The Ban Gioc Waterfall Tourism Festival 2023 opened in the northern province of Cao Bang on the evening of October 6, drawing thousands of domestic and foreign tourists.
The highlight of the festival was a performance of Then singing, a special ritual practice of the ethnic minority groups and Tinh musical instrument with the participation of 1,000 people.
Around 1,000 people, including artists, students, and locals spent over one month preparing for the performance.
The annual festival introduced the scenery, culture, and people of Cao Bang, as well as showcased the Ban Gioc Waterfall to both domestic and international visitors.
The Tay and Nung ethnic people joined in the largest performance of Then singing.
The performance was part of the Ban Gioc Waterfall Festival. Ban Gioc waterfall is located in the Non Nuoc Cao Bang Geopark and recognized as a global geopark by the UNESCO Global Geoparks Council in 2018.
The Vietnam Records Organization (Vietkings) announces that the function set a record for being the largest Then singing performance and Tinh musical instrument performance in Vietnam.
Then singing is an essential ritual practice in the spiritual life of the Tay, Nung, and Thai ethnic minority groups who reside in the north of the country.
In 2019, UNESCO recognized the Then singing of the Tay, Nung, and Thai ethnic communities as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.