Surprise at novelty
Returning to Can Tho after nearly 5 years of working far from home, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Hieu (28 years old) had the opportunity to play lotto with friends. In that moment, he remembered the summer days when he was a five- or six-year-old child, being taken by his parents to watch lotto in his hometown.
However, unlike the makeshift tents of the past, the current lotto stage is invested with professional lighting and more meticulous sound. All of this gives him the feeling of watching a general folk performance.
Loto is too new now, more modern and innovative than before" - Mr. Hieu shared.
According to research, lotto is a type of folk culture and entertainment developed in the 80s of the 20th century in the South. Loto is often associated with melodies, folk songs, verses... and is highly humorous.
The coach will sing a song to name that number and the last word of that song will be the homophone of the number just drawn.
For example, the way to call the number 4 is: Te Thien Dai Thanh, Dai Nao Thien Cung, làm đứt dây thung, tìm đường chạy trốn (number 4). Finally, the winner will be the one who marks enough horizontal numbers on the same ticket called by the controller.
In recent years, when young people participate in lotto troupes in the South, the way of calling numbers has also been innovated. They often use famous songs or use trendy responses.
The place Mr. Hieu visited was the Hoa Huong Duong lotto troupe (Cai Khe ward) of "boss" Vo Huu Ngoc (39 years old). Mr. Ngoc's childhood was also "lose eating and sleeping" because of his lotto addiction.
Growing up, fate brought him to meet famous artists, and from then on, Mr. Ngoc was determined to build a civilized lotto troupe in Can Tho - a place where art is put first and prejudices about "matter" are eliminated.
Each night of performance is invested with a new script, sometimes the "actress" wears a bà ba shirt with a strong riverine style, sometimes she wears modern and personality costumes. Thanks to that, from the initial 6 members, Hoa Huong Duong has now developed to 40 people with 4 branches in the Mekong Delta.
New vitality in the modern context
Mr. Dang Truong Giang (who has been active in the troupe for many years) - said: "I am passionate about art, so I like to perform and each performance must be thoughtful and creative so that audiences of all ages are not bored" - Mr. Giang said.
Meanwhile, Mr. To Khanh Duy (stage name Man Thau) often takes advantage of his somewhat "full" appearance to play humorous roles.
I learn and catch up with Gen Z trends, especially I don't feel self-conscious about my appearance to bring energy to everyone" - Man Thau said.
Today, lotto customers are not only poor people seeking fortune to change their lives. Lottery audiences are now more diverse, from young families taking their children out to play, groups of students going to experience culture to even middle-aged customers.
It can be seen that the attraction of modern lotto lies in direct interaction. Hundreds of people hold their breath waiting for a number, cheering when someone wins, laughing out loud at a charming advertisement.
I was unlucky to win tonight, but in return, I was able to broaden my horizons when fully enjoying modern lotto" - Mr. Hieu expressed.
For a long time, lotto was associated with images of drifting lives and also discrimination against transgender people. People see it as a game of the "lower class", lacking artistry.
In recent years, Southern lotto has been professionally invested in, and has become an attractive topic on TV gameshows and movies.
