An impromptu art performance showing off the creativeness andartistry of the performers - the art of Don ca tai tu's music and songsin southern Vietnam - has earned an honor as a piece of the world’sintangible cultural heritage of humanity.
UNESCOannounced the decision to recognise the art as an intangible culturalheritage on December 5, during the on-going 8th session of theIntergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the IntangibleCultural Heritage in Baku , Azerbaijan .
Knownas a musical art that has both scholarly and folk roots, Don ca tai tu(amateur singing) developed in southern Vietnam in the late 19thcentury.
People in the south consider it anindispensable spiritual cultural activity and a highly valued part oftheir cultural heritage, which is performed at numerous events, such asfestivals, ‘death anniversary' rituals, and celebratory social events.The audience can join in, by practicing, making comments or creating newwords for songs.
The Cultural Heritage Departmentof the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said the music genre hasmet the criteria to be included on the Representative List of theIntangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
It hasbeen transmitted from generation to generation through official andunofficial forms of education in all 21 provinces, where the art form ispopular. Don ca tai tu has continually been popularised throughcultural exchanges among peoples, presenting their mutual harmony andrespect.
The art form is played on a variety ofdifferent instruments, including the kim (moon-shaped lute), co(two-stringed fiddle), tranh (16-string zither), ty ba (pear-shapedlute), song lang (percussion), bau (monochord) and sao (bamboo flute),and the violin and guitar, which were adapted.
Themusicians who contribute to Don ca tai tu include masterinstrumentalists, master lyricists, master singers, instrumentalists,and singers.
In a document sent to UNESCO, theCultural Heritage Department reported that from 1997 to the present, thegovernment has provided funds for the inventorying, collection anddocumentation of the music genre and supported Don ca tai tu ensembles,clubs and families to organise the transmission of the art.
"During our survey tour, we listed 21 provinces in the south ofVietnam that normally perform Don ca tai tu. Among which, the MekongDelta provinces of Long An and Bac Lieu reported the appearance of themusic genre for hundreds of years," said the director of VietnamInstitute of Musicology, Dr. Le Van Toan, as the inventory wascompleted.
"It is an impromptu art performance toshow off the creativeness and artistry of the performers. They use artto serve their daily lives, not to earn a livelihood. That's why thismusic genre is much adored by the Southerners.
"Tomeet UNESCO's criteria, we worked with artisans and Don ca tai tuorganisations to complete the localities possessing the music form. Theinventory was completed with the scientific consultancy from leadingexperts, including Prof. Tran Van Khe," Toan said.
With this honour, Vietnam expects to increase respect for a valuableform of performance, encourage the community to recognise the value ofcultural heritage, and to voluntarily take part in practising,developing, transmitting and safeguarding it. Further, it hopes tostrengthen community cohesion and support the cultural identity of localpeople through musical exchanges.
By confirming itsinternational cultural value, Vietnam also expects to enhanceinternational cultural cooperation and exchanges through transmission,dissemination, and education, as well as raise the awareness andresponsibilities of communities, local authorities and the Stateconcerning the research, documentation, practice, transmission and studyof cultural heritages.
Influenced by other forms ofcultural heritage from the central and southern regions of Vietnam,such as nhac le (ceremonial music) and hat boi (classical theatre andfolk song), the music genre was added to the National List of IntangibleCultural Heritage in 2012.-VNA
UNESCOannounced the decision to recognise the art as an intangible culturalheritage on December 5, during the on-going 8th session of theIntergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the IntangibleCultural Heritage in Baku , Azerbaijan .
Knownas a musical art that has both scholarly and folk roots, Don ca tai tu(amateur singing) developed in southern Vietnam in the late 19thcentury.
People in the south consider it anindispensable spiritual cultural activity and a highly valued part oftheir cultural heritage, which is performed at numerous events, such asfestivals, ‘death anniversary' rituals, and celebratory social events.The audience can join in, by practicing, making comments or creating newwords for songs.
The Cultural Heritage Departmentof the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said the music genre hasmet the criteria to be included on the Representative List of theIntangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
It hasbeen transmitted from generation to generation through official andunofficial forms of education in all 21 provinces, where the art form ispopular. Don ca tai tu has continually been popularised throughcultural exchanges among peoples, presenting their mutual harmony andrespect.
The art form is played on a variety ofdifferent instruments, including the kim (moon-shaped lute), co(two-stringed fiddle), tranh (16-string zither), ty ba (pear-shapedlute), song lang (percussion), bau (monochord) and sao (bamboo flute),and the violin and guitar, which were adapted.
Themusicians who contribute to Don ca tai tu include masterinstrumentalists, master lyricists, master singers, instrumentalists,and singers.
In a document sent to UNESCO, theCultural Heritage Department reported that from 1997 to the present, thegovernment has provided funds for the inventorying, collection anddocumentation of the music genre and supported Don ca tai tu ensembles,clubs and families to organise the transmission of the art.
"During our survey tour, we listed 21 provinces in the south ofVietnam that normally perform Don ca tai tu. Among which, the MekongDelta provinces of Long An and Bac Lieu reported the appearance of themusic genre for hundreds of years," said the director of VietnamInstitute of Musicology, Dr. Le Van Toan, as the inventory wascompleted.
"It is an impromptu art performance toshow off the creativeness and artistry of the performers. They use artto serve their daily lives, not to earn a livelihood. That's why thismusic genre is much adored by the Southerners.
"Tomeet UNESCO's criteria, we worked with artisans and Don ca tai tuorganisations to complete the localities possessing the music form. Theinventory was completed with the scientific consultancy from leadingexperts, including Prof. Tran Van Khe," Toan said.
With this honour, Vietnam expects to increase respect for a valuableform of performance, encourage the community to recognise the value ofcultural heritage, and to voluntarily take part in practising,developing, transmitting and safeguarding it. Further, it hopes tostrengthen community cohesion and support the cultural identity of localpeople through musical exchanges.
By confirming itsinternational cultural value, Vietnam also expects to enhanceinternational cultural cooperation and exchanges through transmission,dissemination, and education, as well as raise the awareness andresponsibilities of communities, local authorities and the Stateconcerning the research, documentation, practice, transmission and studyof cultural heritages.
Influenced by other forms ofcultural heritage from the central and southern regions of Vietnam,such as nhac le (ceremonial music) and hat boi (classical theatre andfolk song), the music genre was added to the National List of IntangibleCultural Heritage in 2012.-VNA
