Dramatizing Then heritage from community resources

Then is a type of ritual performance of the Tay, Nung, and Thai ethnic groups, recognized by UNESCO as a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity. How can we take heritage out of its sacred space while still preserving its core spirit? In Thai Nguyen and the provinces in the Viet Bac and Northeast regions, the answer has been proven through a long, persistent journey: Dramatizing heritage from community resources.

Artists perform Then heritage in the folk performance program "Cau Then Viet Bac" in 2018 in Hanoi .

From Then sentence to Then color

Efforts to bring Then to the professional stage, honoring its originality, were initiated very early in Thai Nguyen . The first milestone was the program “Cau Then Viet Bac” in 2018 in Hanoi. At that time, the program’s artisans put the “woodblock” criterion first. That is, the entire program would not use speakers or microphones and called for voluntary financial support from the community to cover travel expenses for the artisan groups.

This spirit of self-reliance was continued and proven effective through two important events: the international tour in the French Republic in October 2024 and recently the Talk show performing “Sac Then Viet Bac” for the first time held in Thai Nguyen in August 2025. The success of the community-based Then theatricalization model is maintained by the tireless spirit of the Then “fire keepers”.

The persistence in maintaining the “woodblock” criteria and self-funding through events shows the community’s resolute stance on preservation. However, after the success of “Sac Then Viet Bac” 2025, what worries experts is the difficulty in maintaining it. The fact that it will take until 2025 to organize a large-scale program using socialized resources shows the lack of stable funding sources.

In particular, veteran artisans, such as those who have participated since 2018, are mostly at a rare age. The long interruption between events and the burden of paying for tours directly affects the work of passing on to the next generation. If resources are not stabilized in time, sooner or later the departure of artisans means the permanent loss of the ancient Then treasure. This is an irreversible and risky reality.

Turn community self-reliance into system strength

Artists performing Then heritage in the French Republic in 2024.

The resounding success of Sac Then Viet Bac, especially the event in Thai Nguyen in 2025, has affirmed the effectiveness of the community-based theatricalization model. However, it is currently very difficult to maintain this model.

To overcome this difficult period and turn this spirit of self-reliance into sustainable strength, further attention from management levels is extremely urgent, which is the need for a stable and regular policy of remuneration and financial support for elderly artisans so that they have the conditions and peace of mind to systematically teach Then knowledge.

Along with that, it is also necessary to build an official Then Heritage Socialization Fund, combining State, business and community resources, to reduce the financial burden, ensuring that quality programs can be organized periodically. Strengthen the role of training and connecting by investing more heavily in training facilities such as the Viet Bac College of Culture and Arts to create a generation of successors with expertise and enthusiasm, and at the same time support them in connecting Then Clubs in the Northeast region.

The dramatization of Then heritage in Thai Nguyen from community resources is a story about the pride and self-reliance of the Vietnamese people. This journey has affirmed: The subject of heritage is the future of heritage. But in order for that future not to be threatened by the lack of resources and the departure of artisans at a "rare age", systematic cooperation is extremely necessary and urgent.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/van-hoa/202509/san-khau-hoa-di-san-then-tu-nguon-luc-cong-dong-8952f53/