The art of painting on walls and ceiling originated from the Khmer ethnic minority in the provinces of An Giang, Kien Giang, Soc Trang, Tra Vinh, and Bac Lieu. (Photo courtesy of Soc Trang Literature & Arts Association) HCM City (VNS/VNA) - A long-term project on protecting and promotingthe values of ethnic literature and arts in Vietnam has been launched by theMinistry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
Under the project, traditional music, theatre and literature works withartistic values which have originated from ethnic minorities will receivefinancial support.
Works featuring different forms of ethnic theatre and music will be released invideos, documentary films and books as a way to bring the arts closer toaudiences.
Literary works will be printed in e-book and books with 3D technology.
Theatre and arts associations will run the five-year project, starting thisyear, on the publication and dissemination of ethnic folklore and culturalproperties.
More than 1,500 literary works among 2,500 pieces will be published in ebooks.A collection of 54 books featuring theatre and music by ethnic people fromdifferent groups across the country will also be published.
According to People’s Artist Ha Quang Van of the Ho Chi Minh City Theatre’sAssociation, the association will work with folk and ethnic artisans,traditional art clubs and centres in southern provinces to collect, perform,record and film their works for release online to keep the arts alive.
“If we don’t offer urgent solutions and policies to help remote artists keeptheir art alive, many forms of Vietnamese ethnic arts will be gone in the nearfuture,” Van said.
Van’s association is working with Soc Trang and Tra Vinh provinces to preserveand promote Du ke, a unique style of ethnic Khmer musical theatre in southernVietnam
Du ke originated in Tra Vinh in 1920 from local farmers who loved to sing. Theart is a product of the creativity of the Khmer ethnic people.
In traditional clothes, local residents sing, dance and stage plays based onthe religions, traditional customs and culture of the Khmer in theirtraditional festivals such as the Khmer Festival called Chol Chnam Thmay (NewYear festival), which begins in the third month of the lunar calendar.
The performances of Du ke are often staged by leading traditional theatres inthe region, such as the Anh Binh Minh (Dawn) Traditional Art Troupe of Tra Vinh.The art also appears on TV shows by the Soc Trang Television & RadioStation.
“Through our performance, we hope young audiences can learn about traditionalart and culture as well as learn useful lessons about love, life and people,”Meritorious Artist Thach Sung of the Anh Binh Minh troupe said.
"We're not looking to make a profit or gain glory from our art, but wehope to encourage people, particularly youth, to care about their culture muchmore than they do now," he added.
The Khmer ethnics in the provinces of An Giang, Kien Giang, Soc Trang, Tra Vinh,and Bac Lieu also painted murals on walls and ceilings. The paintings featureBuddhist art, culture and lifestyle of their communities. They often appear onwalls in local Khmer pagodas.
“Khmer murals are very lively and persuasive, representing a southernlifestyle. They should be preserved and expanded to the world,” said cultureresearcher Huynh Thanh Binh./.
VNA