not mean it is dry and boring. Tour guides must always “breathe life” into artifacts and relics, transferring enthusiasm from the past to the present,” Ms. Binh said.

One principle she always adheres to is that history must be accurate. However, the way of communication needs to be flexible. Depending on the audience such as students, veterans, international tourists, she will choose the appropriate language and approach. There are times when she tells stories until she forgets the time, because "each time she tells a story is a relive".

In the land of An Giang, rich in revolutionary tradition, tour guides like Ms. Phuong, Ms. Thao, Ms. Binh... are the bridge between artifacts and memories, between history and today's generation. Each person has their own voice and style, but they all have in common that they tell with their hearts and convey with emotions. They not only help visitors understand history better, but also arouse pride and love for their homeland and country. In the digital age, such tours become even more precious, a lively and intimate "out-of-class lesson". That is where history steps out of the books, coming alive through each voice, eyes and heart of the storyteller.

Thuy Tien - Tu Ly

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/nhung-nguoi-ke-chuyen-lich-su-a461749.html