Thousands of visitors enjoy “tune of Gods” in Ha Giang
PSNews - The 6th national festival of the art of Then singing and Tinh gourd lute of the Tay, Nung and Thai ethnic groups officially kicked off on May 13 in Ha Giang city.
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The festival gathers more than 500 artisans from the 14 provinces nationwide. It is considered a rendezvous of diverse Then melodies, dances and music from different ethnic regions.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Hai Nhung, Director of the Department of Ethnic Culture under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said that the Then of Tay, Nung and Thai ethnics is a special genre of folk spiritual culture created in and connected with people’s daily life, becoming an indispensable part in the spiritual life of the ethnic groups.
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Each Then and Tinh melody and dance reflect the aspirations of Tay, Nung and Thai people, and they are precious cultural heritage contributing to the diverse culture of Vietnam, she added.
Each Then and Tinh melody and dance reflect the aspirations of Tay, Nung and Thai people, and they are precious cultural heritage contributing to the diverse culture of Vietnam, she added.
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Additionally, the festival featured many local specialty stands of Vietnamese provinces, aiming to introducing visitors their culture and culinary art.
According to researchers, the word “Then” originates from “Thien”, which means sky or heaven. Therefore, Then singing is regarded as a tune of the Gods.
The most important figures in a Then singing performance are “Mr. Then” and “Ms. Then” who can sing, dance and play a musical instrument at the same time during rituals while presenting offerings to the Gods, helping the ethnics ask for good health, bumper crops, happiness and longevity.
In 2017, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism submitted a dossier to UNESCO to seek the recognition of the practice of Then as part of world intangible cultural heritage.
