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A festival of hat then – dan tinh, or then singing – tinh string musical instrument playing, a traditional art of Tay, Nung Thai ethnic people, is being held from today, March 28 to March 30 in Thai Nguyen town.
The festival has the participation of around 300 professional and amateur artists from Cao Bang, Lang Son, Thai Nguyen, Bac Can, Tuyen Quang, Ha Giang, Bac Giang, Dak Dak, Son La and art schools.
Then singing and tinh musical instrument playing is an age old folk art of Tay, Nung and Thai ethnic people. These kind of art is normally performed in festivals. Particularly, it was considered a tool to encourage the patriotism among people during the revolutionary war.
However, nowadays, this kind of art is being ignored. Only elderly people know how to play while the youngsters, who are under 30 years of age, don’t know or know little about it.
Therefore, the Ministry of Culture and Information held the festival to look for a way to preserve and promote the art.
About 50 artisans, including those who are now in their 80s, are performing original then singing while the younger ones will sing new versions of then songs which praise the current life.
Apart from performance, there is also an exhibition of costumes of then singer. A seminar on the preservation and promotion of the art at present is also organised.
An artisan performing tinh string musical instrument
ND - (29/03/2005)
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