Preserving and sustainably promoting the artistic heritage of Bài Chòi

The art of Bài Chòi is a unique intangible cultural heritage, which has existed for a long time among the people of the Central provinces in general and Quang Tri in particular. Over time, the art of Bài Chòi has been deeply ingrained in the consciousness and closely associated with the daily life of the people of each locality. In order to protect and develop the value of the intangible cultural heritage of Bài Chòi in the area, in recent times, the province has actively implemented many specific solutions and activities.

Students of Kim Dong Primary School, Vinh Linh District enthusiastically participated in singing Bai Choi in an extracurricular activity - Photo: TL

Recognizing the importance of preserving and promoting the value of intangible heritage of the art of Bài Chòi, in 2018, the Provincial People's Committee issued Decision No. 1899/QD-UBND on promulgating the Project to protect and promote the value of intangible cultural heritage of the art of Bài Chòi in Central Vietnam in the province, period 2018-2023. Implementing specific contents in the project and plan greatly contributes to protecting and promoting the value of Bài Chòi heritage in Quang Tri, at the same time, paying attention to and creating all conditions for the subjects holding the heritage to practice, teach and protect the cultural heritage, bringing the art of Bài Chòi closer to the public.

To protect and promote the Bai Choi art heritage, the organization of teaching the young generation the skills to practice the Bai Choi art heritage is promoted.

Accordingly, from 2018 to 2023, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism (VH,TT&DL) assigned the Provincial Culture - Cinema Center to open 14 training classes on folk songs and the art of Bài Chòi for the grassroots with the participation of more than 400 students who are the core in the work of propagating and transmitting the art of Bài Chòi in the districts of Vinh Linh, Gio Linh, Cam Lo, Trieu Phong, Hai Lang and Quang Tri town.

Thanks to the active opening of training classes to teach the art of Bài Chòi to the grassroots, up to now, most localities in the province have Bài Chòi clubs and associations. Typical examples are in the villages: Tung Luat, Co My, Vinh Giang commune; Don Due, Vinh Hoa commune; Trung Nam commune (Vinh Linh district); Ngo Xa Thanh Le, Trieu Trung commune (Trieu Phong district); Ha Thuong, Gio Linh town; Hai Thai commune (Gio Linh district); Hai Le commune (Quang Tri town)... "It is the rusticity, simplicity, closeness, and ease of touching people's hearts of the folk Bài Chòi melodies that made me love and participate in the folk song teaching class.

I find the classes very useful for localities, contributing practically to the popularization of folk Bài Chòi to the public, especially the young generation, thereby promoting the value of intangible cultural heritage, spreading the cultural value of this art", said Ms. Ho Thi Le Xuan, a student participating in the Bài Chòi class in Hai Le commune, Quang Tri town.

Along with that, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism also pays attention to the propaganda and promotion of the heritage of Bài Chòi. Propaganda activities are regularly integrated through cultural and artistic activities, holidays, anniversaries, and political events in the province.

Districts, towns and cities organize dissemination and education to cadres, civil servants and public employees to strengthen the review, promote propaganda and mobilize families, artisans and musicians with skills, experience and knowledge of the art of Bài Chòi to teach and actively participate in the restoration, preservation and development of the art of Bài Chòi in the locality. At the same time, the sector has collected, inventoried and documented more than 100 sets of songs, melodies and folk songs, especially the “Già Gao” (pounding rice) song, “Nhữ Lệ” (like a rice pounding song), “Mai Day” (like a rice pounding song) song of Quảng Trị and written new lyrics for 30 songs.

The work of issuing policies, creating conditions and an environment for artisans, clubs and communities to practice the Bai Choi art heritage has also been focused on. By 2022, 10 individuals had been awarded the title of "Meritorious Artisan" by the President in the field of intangible cultural heritage of Binh Tri Thien folk songs, Quang Tri rice pounding songs and Bai Choi singing.

During the period of 2021 - 2023, the province has provided funding to support 22 clubs that have made many contributions to the conservation and promotion of intangible cultural heritage values in the province with an average support level of 6 million VND/club, including 6 folk song and Bài chòi clubs that have been supported.

Along with propaganda and training work, the province also pays attention to organizing the exploitation of the heritage of Bài Chòi to serve cultural and tourism development.

In localities, Bài chòi has gradually become a useful playground for the majority of people, especially attracting many young people to participate in entertainment during festivals as well as during the Tet and spring holidays. Activities to introduce the intangible cultural heritage of Bài chòi art at schools have also been implemented to help the younger generation understand more about the traditional art form of their homeland that has been recognized by UNESCO, such as: Kim Dong Primary School, Vinh Linh District has for many years integrated Bài chòi art into extracurricular activities, thereby helping students approach, understand, know and love more the traditional art of their homeland.

The leader of the Kim Dong Ho Primary School, Xuan Huyen, shared: “Since 2018, the school has integrated the art of Bài Chòi into extracurricular activities, so that students can better understand this folk art, thereby spreading love and interest in Bài Chòi to each student. Many students of the school have actively participated in singing Bài Chòi in local festivals. At the same time, they themselves have become propagandists to spread the love of Bài Chòi art to their families and the community.”

With active and synchronous activities, up to now, Bai Choi has gradually become one of the cultural activities that many people participate in, especially the young generation.

Based on the achieved results, in the coming time, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism will continue to promote information, propaganda and dissemination of the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's policies and laws on culture to all classes of people along with activities to restore and promote the artistic value of Bai Choi in the province.

Create conditions for Bài Chòi clubs and artisans to open classes to teach and practice Bài Chòi artistic heritage locally. Along with that, connect Bài Chòi art with tourism activities by bringing Bài Chòi performances into Bài Chòi stage activities at annual festivals.

Thanh Le

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