"Dum" is a form of love singing and response between groups of men and women in the community and has existed for a long time in the Tong Phuc area, now the wards of Tam Hung, Lap Le, and Nam Trieu Giang of Thuy Nguyen city.
Duets do not have a clear melody and rhythm, but require rich content, improvisation, ensuring "lyric" dialogue and close to six-eight poetry.
Once associated with the custom of "opening the face" (the man opens the woman's veil, which is a custom of women in this region), dum singing has now become a spring performance and special cultural activity.
Although still popular in this region, hat dum now only takes place on stage, and the "actors" are mostly elderly people.
What is very special is that around the People's Committee of Nam Trieu Giang Ward, there is also a chess tournament and a youth soccer tournament, but in front of the singing stage, there are still nearly 1,000 spectators and fans, mainly middle-aged and elderly people, some even come in wheelchairs.
Compared to 8 years ago (2017), the exciting atmosphere of a duets singing contest in Thuy Nguyen has not diminished. I met Ms. Dinh Thi Nga, 50 years old, a duets singing fan in Nam Trieu Giang. Ms. Nga said: "I still love duets singing as much as before, more than karaoke". Meanwhile, Mr. Nguyen Van Nam, 65 years old, in Lap Le Ward, was filming a video and laughing heartily, saying: "I'll show it to my friends in Canada. Every year there is a festival, I have to film it, otherwise my friends there will miss it."
Of the 9 participating clubs, 3 have children performing, as a way to preserve the old features.
Hat dum does not have traditional costumes, so most actors wear quan ho costumes when on stage.
Mr. Dinh Chinh Chanh, Lap Le Ward Singing Club, 70 years old, wearing military uniform, because his "singing" (roughly understood as a performance) is called Soldier's Singing.
The two actors of P.Ngu Lao are Lam Van Duc, 77 years old and Tran Van Quyet, 74 years old, probably the oldest in the competition.
Although they are "city people" because Thuy Nguyen City was newly established, the actors were still quite confused when going on stage.
P.Lap Le club members remind each other before performing.
Mr. Nam is livestreaming for his friends in Canada to watch his hometown's folk song. Thuy Nguyen has many people living abroad.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ve-thuy-nguyen-xem-hat-dum-185250204185313889.htm
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