Lai Chau promotes the role of artisans in preserving ethnic cultures

Lai Chau Province has 15 artisans awarded the title of Meritorious Artisan by the State and one artisan awarded the title of People’s Artisan. These artisans have contributed to preserving, promoting and playing an important role in teaching and promoting the cultural identity of ethnic minorities to future generations in the face of fading away in current life.

The Artisan Lo Van Soi opens classes to teach Thai script

Awarded the title of Meritorious Artisan by the President in 2019, Hu Co Xuan from Seo 2 Village, Can Ho Commune, Muong Te District, is a person who has made many contributions to preserving and developing the intangible cultural values ​​of the Si La people.

Although she is over 70 years old, Xuan continues to contribute to the development of her people. In addition to teaching folk songs and ancient dances of the Si La people to art troupes in the villages, Xuan also regularly participates in writing books and teaching about Si La culture to students at schools in the border district of Muong Te.

Xuan regularly collects and participates in writing books about the customs and culture of the Si La people.

Meritorious Artisan Hu Co Xuan confided that, starting from seeing the cultural identity of her people increasingly fading. She herself is fortunate to have been taught a lot by her elders, and to understand more about her ethnic culture. Therefore, she felt that she needed to try to teach it to the younger generation, considering it the responsibility of the previous generation towards the cultural traditions of her people.

At first, Xuan taught folk songs and dances of the Si La people to the village art troupe. After that, she collected and memorised the culture of the Si La people, transcribed it to teach the next generation.

From those contributions, Xuan was recognised by the Party and the State and awarded the title of Meritorious Artisan.

She herself said that what she did not expect to be awarded the title. However, even without any title, with the responsibility of a child of the Si La people, she will continue to contribute to preserve and maintain the best cultural identities of her people.

Artisan Hu Co Xuan introduces the space displaying daily living utensils and tools of the Si La people.

With tireless efforts and wholehearted devotion to preserve the quintessence and cultural identity of the Thai people. Over the years, Meritorious Artisan Lo Van Soi, Muong Cang Commune, Than Uyen District, has written and translated more than 30 good and meaningful books about the culture and beliefs of the Thai people.

Not only that, he is also the founder of the Then and Tinh lute singing club in the village and commune, and an exemplary member of the Campaign Committee for the Preservation of Thai ethnic cultural identity in Than Uyen District.

Before 2020, Soi opened classes to teach Thai script to young people and students in the commune; actively participated in teaching Then singing, Tinh lute, and Thai folk songs at schools.

Sharing about this issue, Artisan Lo Van Soi said that he always worried about the traditional culture of his people. The era of traditional cultural development is fading, which makes him very worried.

Thinking and worrying about what is related to traditional culture that may be lost in the future, he tried to preserve it by mobilising the establishment of clubs, with the brothers in the clubs then disseminating to their children and grandchildren.

Along with that, he asked for opinions from local authorities to coordinate with schools, open clubs and groups to preserve and promote Thai ethnic culture in schools, with the goal of helping young people understand and love their ethnic culture more.

Artisan Lo Van Soi teaches Thai writing to students.

In today’s era, with the intermingling of many different cultures, the role of artisans is especially important in contributing to preserving and promoting the unique characteristics and identities of each ethnic group.

Thanks to the contribution of artisans, up to now, the whole Lai Chau province has restored and maintained the organisation of many traditional festivals of typical ethnic groups such as: Cong, Mang, Ha Nhi, Si La, Dao, Giay, Thai, H’Mong, and Kho Mu, preserving folk songs, folk dances and Then singing as well as attractive epics.

Tran Manh Hung, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Lai Chau Province, affirmed that artisans of ethnic groups are the ones who have contributed to preserving intangible culture and promoting the traditional cultural values ​​of their own ethnic groups.

In recent times, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Lai Chau has also coordinated with relevant departments, branches, agencies and localities to create conditions for artisans to promote their role. Through competitions and performances to exchange cultures between ethnic groups, the artisans have taught and guided the dances, folk songs, and festival customs to the next generation, contributing to preserving and promoting the fine cultural values ​​of the ethnic groups.

Up to now, Lai Chau Province has one People’s Artisan, 15 Meritorious Artisans and many prestigious people in the ethnic community. They are the ones who have been lighting the fire, teaching, and adding more love and passion for ethnic culture to the younger generation.

At the same time, they are the core force to build and develop Vietnamese culture and people with strong national identity, meeting the requirements of sustainable development of Lai Chau and the country.

Tran Tuan – Thai Thinh
Translated by NDO – nhandan.vn