In the eighth month of the lunar calendar, many people come to Lang Son to take part in the Hang Pinh festival. The festival used to take place in the Ky Lua market. The space for the festival is much larger today. Thousands of people, most of them from the Tay and Nung ethnic minorities, storm the market. Ngo Thi Liem, from the Tay ethnic group in the mountain province of Lang Son, is on the way to the festival:
“For the full moon festival, I visit the Hang Pinh festival. The festival is so interesting that thousands of people gather in the market and at the Hoang Van Thu memorial to eat moon cake and sing folk songs. The mood from early morning to late evening is very lively. It is an opportunity for me to wear the traditional costume of the Tay ethnic group, to meet old friends and to sing folk songs. ”
The Hang Pinh festival begins with the chants Sli and Luon. They are counter-songs between men and women. The content of the songs is often about getting to know each other, about love and learning about experiences. The singing competition at the Hang Pinh Festival can last until late at night. Numerous couples got to know each other through singing and fell in love.
The Hang Pinh festival is the unique cultural identity and is a travel magnet for residents in the region. Making music, singing and dancing at the full moon festival not only creates a lively atmosphere for local residents, but also emphasizes the preservation of the region's traditional culture. In addition, the young talents for folk songs and dances are found in the province of Lang Son.
In 2019 Sli singing by the Nung ethnic group was recognized as a national cultural heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Cultural researcher Hoang Huy Am said it was necessary to honor the specificity of this chant:
“I think that the preservation of traditional culture is necessary, otherwise the important cultural values will be forgotten. It is useful for future archiving. This chant should be introduced for the appropriate age of the children in boarding schools of the ethnic minorities. ”
In Lang Son this season, the chants Sli and Luon can be heard in the Ky Lua market all the way to the banks of the Ky Cung River. They are an unforgettable memory for visitors to Lang Son.
Vu Mie
