Hanoi city endeavors to preserve Ca Tru singing

(Cinet)- Hanoi city has pledged to increase its efforts by calling for more public participation in the city’s Ca Tru clubs.

Ca Tru, also known as Hat A Dao, features a female singer who is accompanied by a small group of musicians. It has been popular for more than 500 years. It is a complex form of poetry found in the north of Vietnam using lyrics written in traditional Vietnamese verse. Originally, it was a form of entertainment for wealthy people and was even performed for royalty. This kind of singing is now practiced in 15 provinces and cities throughout Vietnam.

Local authorities all over Hanoi have paid special attention to the preservation of the art form, which is in danger of being forgotten and disappearing from cultural life in addition to the efforts undertaken by Ca Tru clubs in recent years.

Cultural management agencies should develop measures and plans to help support the activities of clubs in Hanoi and other localities throughout the country according to Chu Chi Cang, director of Hoai Duc district’s Ngai Cau Ca Tru singing club.

Vice Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Truong Minh Tien said his agency considered the conservation of Ca Tru singing a priority, adding that the department would introduce Ca Tru at tourism sites and festivals to popularize the traditional art form.

The department wants the traditional northern form of singing to be taken off the list of endangered world cultural heritages and be granted the status of intangible cultural heritage of humanity instead.

Several districts ran campaigns to raise the public’s awareness of the cultural value of Ca Tru and to encourage them to join the preservation efforts. Furthermore, authorities mobilized the necessary resources to fund their efforts.

The municipal Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism organized Ca Tru festivals to promote an exchange between clubs. Several historical sites were upgraded to provide space to perform Ca Tru.

Hanoi city endeavors to preserve Ca Tru singing Related image(s)