VOV.VN - The program “Echoes of Heritage”, organized by Nam Can Tho University, aimed to preserve, promote, and honor the precious traditional cultural values of the nation, while also creating a vibrant space for students to interact and learn from one another.
With music and dance performances elaborately prepared over two months, “Echoes of Heritage” served as an artistic vessel that took the audience on a journey through the cultural identities of Northern, Central, and Southern Vietnam.
The spirit of the Southern region – ‘Vùng đất phương Nam’ – was vividly brought to life through carefully designed costumes and traditional props.
The program opened with the performance “Xẩm Thập Ân”, a “xẩm” (Vietnamese traditional folk music) piece filled with moral teachings, praising ten kinds of gratitude — from parental love and respect for teachers and friends to devotion to the homeland. Although the student’s voice wasn’t as refined as that of a traditional artisan, her heartfelt delivery as a young person who cherishes cultural heritage breathed new life into the rhythm, helping spread this intangible cultural heritage to the audience.
“Xẩm Thập Ân”, a xẩm performance praising ten kinds of gratitude, opened the program.
In addition to xẩm singing, the program also highlighted other intangible cultural heritages such as: Quan họ folk songs of Bac Ninh, Hầu đồng – the ritual practice associated with the Mother Goddess of the Three Realms belief, Nhã nhạc – Huế Royal Court Music, the Gongs of the Central Highlands, and Đờn ca tài tử – a traditional Southern Vietnamese folk music genre.
Students reenacted the Hầu đồng ritual, a part of the Mother Goddess belief system, during the performance.
The ritual of “Mẫu Tam Phủ” – the worship of the Mother Goddess of the Three Realms – has been recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Lê Minh Nhật, a third-year student majoring in Multimedia Communications at Nam Can Tho University and a program participant, shared:
“I performed in the act ‘Cô đôi Thượng ngàn’, a heritage recognized by UNESCO. I trained with my classmates for about two months. I also researched, watched materials, and videos online. I’m passionate about this cultural form, so I tried my best to deliver a polished performance. I believe that in this era of digital technology, it’s even more important for us to preserve historical values, especially through platforms like the university so that they can reach young people and the wider public.
Lê Minh Nhật shares his thoughts.
From Northern xẩm singing in ancient city tones, to the elegant Royal Court Music of Hue, to the sweet melodies of Southern đờn ca tài tử... all were creatively brought together by students in a program that blended traditional features with contemporary flair. “Echoes of Heritage” proved that ethnic sounds don’t merely echo from the past, but are constantly reborn in creative, modern forms rich in cultural essence.
A refined performance of the royal “bowl dance” of Hue.
An offering dance was performed during the Vía Bà Chúa Xứ festival in Châu Đốc, An Giang Province.
Nguyễn Quốc Khang, a student from Nam Can Tho University and the program’s general director, said:
“There were a total of 100 student participants. The idea occurred when I noticed that many young people, including students, are getting caught up in modern life and paying little attention to, or having a limited understanding of, Vietnam’s intangible cultural heritage. This program was intended as a bridge to connect, promote, and spread those cultural values to students and young people. If given the opportunity, I’d love to expand the program to students from other universities so we can exchange and explore more cultural expressions together.
Nguyễn Quốc Khang shared his inspiration behind the program
As the students emphasized, these heritages are not only honored by UNESCO. Still, they are also preserved by our people with love, memory, sacrifice, and pride — just as President Ho Chi Minh once said, “Culture lights the path for the nation.” Seventy-five years later, the late General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee, Nguyễn Phú Trọng, reaffirmed: “As long as culture remains, so does the nation.”
These student-led performances clearly highlight the responsibility of today's generation in preserving and continuing traditional culture through creativity and fresh expression.
Attending this culturally rich student program, Trần Việt Tuấn, Deputy Secretary of the Can Tho City Youth Union, shared:
“From the perspective of the Can Tho Youth Union and the Vietnam Youth Federation, I see these events as a strong expression of dynamism, creativity, and cultural curiosity among students. Nam Can Tho University’s Youth Union and Student Association have supported and guided students in creating such meaningful and impactful programs. I hope to see more events like this in the future to spread the love of country and promote greater exploration of Vietnamese history and culture.
Trần Việt Tuấn shares his perspective
“Echoes of Heritage” and similar heritage-based stage programs are not only artistic journeys but also the voices of cultural identity, retold through the lens of the younger generation. In listening to them, we don’t just witness beauty passed down through centuries — we also recognize the profound commitment of today’s youth in safeguarding and carrying forward our cultural traditions.
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