Nung ethnic folk arts club contributes to preserving traditional cultural values

BHG - The folk arts club of the Nung ethnic group in CocPai Town, Xin Man District, is the venue for the gathering of 25 members from many different ages and professional backgrounds who want to preserve and promote the cultural values of their ethnic group in the locality.

In recent years, with the goal of safeguarding traditional cultural values, the club has gathered artisans and people with talent and passion for the arts in order to improve locals’ spiritual life. The club operates on the spirit of volunteerism, with members including folk artists as well as freelancers.

Members of the Nung ethnic folk arts club in CocPai Town.

In particular, many members of the clubs can compose and stage theatrical plays or acts which not only serve local political tasks but also meet the cultural and spiritual needs of the local people. Although each member has a different background and job, for many years they have always maintained regular activities, enthusiastically practiced songs and dances, and introduced performances imbued with their ethnic cultural identity at events, conferences, and arts festivals.

VangThi Phuong, head of the club, said that the club has really brought artisans together. The club’s members are of all ages, with the oldest being over 60 years old while the youngest is just over 20. By practicing regularly, the members' skills and performances have been constantly improved. Every time they are invited to attend a local political event, they always gather at the village’s cultural house to practice from 8 PM to 10 PM, even after undergoing hardworking days to earn their livings. 

Since the beginning of this year, the club has been invited to perform at the Dong Mo tourist area in Hanoi, the TrangAn tourist area in NinhBinh Province, as well as events, congresses of associations, and unions of villages, towns, and districts. The club's performances are simple, close, and imbued with the identity of the Nung ethnic group, which can be seen through their ‘nguagiay’ (paper horse) dance, ‘luon’ singing, love duets, and drum dancing. Although they are not professional events, they have brought a lot of joy to the club’s members after hard working days.

Van Long