Quang Ngai: Spreading models of preserving traditional culture in schools

With the desire to preserve and promote the traditional cultural values of ethnic minorities, schools in the mountainous areas of Quang Ngai have opened classes to train in folk singing, dancing, gong playing, etc. in schools. This not only creates excitement for students, but also contributes to preserving traditional culture.

We had the opportunity to visit Ba Giang Primary and Secondary Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities (PTDTBT) (Ba To) during a traditional culture lesson of the Hre people. The sound of gongs harmonized with folk songs resounded throughout the school, bringing joy to teachers, students and even artisans dedicated to the traditional culture of the Hre people.

Ba Giang Primary and Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities attentively listens to gong playing lesson

Pham Van Tai, a 6th grader, shared: Since I was little, my grandparents and parents have taught me that gongs are the soul of our nation and need to be preserved. When I joined the gong playing class, I was very excited. My friends and I will try to learn to preserve the cultural identity of our nation together.

According to Artisan Pham Van Say, who directly taught the class, the students quickly absorbed the gong rhythms. They demonstrated a very good ability to perceive the gong's sound, when harmoniously combined with folk songs, creating very special performances. I am really happy that the next generation can continue to promote the traditional cultural and artistic values of the Hre people.

Establishing Traditional Culture Clubs in schools helps students love their national culture more.

In addition to the gong playing classes, students in Ba To district were also directly taught Ta Leu and Ca Choi singing by musician Pham Minh Dat - Deputy Director of the Provincial Center for Culture and Arts. The classes were lively. Typical songs of the Hre people such as: Singing in praise of the homeland, Uncle Ho, the solidarity of ethnic groups, praising the new life... were performed smoothly and passionately by the students.

Principal of Ba Giang Primary and Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities, Dao Van Thanh, said: The school pays special attention to promoting local cultural identity. Actively integrating and organizing for students to experience traditional culture in extracurricular activities so that they can exchange and arouse their love for the traditional culture of their ethnic group. The school has nearly 100% of Hre students. Introducing gongs and folk songs into teaching has helped the younger generation pay more attention to traditional culture and art, arousing national pride and love for their homeland and country.

Son Tay Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities Boarding School established the Folk Culture Club in September 2021. After 3 years of establishment, the Club has restored many traditional festivals of the Ca Dong people such as: Poa Neu Fish Festival (eating new rice), Tet of the Ca Dong people... The Club has collected and displayed hundreds of items associated with the daily life and production of the Ca Dong people.

Ethnic minority students always have love for national culture.

The Folklore Club has become a playground for many ethnic minority students in Son Tay district. Dinh Lam Phong, a member of the club, shared: Since I was a child, I have listened to my grandfather and father play the beautiful gong melodies of my people. I really liked it but had not learned how to play the gong. Since joining the school club, I have been able to learn how to play the gong systematically. Therefore, I am very happy and will try to practice playing the gong skillfully, contributing to preserving the cultural values of the Ca Dong people.

Mr. Le Hoai Thanh, Principal of Son Tay Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities, said: The school designed the exhibition room according to the club's activities, with folk games, musical instruments, costumes, and folk culture. Students come here to study, participate in activities, and preserve and promote the unique values of the Ca Dong people. The school focuses on establishing the club, aiming to pass on the cultural values of the nation, to find the soul of their ancestors so that students can love the cultural identity of the nation more. Up to now, many students have learned to use traditional musical instruments, play gongs, and sing folk songs of their ethnic group...

In Tra Bong district, Tra Thuy Primary and Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities is the first school in the district to establish the Cor Ethnic Culture Club, with 30 members including students who love and are passionate about ethnic culture and some teachers.

Over the years, the school has paid great attention to organizing many activities to preserve and promote the cultural values of the Cor ethnic group for students, such as organizing the making of typical Cor cakes to celebrate the Nga Ra festival, organizing gong beating, and folk game competitions...

Similarly, at the provincial Ethnic Minority Boarding High School, the school organizes many activities to educate and preserve the cultural beauty of ethnic groups. Every Monday and Friday, students wear their ethnic traditional costumes to class. In addition, the school also organizes a variety of cultural, artistic and sports activities periodically and organizes a traditional New Year festival at the end of the year, giving students the opportunity to exchange and learn about the cultural beauty of ethnic groups.

Students from schools in the mountainous areas of Quang Ngai wear traditional costumes to school.

Mr. Nguyen The Nhan, Deputy Head of the Ethnic Minorities Committee of Quang Ngai province, shared: Bringing ethnic cultures into teaching in schools is one of the solutions to effectively implement the Project on Preserving and Promoting the Good Traditional Cultural Values of Ethnic Minorities in Association with Tourism Development under the National Target Program on Socio-Economic Development in Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas for the 2021-2025 Period. Currently, the province is continuing to promote the strong dissemination of these conservation models in schools so that the traditional cultural values of the ethnic groups are not lost.

T.Nhan-H.Truong

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