Soong Co singing of the San Diu people in Binh Dan

Considered the "capital" of the San Diu people, Binh Dan commune (Van Don district) preserves many unique traditional cultural features. In this rich heritage, Soong Co singing stands out as a precious gem, reflecting the spiritual life of the community.

Binh Dan commune has about 1,500 people, more than 90% of whom are San Diu people. The San Diu community lives in villages, which is convenient for preserving and promoting unique cultural values. Dr. Tran Quoc Hung, Center for Research, Preservation and Development of San Diu Culture in Vietnam, commented: Soong Co is a clear expression of San Diu cultural identity, closely associated with the spiritual life of the community. The unique living environment makes it easy and sustainable to preserve the art of singing Soong Co.

faf — The smooth Soong Co songs are performed by artists in the Soong Co Club of Binh Dan commune (Van Don) in competitions and exchanges.

According to records, soong co is an oral folk poem, easy to learn from old to young, recorded in San Diu Nom script, performed by shamans. With a high sense of community, soong co is expressed through the form of dialogue between host-guest pairs, men-women, or between villages. Especially, at weddings, soong co melodies resound from the gate, yard, kitchen to the wedding room, lasting throughout the whole day, creating a festive atmosphere rich in identity.

Traditionally, during the off-season (November, December or spring after Tet), the San Diu people in Binh Dan organize singing of soong co. Groups of boys and girls from distant villages often gather to sing, creating a joyful atmosphere. The leader of the group (tam co thong), who leads the singing, must know many songs and be flexible in improvisation. When the other person speaks, the leader will recognize and respond immediately.

The singing sessions begin with free songs, challenging the other party to find a response, similar to Bac Ninh quan ho singing or Phu Tho xoan gheo singing. The singing includes the following steps: getting acquainted, greeting, inviting to drink water, chew betel, confiding and then ending with farewell. The song content is rich, the lyrics are subtle. An interesting thing is that boys and girls in a village will not sing together, but when they arrive in another village, they will walk all day, rest at the house of an acquaintance and sing in response in the evening.

faf — Artist To Thi Ta teaches the young generation traditional soong co songs of the nation.

Musically, the soong co has two main singing styles: singing with high pitch, lots of vibrato, creating a lingering feeling, and singing with a decisive tone and direct lyrics. The song uses a 5-tone scale, combined with a stable rhythm of 2/4 or 4/4, sometimes a free rhythm. Explicit words such as "ơ", "ơ", "ơ" soften the lyrics. A prominent feature of the soong co in Binh Dan is a clear voice and smoother melody compared to other localities.

According to artist To Thi Ta (Dam Tron village, Binh Dan commune), songs, especially ancient soong co songs, require a long, high-pitched voice to fully express the beauty of the song. However, the young generation today cannot fully express that beauty, making it difficult to preserve ancient soong co songs. The cozy kitchen fire is a special place for Binh Dan people to gather together, sing and respond, and share sweet songs. The kitchen fire not only brings warmth but also has spiritual significance, showing the protection of the kitchen god (chao cun) for the family.

According to the artisans, Binh Dan has preserved quite a few ancient soong co songs. Artisan To Thi Ta said that of the more than 100 soong co songs she has collected, 60-70% are ancient songs. According to her, a number of modern songs have been composed to praise the country, life and revolution.

faf — Some songs have been popularized by artists in Binh Dan into performances for tourists.

In the modern context, the preservation and promotion of the art of singing Soong Co still faces many challenges. However, the San Diu community in Binh Dan has persisted in preserving and teaching it through generations. These efforts not only help preserve intangible cultural heritage but also affirm pride in national identity, contributing to enriching the cultural values of Quang Ninh.

Ta Quan

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