Mask dancing is a long-standing traditional practice which has been performed throughout many generations of the Tay and Nung ethnic groups in the northern province of Lang Son. Mask dance – An intangible cultural heritage in Lang Son - Photo: VNA The dance is performed at major festivals including the Long Tong (Gong to the Field) festival, spring fest, and the mid-autumn celebrations. A mask dance troupe, which has 8 to 16 members, is led by young men who hold ‘gay doi’ and ‘tang giao’, two kinds of the Nung people’s weapons. Similar to the lion dance, the performers in the Nung ethnic mask dance wear a big lion head, but it is distinguished with a cat mask. The head is decorated in typical colours including red, black, yellow and green. Hoang Choong, 72, from Tham Me hamlet, Hoang Viet commune, Van Lang district, is the only artisan who can produce the cat-masked lion head. He said that there are different types of the dance: greeting, … [Read more...] about Mask dance – An intangible cultural heritage in Lang Son
Intangible culture heritage
First intangible cultural heritage festival in September
The first festival on world’s intangible cultural heritage will be held in the northern province of Tuyen Quang in September. Artistes from the northern mountainous province off Ha Giang will perform nhay lua (fire jumping) at the first festival on world’s intangible cultural heritage in Tuyen Quang Province.- Photo blogphuot.info Provinces from across the county will participate in the festival to showcase world-recognised Vietnamese intangible cultural heritage, including nha nhac (royal court music), gongs culture space in Tay Nguyen and quan ho (love duet singing), among others. Artistes from the central province of Thua Thien-Hue will perform nha nhac, which is the first Vietnamese intangible cultural heritage recognised by the UNESCO in 2003. Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) province of Dac Lac will perform gongs. The cultural space of gongs in Tay Nguyen was recognised as a verbal masterpiece and intangible cultural heritage of humanity in 2005. Quan ho, … [Read more...] about First intangible cultural heritage festival in September
‘Bai choi’ singing to receive UNESCO certificate of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
The southern province of Binh Dinh will hold a ceremony on May 5 for the receiving of a certificate from UNESCO recognising “Bai Choi” singing, a popular folklore style of singing in the central and south central regions of Vietnam, as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. "Bai Choi” singing, a popular folklore style of singing in the central and south central regions of Vietnam. The event, directed by Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Vuong Duy Bien, will gather nearly 400 artists from nine provinces which are home to Bai Choi heritage including 30 artists from the host Binh Dinh province. The ceremony aims to honour and promote the special values of Bai Choi singing while reflecting national pride and raising the awareness of preserving and promoting cultural heritages of the nation and humanity. An art programme featuring the history of the folk music genre of Bai Choi from its dawn to the current developments will be offered for … [Read more...] about ‘Bai choi’ singing to receive UNESCO certificate of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
Water splashing festival recognised as national intangible cultural heritage
The water splashing festival of the Lao ethnic minority group in Dien Bien province (Photo: baocongthuong.com) Dien Bien (VNA) – A ceremony was held in Na Sang 1 village, Dien Bien district, the northern mountainous province of Dien Bien on April 13 to grant the certificate of “national intangible cultural heritage” to the water splashing festival of the Lao ethnic minority group. According to Ha Van Phieng, Vice Chairman of the Dien Bien district People’s Committee, the traditional water splashing festival of the Lao ethnic group has made contributions to affirming its presence in the locality while forming the national cultural characteristics. This is also a traditional New Year festival with close connection with the spiritual ritual of the Lao people, he said, adding that they make offerings to late ancestors and gods, praying for favourable weather, bumper crops, good health and luck. Folk games and traditional dance were also orgainsed during … [Read more...] about Water splashing festival recognised as national intangible cultural heritage
Thanh Hoa’s festival recognised national intangible cultural heritage
Cau Ngu festival is a unique cultural feature of coastal localities, which has been preserved and passed down through many generations. The festival is to pray for bumper hauls of fish, safe voyages and peace for the nation. The festival in Ngu Loc commune is considered the largest of its kind not only in Thanh Hoa but also across north central localities, attracting thousands of visitors. The main ritual in the festival is a procession of Long Chau boat from Bac Tho village to a platform at the commune’s stadium, where praying will be conducted every day during the festival. On the last day of the festival, the Long Chau boat will be burned at the seaside. Many festivities are also held during the event, include squid catching and fishing net drawing competitions, a Chinese chess contest, and art performances.VNS Tags: Thanh Hoa’s festival recognised national intangible cultural heritage … [Read more...] about Thanh Hoa’s festival recognised national intangible cultural heritage
