(QBĐT) - Since when, Ho Khoan has been likened to the Kien Giang river, flowing steadily and peacefully, forever in the hearts and memories of Le Thuy people like an endless source of spring. As time passes by, life follows life, that source flows without stopping, anchoring the memories of each child far from home and taking root deeper in the souls of many who stay behind...
1. Mrs. Pham Thi Thoa (An Thuy commune, Le Thuy) turned 86 this spring of At Ty, her memory has faded with time, sometimes remembering, sometimes forgetting, only the folk song of the land is still remembered intact by her. Although she is old and weak, every day she likes to listen to Le Thuy folk songs from the small TV in the living room. Not only listening, she also sings along and remembers clearly every melody and lyrics of many ancient folk songs.
Mr. Mai Duc Hai, Mr. Thoa’s son, shared that when he was young, he often participated in cultural and artistic activities, singing folk songs in the village, so each melody and song has “soaked into his blood”, “deeply engraved in his memory” and now returns as a beautiful memory of his youth. Every time guests come to the house, he claps his hands to the rhythm, sings folk songs, his cloudy eyes sparkle with joy.
Mr. Duong Ngoc Lien, former Director of the Center for Culture - Information - Sports of Le Thuy district, who has devoted many years to Ho Khoan, confided that people like Mr. Thoa are clear evidence of the enduring vitality of Ho Khoan in Le Thuy province despite many changes and ups and downs of history. And in each village along the Kien Giang River, there are still "living treasures" of love for the homeland's Ho Khoan and are an important "link" to pass on and preserve the precious heritage to the next generation. Another good sign is that more and more Ho Khoan Le Thuy clubs are being established, continuing to maintain and preserve the heritage left by our ancestors.
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2. In the days before the Lunar New Year of At Ty 2025, Meritorious Artist Nguyen Thi Hai Ly (Phong Thuy Commune, Le Thuy) is busier than every year, because she and members of the Le Thuy Ho Khoan Artists Club actively coordinate with two high schools in the district to prepare Ho Khoan performances.
Despite being busy, she and the artists in the club are very happy because Ho Khoan is still loved and continues to be passed on to the next generation. She excitedly said that at the end of November, after much preparation and careful practice, the Le Thuy Ho Khoan Club of Nguyen Chi Thanh High School was established, attracting a lot of attention from teachers and students. The launch of the club is likened to a "spring flower" that adds more vitality and excitement to the picture of Le Thuy countryside.
Previously, in July 2024, the Club coordinated with the District Department of Culture and Information to train Ho Khoan for many localities and units, such as Le Thuy Ho Khoan Clubs in Ngu Thuy, Duong Thuy, Loc Thuy communes, secondary schools, etc. Instead of training in just one location, where few people have the opportunity to participate as in the traditional way, the Club, although having to go to many places and having more difficulty, can train a large number of people who love Ho Khoan, not to mention being able to "hold hands and guide", correct each Ho verse and melody. Therefore, the effectiveness has also increased significantly. For more than a month, artisan Hai Ly and some members of the Club have trained more than 120 people.
Artist Hai Ly excitedly shared that her family can be called a “ho khoan family”, because in recent years, besides her husband and her brother, there is also a son named Ngo Van Dien who is also passionate and sings ho khoan very well, can play musical instruments and participates in club activities. Dien also has a daughter who also loves and strives to promote ho khoan. In addition, the children and grandchildren on both sides of the family are also “fascinated” and sing “authentic” ho khoan.
“Last year, the club invested more than 30 million VND to buy new musical instruments for practice and performance. Although there are many difficulties, the source of Ho Khoan will certainly never dry up and will continue to flow forever,” artist Hai Ly confided.
3. In Ho Chi Minh City, the Le Thuy Ho Khoan Club, established in 2019, continues to maintain the "flame", bringing the heritage closer to friends from the South. Ms. Hoang Oanh Oanh, Vice President of the Le Thuy Ho Khoan Club in Ho Chi Minh City, said: "From 1943 to 1955, my father - teacher and musician Hoang Dinh Luyen - quietly collected and preserved Le Thuy Ho Khoan. In 1964, when he retired, he returned to his hometown (Le Thuy) from the North and participated in establishing, composing, and teaching Ho Khoan to the art clubs of communes in the district, notably the communes of Thanh Thuy, Duong Thuy, Ngu Thuy, Loc Thuy, Xuan Thuy, and Lien Thuy, with high prizes in national, military region, and provincial festivals.
Ho khoan has been deeply rooted in the lives of the people of Le Thuy district, so when they are away from home, everyone carries their hometown folk songs with them. Therefore, when our club performs for our fellow countrymen in Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Dong Nai, Tien Giang, etc., we are warmly welcomed and connect and spread the love of Ho khoan to a large audience. Currently, the club has 10 members. In the near future, we plan to recruit 4 more members in the vicinity of Ho Chi Minh City. My ambition is to spread Le Thuy Ho khoan to other provinces and cities, so there must be good members of the club in those areas."
Spring weather makes people's hearts always fresh with plans and projects for the future. Perhaps that is why Le Thuy's folk songs are even more warm and joyful! With the source being opened, this precious heritage will certainly continue to be spread and passed on to future generations by the artisans, the people who are passionate and devoted to Le Thuy's folk songs. I just hope that, one day, Le Thuy's folk songs will have larger stages, with more opportunities to introduce the goodness, the beauty, and the love that have created a unique national intangible heritage.
Mai Nhan
Source: https://www.baoquangbinh.vn/van-hoa/202502/mach-nguon-ho-khoan-2224412/
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