Festival for ethnic minorities excites crowds in northern Vietnam

The annual festival aims to preserve and promote the fine traditional cultural values of the various ethnic minority groups which reside in the northeastern region.

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The event provides a platform for artists to share experience and exchange ideas, and at the same time to reinforce the great national unity bloc.

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The festival which has been held annually on the 18th day of the second lunar month since 1998, falls on March 9 this year.

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Phuong Thao, a Tay ethnic girl residing in Phu Son commune of Luc Ngan district, says she is both eager and happy to perform in the festival for the first time.

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Young artists perform Then singing, a genre of art traditionally practicised by the Tay ethnic people in many northern provinces, including Bac Giang, Cao Bang, Bac Kan, Thai Nguyen, Lang Son, and Ha Giang. Then singing has been recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

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Sli is a unique folk singing style typically performed by the Nung ethnic minority people in the northern region. The singing recognised as national cultural heritage is performed during the lunar New Year holiday or other big anniversaries, including birthday and wedding partiess.

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Performances by young artists receive plenty of applause from excited crowds. Bac Giang province is also home to some UNESCO-recognised intangible cultural heritages such as “Quan Ho” (love duet singing), “Ca Tru” (ceremonial singing); and “Then” singing of the Tay, Nung, and Thai ethnic people.

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The cultural identities of local ethnic minority groups continue to be preserved through various types of traditional folk arts, according to experts.