Established in 2012, the Elderly Culture Club of Chieng Cang village, Chieng Cang commune, currently has 14 members, all of whom are elderly. The club maintains weekly cultural and artistic practice sessions; performs various musical instruments, presents folk songs, and tells ancient stories and epic poems of the Thai ethnic group. The club's advantage lies in the participation of many elderly people from the village who are knowledgeable about Thai ethnic culture and familiar with many traditional dances.
Ms. Lo Thi Ong, the club's chairperson, shared: "The members voluntarily contribute funds to purchase costumes and musical instruments. We regularly participate in performances at festivals and cultural events organized by the district, commune, and village. At the same time, we teach traditional dances, Thai songs, flute playing, and Piêu scarf embroidery to young people and students in the commune."
Huoi Mot commune is home to the Thai, Kinh, Mong, and Kho Mu ethnic groups. In recent years, the lives of the people have changed significantly, and the preservation, protection, and promotion of the cultural identity of these ethnic groups have always been a priority for the local Party committee, government, and people. Currently, the commune has many elderly people who are knowledgeable about the Thai, Mong, and Kho Mu cultures and strive to preserve and pass on the unique traditional cultural values of their respective ethnic groups, such as Mr. Luong To, who collects and teaches the Thai script; and Mr. Lau Ba Vu, from Khua Ho village, who preserves the Mong ethnic culture. The commune has a senior citizens' cultural and artistic club that maintains regular practice sessions; preserves and promotes the value of traditional festivals and cultures, such as the Xen Ban and Xen Muong rain-praying festivals; the Gau Tao festival; folk songs and Xoe dances; preserves traditional stilt houses; maintains brocade weaving, folk games, and ethnic cuisine . traditional clothing.
Nguyen My (Contributor)
Mr. Luong To, 76 years old, from Nang Cau village, Huoi Mot commune, said: "I was born and raised in Huoi Mot. The Thai people here make up over 70% of the population, but few can write or read the Thai script. I have collected, researched, and preserved many documents about the Thai ethnic culture and opened many free classes to teach the Thai script to people in the commune and surrounding areas. At the end of 2024, I participated in opening a Thai script class in Song Ma town, with 30 students from the communes of Na Nghiu, Huoi Mot, Chieng Cang, and the town itself."
Song Ma District is home to six ethnic groups, with the Thai ethnic group accounting for over 70% of the district's population. They are mainly concentrated in communes along the Song Ma River and in lowland areas such as Muong Hung, Chieng Cang, Chieng Khoong, Chieng Khuong, Chieng So, Nam Ty, Yen Hung, and Na Nghiu. The Mong, Sinh Mun, Kho Mu, and Khang ethnic groups reside in the high mountains and along the border. Each ethnic group has its own unique customs, traditions, and cultural characteristics. However, in some localities, cultural identity is at risk of fading due to the influence of modern lifestyles. Faced with this situation, elderly people dedicated to preserving ethnic culture in the district have formed cultural performance groups and clubs to restore and maintain the traditional songs, dances, languages, and costumes of their ethnic groups.
Mr. Quang Van Tien, Head of the Representative Board of the Elderly Association of Song Ma District, said: The entire district currently has 79 cultural, artistic, and sports clubs, with over 2,000 elderly people participating. Preserving and promoting the traditional cultural values of the ethnic groups in the district is always a priority for the elderly. The Association actively encourages young people to establish cultural and artistic clubs in villages and residential areas; restoring and maintaining traditional songs, languages, and costumes to pass on to their descendants; many elderly people also play important roles in ceremonial committees at festivals and cultural and religious activities, contributing to the preservation of the beautiful customs of the ethnic groups.
Visiting Song Ma during traditional festivals such as: the Hai Ba Trung Temple in Chieng Khuong commune; the New Rice Festival and Xen Ban festival in Na Nghiu commune; the incense offering ceremony and boat race in Muong Hung commune; the harvest festival in Chieng Cang commune; the Gau Tao - Po Pao festival (outdoor game - throwing pao) in Huoi Mot commune… one can easily see local elderly people participating in rituals, reenacting and undertaking many important tasks, contributing to the full and distinctive recreation of the long-standing cultural characteristics of the ethnic groups.
Mr. Lo Van Nghiep, Chairman of the Elderly Association of Chieng Khuong commune, Song Ma district, shared: "For the elderly, preserving culture is both a responsibility and a source of joy and pride. At the annual Hai Ba Trung Temple Festival, the elderly are always enthusiastic and passionate about practicing so that the traditional rituals and ceremonies are recreated in a solemn, proper, and meticulous manner."
Actively participating in activities to preserve traditional culture, the elderly in Song Ma district have played a significant role in building a cultured lifestyle in their communities, connecting the younger generation with the fine traditional cultural values of their ancestors. They bring historical, moral, and traditional cultural values alongside modern life.
Source: https://baosonla.vn/van-hoa-xa-hoi/nguoi-cao-tuoi-trong-gin-giu-van-hoa-dan-toc-lIOuKS1NR.html
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