UNESCO bid to saveVietnam dying art

VIETNAMESE xoan singing have received a boost after the art form was listed by UNESCO as an example of world cultural heritage that need urgent protection.

Rector of the Vietnam National Institute of Music Le Van Toan, a researcher who helped compile the UNESCO submission for xoan singing, said the art form is unique.

The endangered vocal art from the northern province of Phu Tho is many hundreds of years old, bears unique features in terms of lyrics and performance style, and the whole cultural space of the art is unique, Vietnam news agency reported, citing Toan as saying.

UNESCO listing of xoan singing as a valuable example of Intangible Cultural Heritage that should be preserved was announced on Nov 23 at the sixth session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Bali, Indonesia.

Toan said xoan singing is among the oldest forms of Vietnamese performing arts, believed to be first developed during the reign of the Hung Kings (2890 BC to 250 BC).

Xoan singing is not overly complicated, which is an advantage in efforts to popularise the art among the community, said Toan.

Recent work on promoting the art has aimed to halt or reverse the declining numbers of xoan singers. However, only eight artisans are skilled enough to teach the art to younger learners.

The 30 local temples and communal houses that used to serve as venues for xoan singing reduce to just 13.

Prof To Ngoc Thanh, chairman of the Folklore Arts Association, said xoan singing deserves to be preserved. "Through the old words in these songs, which have been handed down throughout generations, we can understand how our ancestors thought," said Thanh, adding that xoan singing is also deeply spiritual. Bernama