The 5th International Puppet Festival officially opened in Hanoi on October 8 night with the participation of puppeteers from eight countries, including the host Vietnam.
Tangled Princess, a new production by Thang Long Puppet Theatre,
will be performed at the 5th International Puppet Festival. (Photo:
thanglongwaterpuppet.org)
About 100 puppeteers from Cambodia, Laos, the Philippines,
Thailand, Belgium, France and Brazil traveled to Vietnam for the festival. The
four Vietnamese troupes participating include the Vietnam Puppetry Theatre,
Thang Long Puppetry Theatre, Hai Phong Puppetry Theatre and Ho Chi Minh
Puppetry Theatre.
Tran Huong Duong, Deputy Director of the Performing Arts Department under the
Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said the festival is a chance for
Vietnamese puppeteers to introduce the country’s unique and artistic puppetry
to the international community.
"It also offers Vietnamese puppeteers and art managers a chance to share
their performance and management experience. The international puppetry troupes
will bring new shows to the festival, and local groups will also have a chance
to present new plays,” he said.
There will be various types of shows showcasing the cultural features of the
participating countries including water puppetry, shadow puppetry, rod
puppetry, glove puppetry and mask puppetry.
The Thang Long Water Puppetry Theatre will debut its new production
entitled Cong Chua Toc May (Tangled Princess), which combines three
types of manipulation: water puppetry; rod puppetry and string puppetry. The
45-minute show is co-directed by Nguyen Phuong Nhi and Bach Quoc Khanh and
conveys a message about environment protection.
"The story of the show is about pollution, forest fires and climate
change,” said Nhi. "But characters like the princess, prince and wizard will
entertain young audiences.”
Cong Chua Toc May will be performed at 9:00am on October 9 at 57B Dinh
Tien Hoang Street.
From Une Tribu Collectif of Belgium, Michel Villee and Noemie Vincart will
perform Gaspard, which will feature a man and a woman creating the
illusion of life on stage. The two puppeteers explore a number of different
styles and forms.
Founded in 2014, Une Tribu is a collective comprised of eight artists with
different backgrounds. Gaspard will be performed at 8pm on October 11
at Au Co Theatre, 8 Huynh Thuc Khang Street.
In addition to the main performances in Hanoi, puppetry troupes will also
perform in the northern provinces of Ninh Binh and Vinh Phuc. Their
performances will entertain local people, enhance understanding of Vietnamese
culture among foreign performers and tighten international relationships
through arts.
A workshop entitled Relationship Between Body and Puppet will be held
on October 13 in Hanoi. The festival will wrap up on October 15.
Source: VNA
Gongs hold a special place in the cultural and spiritual life of the Muong ethnic people in Hoa Binh province. More than musical instruments, they are an indispensable part of community rituals and collective memory, echoing through generations as a spiritual thread linking the past, present, and future.
Preserving and promoting the cultural values of the Muong ethnic group has become an urgent task in the current context, as many traditional values face the risk of fading away. This effort requires not only protecting the cultural identity but also eliminating outdated customs and developing a modern cultural lifestyle, contributing to sustainable values for the Muong community in Hoa Binh province.
The Muong ethnic culture, deeply rooted in Vietnam’s mountainous north, continues to be preserved and revitalised by dedicated individuals and communities determined to safeguard their ancestral identity.
The Muong group is one of the largest ethnic minorities in Vietnam, primarily found in Hoa Binh province. The Muong people in Hoa Binh boast a rich and diverse cultural treasure that reflects the unique identity of this ethnic group. Accounting for over 63% of the province's population, they have created and preserved numerous distinctive cultural values, contributing to their unique identity. Their cultural heritage is an invaluable asset, at the heart of their national identity, and represents a vibrant spiritual life that must be preserved and promoted in today’s modern world.
For generations, the ethnic communities of Hoa Binh province, particularly the Muong people, have preserved vibrant festivals deeply intertwined with the region’s geography, nature, and social traditions. These celebrations enrich Hoa Binh’s spiritual life and cultural identity, reflecting both folk beliefs and the intermingling of ethnic customs. Many of these festivals have endured the test of time, passed down through generations and continuing to thrive today. Among them, the Khai Ha (Going Down to the Field) festival stands out as one of the most significant events of the Muong ethnic group.
Muong calendar, known as sach doi, is an ancient folk knowledge system developed through observations of the movement of the pleiades star. This unique calendar consists of 12 bamboo sticks, each representing a lunar month. Specific days within each month are marked with distinct symbols, guiding locals in determining auspicious and inauspicious days for important activities.
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