Ms. Bui Thi Nam (born in 1961, residing in Yen Son ward, Ninh Binh province) is a Muong ethnic person and a retired kindergarten teacher. Ms. Nam is known as a person who is deeply attached to the love of traditional culture and has a passionate heart for preserving and promoting Muong ethnic culture to the community, including the song "Dum" which is facing the risk of fading and being lost.
From a young age, Mrs. Nam was fascinated by the tunes of "Dum" singing and was taught and learned by her parents through cultural exchanges in the village. In her youthful memory, many "Dum" festival seasons have been recorded.
According to Mrs. Nam, "Dum" singing, also known as spoken singing, is a type of folk love song (similar to Quan ho singing of the Kinh Bac people, Vi dam singing of the Nghe Tinh people, Si singing, Luon singing of the Tay people, Nung people). This is a traditional response singing form with community characteristics, a unique cultural activity of the Muong people from ancient times.
"Dum singing is interleading, the song is composed by the singer themselves or applied from the folk song treasure of their nation. The content of dum songs is quite rich, from greetings, love, crops, customs, homeland, to praising the scenery of the homeland and country..." - Ms. Nam shared.
Also according to Ms. Nam, "Dum" singing has 2 main melodies, "late night" and "peace". Each melody has a different voice, rhyming 6-8, "free" and "Dum" singing is not something everyone can sing, depending on each person (singing must play back and forth).
However, for a long time, people who love the Muong ethnic culture and art have been eagerly wishing to relive the glorious days of the "Dum" festival seasons. In ancient times, the "Dum" festival season was also the season for Muong village boys and girls to make friends, seduce and sing "Dum", which was also the soul and cultural source of Muong village.
Witnessing the decline and absence of "Dum" singing, Mrs. Nam stood up and determined to restore the position of "Dum" singing art in the cultural activities of the local Muong people. She stood up to establish the Muong Cultural Club of Quang Lac commune, now Yen Son ward, and was agreed upon and responded to by everyone.
After its establishment, Ms. Nam regularly organized for club members to exchange and compete in singing with many groups "Dum" of Muong regions of Thanh Hoa province and former Hoa Binh province, maintaining the Muong cultural flow.
The first goal set by the Muong Cultural Club of Quang Lac commune is to preserve the cultural identity of the Muong ethnic group, raise the awareness and responsibility of each member in promoting and linking culture with economic development, contributing to supporting the improvement of material and spiritual life for the Muong people" - Ms. Nam said.
Currently, members of the Muong Cultural Club of Quang Lac commune are still actively participating in practicing dances, singing, gongs, traditional sports, customs and habits of the Muong people and teaching younger generations about the unique cultural features of the Muong ethnic group, in order to inherit and promote traditional cultural values in a sustainable way.
