The activities are designed to help younger generations understand and appreciate traditional cultural values while developing a stronger sense of responsibility for preserving and promoting their heritage.
At the Cultural House in Ia Pnôn Commune, children regularly take part in xoang dancing accompanied by the sounds of gongs under the guidance of youth union members.
As the dance circles begin to move, children quickly join hands and follow the rhythm. Beyond learning the movements, they experience the sense of unity and community associated with the traditional cultural activities of the Central Highlands.
Rơ Mah H’Mai, from Chan village in Ia Pnôn Commune, said she had often watched xoang dances and gong performances at the village communal house during festivals since childhood.
Taking part in xoang lessons herself has helped her gain a deeper understanding of the meaning behind the dances, the sounds of the gongs and the traditional cultural values of the Jrai people, she said.
Kpuih H’Soa, from Bua village, said incorporating xoang dancing and gong performances into regular activities provides children and teenagers with both entertainment and an opportunity to understand and appreciate their ethnic culture.
The activities also help young people become more aware of their role in preserving and promoting traditional values, H’Soa said.
Phạm Khắc Công, Vice Chairman of the Ia Pnôn Commune People’s Committee, said direct participation in cultural and recreational activities gives children opportunities to interact, learn and develop their talents.
Such activities also help nurture their attachment to their homeland, strengthen national pride and raise awareness of preserving and promoting traditional cultural identities, he said.
The commune places particular emphasis on making traditional culture accessible through lively, hands-on activities, including gong and xoang competitions, Công said.
“Direct participation helps children better understand the value of traditional culture,” he said, adding that such experiences can encourage young people to take greater responsibility for preserving and promoting their ethnic heritage.
Children discover the art of hát bội
In South Quy Nhơn Ward, children have also been given the opportunity to explore traditional culture through an activity focused on painting masks used in hát bội, a traditional Vietnamese theatrical art.
Đặng Thị Thu Hiền, Secretary of Youth Union Branch 24 in South Quy Nhơn Ward, said the activity was organized to give children greater access to traditional cultural values.
While children today have extensive access to the Internet and smart devices, they are not necessarily familiar with traditional arts, Hiền said.
The youth union therefore worked with artists, artisans and professional organizations to organize the hát bội mask-painting activity, allowing children to experience the art directly rather than encounter it only through conventional lessons.
After hearing a craftsman explain the art in simple terms, the children were shown how to hold brushes, mix colors and paint details on the masks.
Trần Uyển Nhi said she had previously known about hát bội mainly through images on the Internet.
Painting a mask herself after watching and listening to an explanation gave her a greater appreciation of the distinctive beauty of the traditional art, she said.
Vũ Trọng Bình said he had often watched hát bội performances with his family and was particularly interested in the colorful lines and patterns painted on performers’ faces.
Being able to paint a mask himself made the experience more enjoyable, he said, expressing hope that more activities of this kind would be organized to help children connect with traditional culture.
People’s Artist Nguyễn Xuân Hợi, a former actor with the Đào Tấn Tuồng Troupe of the Provincial Traditional Arts Theater, has also supported efforts by schools and localities to introduce hát bội to children.
Hợi said he was encouraged by the growing number of children interested in traditional theater and hoped more experiential activities would give them opportunities to discover the cultural values of their heritage.
When children understand and develop an affection for traditional culture, they are more likely to recognize the importance of preserving and passing it on to future generations, he said.