Phu Yen public singers and the songs with time

With the spirit “songs overwhelming bomb sounds”, Phu Yen public singer group during the anti-American war (the former name of today’s Sao Bien troupe), have nonstop overcome difficulties and dangers to serve the Revolution. Phu Yen newspaper recorded the story by Comrade Nguyen Duy Luan (aliases Chin Cao), former Provincial Party Secretary, member of the Central Party Committee, about the birth as well as feats of Phu Yen public singers during the war time.

One repertoire celebrating the national unification day by Sao Bien folk troupe.

This year, Comrade Chin Cao is 88 years of age and 69 years of Party age, but he looks very smart and lucid. While exchanging with me as related to the contributions of Phu Yen public singers during the anti-American war, Comrade Chin Cao seemed so much excited. He can tell every story, without books or notebooks, about the group’s feats.

In 1960, after Hoa Thinh Revolution,some villages, hamlets and Revolutionary foundations like: Ha Roi, Suoi Che, Phuoc Tan and Ca Lui were liberated and the armed forces were established in some communes and districts. At the time, the Provincial Party Committee had the advocacy of restoring and developing the nation’s traditional art values, bringing art and music to serve the anti-war cause. The Region V music Group performed the “Chi Dau” play to help the public understand about how the landlord level pressed and robbed the grassroots.

Comrade Bui Tan and I came to the legal foundation under the enemy’ region to look for those who could sing for the team establishment. I came to Hoa My to invite Mr. Chin Dam, the boss of Phu Nhieu village musical group, and his wife, Mrs. Tran Thi Oi, one art-loving and well-singing young lady. After that, we went to Hoa Thinh to invite Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Thua, majoring in singing “bai choi” and some other male and female singers, namely Tuan in Hoa Xuan, Hong in Xuan Quang…To form one folk music group, Mr. Bui Tan came to Hoa Dong to invite Mr. Muoi Ken, majoring in flowing the flutes at funerals or village-praying days. Then, we came to Hoa Hiep, Phu Tho Lam pagoda to ask for one war drum. At the time, among the tropies gained from the Deo Ca anti-enemy combat, there was one suitcase of “ao dai” of the district’s head’s wife/ the Provincial Party Committee immediately assigned the public singer team to allow the female signers to wear these costumes to perform. Mr. Chin Dam worked as the team’s head, the Propagating Board of the Provincial Party Committee assigned one more comrade to work as a politician of the team. Firstly, the team tried with one performance for the office cadres of the province, then for the compatriots at the liberation zones and foundations.

In 1996-1997, the war occurred internally, American attacked, fully occupied the plains and some mountainous regions, which made the liberation zone narrower. The Southern Military Zone was dismantled, some main singers and actors of the team were assigned to Phu Yen provincial Party Committee, two teams of “tuong” and ‘cheo” were linked into one named Phu Yen song-play public singer team. War was at peak time then, the singer team worked as one fighting unit, with one commanding board, logistics, medicine, guards, producing farms… When conditions were more favorable, the team went for performing, if not, they went fighting, carrying weapons, rice, to serve the Revolution and participate in producing, panting cassava, raise pigs to self supply…The singer team existed until 1975, when the South was liberated and the nation was united. Then, the singer team was supplemented with more members, and intermingled with Phu Khanh music troupe, former named of Sao Bien traditional folk troupe.

After such a long time, most provinces’ music groups were dismantled, only that of Phu Yen still exists till today. Lots of cadres of the team have now matured and become key members of the departments, boards, governments in district, town and city…It can be said that, the achievements of the public signer team in war time, were marvelous because it is the longs that can sooth the mental wounds cause by the war, the songs helped the people feel excited when participating in the revolution, the songs have the strength of propagating, mobilizing the people to contribute money and labor force to help the revolution. Phu Yen public signer team have entered the mind of mass population, becoming one special kind of weapon to efficiently combat the enemies, contributing to the entire victory day of the nation.

Source: Phu Yen NewspaperTranslated by HAI LOAN

Phu Yen public singers and the songs with time Related image(s)