Hanoi (VNA) – Those who have visitedTay, Nung and Thai ethnic people in the northern mountainous region of Vietnam areoften astounded by traditional Then singing, which is accompanied by a handmadegourd lute called “Dan tinh” or “Tinh Tau”.

For Tay, Nung and Thai people, Then singing isan indispensable part of their religious and spiritual lives, even back whenthe art was on the brink of falling into oblivion.

According to researchers, the word “Then” originatesfrom “Thien”, which means sky or heaven. Therefore, Then singing is regarded asa tune of the Gods by local ethnic people.

Music theorist Nguyen Thi Minh Chau from the VietnamAssociation of Composers said Then was created by Tay, Nung and Thai ethnicgroups.

Then is considered a spiritual productreflecting the social and cultural life of people with a special combination ofliterature, music and dance, she said.

Those practicing Then are labourers whounderstand local customs and carry out important rituals for communities andindividuals in important periods of life. Thereby, Then is believed to derivefrom the working life of people, she added.

The most important figures in a Then singingperformance are “Ong Then” and “Ba Then” who can sing, dance and play a musicalinstrument at the same time during rituals while presenting offerings to God, helpingthe ethnic community to ask for good health, bumper crops, happiness and a longlife.

Then singing is practised in many northernprovinces, including Cao Bang, Bac Kan, Thai Nguyen, Lang Son, Ha Giang, QuangNinh, Son La, Lai Chau, Lao Cai, Bac Giang and Yen Bai, and the CentralHighlands province of Dak Lak. 

There are two types of Then singing: Then Ky Yen(praying for good things) and Then Le Hoi (Then festival). The first isperformed at rituals while the latter is to bring cheer and drive away sorrowand hardships in life and is normally used in rituals to pray for good crops,enter a new home, or cap sac (coming-of-age). 

The sixth edition of the National Festival ofTraditional Then singing will take place on May 12-14 in the northernmountainous province of Ha Giang, as part of national culture, sports andtourism activities to honour, preserve and develop this traditional art form.

Art troupes from 14 provinces and cities wheremany Tay, Nung and Thai ethnic people reside such as Cao Bang, Ha Giang, TuyenQuang, Bac Kan, Lang Son, Thai Nguyen, Bac Giang, Quang Ninh, Yen Bai, Lao Cai,Son La, Dien Bien, Lai Chau and Dak Lak, will perform different types of Thensinging.

A series of events will be held during thefestival such as performances of Then singing, a photo exhibition on Thencultural heritage and introduction of traditional weaving of Tay, Nung and Thaiethnic groups. Ha Giang – the host of the event will also take this occasion toorganise activities to promote its tourism.

Last year, the Ministry of Culture, Sports andTourism signed a dossier on Then singing for submission to UNESCO asking forthe recognition of this form as part of world intangible cultural heritage.-VNA