H’re ethnic people preserve traditional culture

Quang Ngai, September 9 (VNA) - H’re ethnic people in central Quang Ngai province’s Ba To district are striving to preserve their rich and diversified culture, which is on the verge of oblivion. Pham Van Su is one of the very few H’re ethnic people in Ba To district who know how to make and use their traditional musical instruments. In his 80, the man has forgotten himself in passing down the skills to his descendants with a hope of preserving and upholding H’re people’s cultural values. “The H’re ethnic group boasts many folk songs along with musical instruments like Vo Roat and Tuc Chinh. I want to pass them on to my descendants,” said Su. However, Su added, it is a hard work as nowadays, the young are not really interested in this traditional genre of music. As time goes by, traditional festivals, rituals and musical instruments of the H’re group have fallen into oblivion. Less and less people master the instruments and folk songs. Meanwhile, young people turn their back on traditional culture. Dinh Van Uoc from Ba To town said young people play modern genres of music jubilantly on stages but few of them know how to play traditional musical instruments. In an effort to preserve the culture of H’re people, local authorities have organised many traditional musical performance contests and festivals. Dinh Thi Y Ban Quy, head of the Culture and Sports Department of Ba To district, said firstly, the department reviewed all current arts forms and then, it devised plans to boost the use of them to help protect cultural identities of H’re ethnic people. Many local people said it is crucial to preserve and uphold the traditional culture of H’re people in the central province of Quang Ngai and this is part of efforts to promote the Vietnamese culture. However, they added, the work requires the participation of the entire people, especially H’re people.-VNA