Hanoi will hold the first festival of Chau Van singing from late
September to early October, the municipal Department of Culture, Sport
and Tourism said on September 23.
Chau Van
singing, dating from the Tran Dynasty (1225-1400), is part of the
national intangible cultural heritage. The Red River delta province
of Nam Dinh is considered its birthplace.
This
highly rhythmic form of singing often accompanies “hau dong”
(mediumship) during rituals to honour Mother Goddesses and connect to
other gods. It is usually performed at temples and pagodas.
The music and poetry performed in the folk art are blended with a
variety of rhythms, pauses, tempos, stresses and pitches. The genre has
also adopted folk songs from the uplands and highlands of the North,
Centre and South. The main musical instrument used in the genre is the
Dan Nguyet (moon-shaped lute).
Relevant agencies are
working on a dossier seeking UNESCO’s recognition of the traditional
singing genre as an Intangible Culture Heritage of Humanity.
The Hanoi department said talks will be held during the festival
to discuss how to preserve and bring into play the positive values of
Chau Van singing in modern society.-VNA