Mong textile patterns recognized as intangible cultural heritage
Motifs and patterns in handicraft textiles are used by local Mong to represent their social life, culture, history and aspirations. They believe costume patterns help them communicate with the deities. "The main decorations on Mong people’s clothes like shirts, skirts, belts, scarves, and leggings in the shape of a cross, triangle or lozenge, among others, are made by sewing cloths of different colours through embroidery or encaustic painting. Mong people possess their unique motifs and designs for their clothes, totally different from other ethnic peoples.", said Nguyen Thi Mai Hoa, a researcher of ethnic peoples’ costumes. Since ancient times Mong people have used motifs and patterns on the designs of their textiles to portray their daily life and culture. There no identical items as every garment is hand-crafted to communicate a stage in the owners life. A ceremony of granting the “national intangible cultural heritage” status to traditional textile … [Read more...] about Mong textile patterns recognized as intangible cultural heritage
Bac Ninh honours 47 intangible cultural heritage artisans
The artisans honoured this time came from six traditional arts including quan ho (love duet singing), ca tru (ceremonial singing), tuong (classical drama), trong quan singing (a response folk singing between male and female groups), water puppetry and cheo (traditional opera). Speaking at the ceremony, Vice Chairman of the Bac Ninh People’s Committee Nguyen Van Phong said the province is home to three intangible cultural heritages recognised by UNESCO, including the folk game of tug of war (in Huu Chap village, Hoa Long commune, Bac Ninh city), quan ho and ca tru. He described the artisans as living treasures who have a significant role in cultural heritage preservation. As many as 41 local artisans were honoured in the first ceremony held in 2010, Phong added. … [Read more...] about Bac Ninh honours 47 intangible cultural heritage artisans
Vietnam’s UNESCO-recognised intangible cultural heritages
A singer and a musician of Ca Tru, which is in the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam boasts a wide range of intangible cultural heritages recognised by UNESCO. 1. Nha Nhac - Vietnamese court music Nha nhac, Vietnamese court music, is named in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (Photo: VNA) Inscribed in 2008 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (originally proclaimed in 2003), Nha Nhac, meaning “elegant music” refers to a broad range of musical and dance styles performed at the Vietnamese royal court from the 15th to the mid-20th century. Nha Nhac was generally featured at the opening and closing of ceremonies associated with anniversaries, religious holidays, coronations, funerals and official receptions. Among the numerous musical genres that developed in Vietnam, only Nha Nhac can claim a nationwide scope and … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s UNESCO-recognised intangible cultural heritages
Hanoi has three more national intangible cultural heritages
Boi Dam festival (Source: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said it has added three cultural heritages of Hanoi to the national intangible cultural heritage list. They are Boi Dam (boat racing) Festival in Tay Tuu ward, Bac Tu Liem district, Truong Lam communal house festival in Viet Hung ward, Long Bien district and Tan Vien Mountain God worshipping in Ba Vi district. The ministry has also added 17 other intangible cultural heritages of Bac Kan, Can Tho, Ha Giang, Lao Cai, Lang Son, Son La, Thai Nguyen and Vinh Phuc to the list. Statistics of the Department of Cultural Heritage show that the national list now has 248 cultural intangible heritages. According to Circular 04/2010/TT-BVHTTDL, intangible cultural heritage to be added to the list of national intangible cultural heritages must meet criteria representing community-based and locally-based identity, reflecting cultural diversity and people’s creativeness, being passed through … [Read more...] about Hanoi has three more national intangible cultural heritages
Thai ethnic festival recognised as national intangible cultural heritage
A ritual at the Xang Khan festival (Photo VNA) Nghe An (VNA) – The Xang Khan festival of Thai ethnic group in the central province of Nghe An has been recognised as a national intangible cultural heritage element. The provincial People’s Committee held a spring festival and ceremony to announce the recognition in Que Phong district on February 3. Vice Chairman of the committee Le Minh Thong said the festival is a unique religious festival of Thai ethnic people in the western region of Nghe An province, including Que Phong, Quy Chau, Quy Hop, Tuong Duong, Ky Son, Con Cuong, and Nghia Dan districts, which needs further preservation and promotion. The festival means to remind people to do good things for themselves, families and the community. Xang Khan was the second festival of minority ethnic groups in Nghe An to be recognised as national intangible cultural heritage, after Chin Gian (Nine Compartments) Temple Festival – which aims to pay homage to ancestors … [Read more...] about Thai ethnic festival recognised as national intangible cultural heritage