Ups and downs of Ca Tru
The ancients said that the " ancestral land" of ca tru is Co Dam commune, Ha Tinh province. At the foot of Hong Linh mountain, young man Dinh Le was highly educated and talented but did not care about fame, only fascinated by the sound of the instrument and lyrics.
Once when he entered Ngan Hong mountain, he met a fairy, and was given a piece of tung wood and a zither drawing. From then on, the zither was born. The sound of the zither rose, birds and fish were also stunned, and people's hearts were infatuated.
That legend is not only a folk tale but also the way Co Dam people explain the origin of a unique art form. Later, Dinh Le and his wife Bach Hoa taught this singing style to boys and girls in the area. Villagers built temples and honored him as the ancestor of Ca Tru.
From the 17th century, Ca Tru became popular everywhere. By the end of the 18th and early 19th centuries, with the great contribution of Nguyen Cong Tru, Co Dam Ca Tru became famous. But then historical changes, especially during the French colonial period, caused Ca Tru to gradually subside.
The turning point came in 2009, when UNESCO recognized ca tru as an intangible cultural heritage that needed urgent protection. From there, the journey to restore and preserve heritage was strongly launched.
Passion, dedication to pass on
Artisan Tran Van Dai (53 years old) - Head of Co Dam Ca Tru Club shared that currently Co Dam Ca Tru Club has about 40 members maintaining activities on Saturday evenings every week. The activity location "borrowed" a room at the Party Committee headquarters of Co Dam commune.
Especially, artisan Tran Van Dai's wife, artisan Duong Thi Xanh, is also the Deputy Head of Co Dam Ca Tru Club.
Meritorious Artist Duong Thi Xanh was born in a land with a ca tru tradition, growing up with the songs of ancient artisans. That passion is not just a hobby but has become a "profession".
She and her husband once closed a business store, and spent their own money to go to Hanoi to study and improve singing techniques, and then returned to teach young people in their hometown.
In the solemn space, the song "Hong Hong Tuyet Tuyet" echoed. Deep lyrics, leisurely rhythm, deep and haunting zither sounds. It's not just performance, but the confidences of artisans sent into each line of the song.
Currently, in Ha Tinh, there is also the Nguyen Cong Tru Ca Tru Club, chaired by Mr. Le Xuan Hai. Once a week, at the relic site of Uy Vien Dien Su General Nguyen Cong Tru Palace (Nghi Xuan commune), the sound of "phach" and "dan day" music resonates again by members of the Nguyen Cong Tru Ca Tru Club.
With two ca tru clubs maintained for many years, many generations of ca tru singers have been trained. However, very few young people stick with it for a long time. The reason is that ca tru is a "proper music" form, picky about listeners, picky about space. Income from the profession is almost negligible.
In the context of "rice, clothes, and money" weighing heavily, many people are forced to find other livelihoods. Artisan Duong Thi Xanh once put aside her passion for going to work abroad to improve the economy and ensure life. Then she returned to burning with love and responsibility to pass on ca tru as she is today.
The regrettable thing is that we have trained many quality ca tru singers, but then for food, clothing, and money, the children have to learn other professions to make a living or go abroad to work but cannot live with the art they are passionate about," confided the head of Co Dam Ca Tru Club.
Need more attention and support
The Head of Co Dam Ca Tru Club said that currently Ha Tinh province only supports the Club with 30 million VND per year for living expenses. As the commune level has not supported, the Club operates in difficulty and hardship.
Therefore, he hopes that departments, branches, and localities in Ha Tinh, whenever there is a commemorative activity, establishment of agencies, units..., will invite ca tru clubs to participate in a cultural performance to contribute to preserving and promoting heritage as well as helping artisans and ca nuong have more income to be passionate and attached to art for a long time.
Mr. Trinh Quang Luat - Head of the Culture and Social Department of Co Dam commune said that currently in the locality, the Co Dam Ca Tru Club, chaired by Mr. Tran Van Dai, still maintains its activities.
In local cultural and artistic activities, we still invite the Co Dam Ca Tru Club to perform to help them have income, and also to preserve and promote this art form in spiritual life," Mr. Luat shared.
Also according to Mr. Luat, Ca Tru is picky about listeners, mainly middle-aged and elderly listeners, so it is quite difficult for artisans and ca tru singers to live with the profession.
However, it is precisely in those difficulties and fierceness that the Co Dam Ca Tru Club has maintained its operation for many years, proving the intense love for Ca Tru and the sense of responsibility to pass on and promote the great intangible cultural heritage of humanity among the club members.
