This activity is part of the project to conserve and promote the intangible cultural heritage of Can Tho City, from 2021 to 2025, with a vision towards 2030.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Minh Tuan - Director of the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism of Can Tho City, stated: In recent years, Can Tho City has undertaken numerous projects related to the research, conservation, and promotion of intangible cultural heritage, including cataloging over 100 forms of cultural heritage from three ethnic groups - Vietnamese, Chinese, and Khmer - in nine districts across the city. We have also submitted dossiers to the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism to include five heritages in the national intangible cultural heritage list: Cai Rang Floating Market culture, Ky Yen Festival at Binh Thuy Communal House, Can Tho folk songs, Vietnamese lullabies in Can Tho, and the making of rice paper in Thuan Hung).
Mr. Nguyen Minh Tuan - Director of the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism of Can Tho City - speaking at the opening ceremony.
Currently, in addition to intangible cultural heritage forms related to folk performing arts such as Don ca tai tu music, Can Tho folk songs, and lullabies, some heritage forms are at risk of fading away, including Southern Ceremonial Music. In Can Tho, and throughout the South, ceremonial music was traditionally used in weddings, funerals, and worship. Nowadays, ceremonial music has become more simplified, primarily performed during anniversary ceremonies at communal houses, temples, and funeral rites. Some musical instruments are still used in ceremonies at pagodas.
According to Mr. Nguyen Minh Tuan, the "Restoration and Transmission of Vietnamese Ceremonial Music in Can Tho City in 2024" class aims to train individuals, groups, ceremonial music bands, and teams at relic sites and temples in the city in traditional ceremonial music practices. This will help localities improve their ceremonial music teams, enabling them to effectively perform traditional rituals in the community. It will also contribute to preserving, passing on, and promoting the unique values of ethnic ceremonial music, thereby enhancing people's awareness, pride, and commitment to preserving traditional art forms and serving religious and cultural needs.
Delegates taking commemorative photos at the opening ceremony.
The class will take place over 20 days (from October 1st to 20th, 2024) at Binh Thuy Communal House. Students will learn about the specialized topic "Southern Ceremonial Music in the Community Life of the Vietnamese People," in-depth topics on "Funerals and Worship" in daily Vietnamese life, and an introduction to typical musical instruments used in the Southern Ceremonial Music ensemble. They will also receive practical instruction on some ceremonial pieces used in rituals and funerals...
At the opening ceremony, delegates, lecturers, artists, and students also performed the ritual of offering incense to the Land Deities and the Music Ancestor at Binh Thuy Communal House.
Thanh Xuan - Translated by Chi Nguyen