Local man dedicates to Tay ethnic culture

Culture

Local man dedicates to Tay ethnic culture

Wednesday, February 7, 2024

YBO - With a fervent passion and profound reverence for age-old cultural values, artisan Ha Van Nguyen from Kien Lao village, Kien Thanh commune, Tran Yen district, is tirelessly contributing to the preservation of unique cultural values of the Tay ethnic group.

Artisan Ha Van Nguyen instructs students how to sing “then” and play "tinh" lute.

Blessed with innate talent, Nguyen excels not only in the art of "then" singing, collecting ritual songs and folk poems, and traditional dances, but also possesses the skill to craft "tinh” lutes. Over the past few decades, he has handcrafted hundreds of "tinh" lutes and brought them to enthusiasts. He said: "Today, few people are aware of or show interest in traditional musical instruments. I want to preserve something for future generations, thus choosing to craft 'tinh' lutes and teach others who love them. After establishing a traditional arts club in Kien Thanh commune, I have made enough 'tinh' lutes for each member."

According to him, traditional methods of tuning the "tinh" lute involved intricately adjusting two strings, known colloquially as "tong" and "tien", which made learning difficult and time-consuming. Having learned to play it from a young age and later mastering the guitar, he applied the frets of the lute to match the guitar's fretboard and labeled the positions of the notes on each fret, making it easier for people to learn and remember, with the traditional tunes also adjusted accordingly. He said the most important aspect of the "tinh" lute is the quality of the instrument. Despite its simplicity and rustic appearance, the chosen wood must be lightweight, such as Thung Muc wood. However, due to scarcity, he often uses the core of cinnamon timber for crafting, with the crucial requirement that the instrument must be straight, without any curvature or warping.

Another equally crucial component is the gourd resonator. The resonator is crafted from aged, well-rounded gourds of moderate size, with thick shells that produce a crisp sound when struck, ensuring the instrument's tone is of high quality.

"Many people are concerned about the preservation of Tay cultural identity, but now, many people enjoy 'then' singing, playing the 'tinh' lute, including students. Since 'then' singing and 'tinh' lute playing were recognised as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, I have been encouraged to continue preserving them and teaching others,” he said.

At present, Nguyen serves as the Chairman of the communal traditional arts club. Since its establishment, he has taught "then" singing and 'tinh' lute playing to three classes totaling nearly 60 students, ranging from schoolchildren to those over 50 years old. Each class lasts about three months. Notably in 2023, he took the initiative to hold classes in "then" singing, 'tinh' lute playing, traditional chanting, folk songs and dances for nearly 20 students.

At present, Tran Yen district recorded 12 people honored as folk artisans, with 2 conferred by the President and 10 recognised as intangible cultural heritage artisan by Yen Bai province. In recent years, the district has directed and adopted various measures to preserve and develop the cultural heritage of ethnic minorities through the establishment of clubs, thereby tapping into the value of traditional ethnic culture in community-based tourism development, and creating distinctive tourism products for each locality.

For those tirelessly preserving the soul of the Tay ethnic group, such as artisan Nguyen, safeguarding cultural heritage is not just about love and dedication but also a responsibility for the community to ensure the eternal preservation of the traditional culture of Tay people for generations to come.

Vu Dong

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