HÀ NỘI — The folk singing of the Thái ethnic minority group will be a highlight during the children's-themed month at the Việt Nam National Villages for Ethnic Culture and Tourism between August 1 and 31.

Thả bươn folk singing will be performed by 30 ethnic Thái children from Con Cuông District in the central province of Nghệ An on August 17 and 18.

The Thái ethnic group has various kinds of folk singing in the form of poetic melodies with titles like Bắt Bướm (Catching Butterflies), Bắt Con Đom Đóm (Catching Fireflies), Cú Bắt gà (Owl Catches Chicken) and Đố Trăng (Puzzle on the Moon). The folk singing is always accompanied by folk games.

The performance at the village will be introduced with folk games such as đánh khăng (piggy), bịt mắt đánh trống (beating drums while closing eyes), múa sạp (dance with bamboo poles) and múa xòe (dance with scarfts).

Con Cuông is a remote district in Nghệ An Province that borders Laos. Local authorities have been implementing a preservation project to restore Thái traditional culture.

The district has a special policy to develop traditional culture clubs which host classes on folk dances, singing, and playing instruments.

Visitors to the village this month can learn how to play folk instruments and take part in the folk games of ethnic Thái as well as the Mông, and Cơ Tu ethnic groups.

The village is also offering reading spaces for children and adults.

Children can take part in various recycling activities in a contest titled "A Small Action for Big Heaps of Plastic Garbage". 

The village is located in Sơn Tây District, 40km west of the Hà Nội centre. — VNS