HÀ NỘI — Various folk activities will be on show at the first ever Folk Culture in Contemporary Life Festival this weekend at Lý Thái Tổ Park in downtown Hà Nội.

Folk arts will be displayed at the event. Photo congthuong.vn

Phạm Thị Lan Anh, an official from Hà Nội Department of Cuture & Sports said products by traditional handicraft villages around the city will be featured at the event, while various folk art forms will be performed between December 13 and 15 including ca trù (ceremonial singing), hát xẩm (singing by buskers) and folk dances.

The event aims to celebrate Hà Nội's new title as it has been named one of 66 new members of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)’s Network of Creative Cities.

Ceramics of Bát Tràng, silk weaving in Vạn Phúc, bamboo weaving in Phú Vinh and lacquer producing in Hạ Thái village will be highlighted.

Folk painting genres like Hàng Trống, Kim Hoàng, Đông Hồ and new paintings made with cloth pieces, ceramic pieces and hand embroidered paintings are also introduced at the site, where visitors can experience the process with artisans.

Artisan Triệu Đình Hồng from Triều Khúc Village, Tân Triều Commune, Thanh Trì District could not hide his excitement before the event. He will perform his village’s folk dance called Bồng or Con Đĩ Đánh Bồng dance, in which men dress up as women and dance.

Men perform the Bồng Dance. Photo hnm.vn

"Bồng or Con Đĩ Đánh Bồng dance is an ancient dance,” he said. “We have faced various challenges in preserving it. Thanks to efforts by local authorities, we are still practicing it. We will prove its beauty at this event.”

Vụn Art, an enterprise at the event will bring its folk paintings made from cloth pieces, which are discarded by Vạn Phúc silk weaving village.

Lê Việt Cường, director of Vụn Art, said he set up the enterprises to help disabled people.

“Our enterprise has gradually become a creative space for domestic and foreign tourists," he said.

The city now hosts nearly 6,000 historic relic sites, over 1,700 intangible cultural heritages and folk arts.

Ngô Mạnh Chiến, a resident from Trung Hòa Ward, Cầu Giấy District, said he would not miss the event as it was a chance to learn to preserve cultural values of communities.

Ngô Thùy Dung, a student from Hà Nội Foreign Trade University said she liked handicraft products and folk performing arts.

“I hope the festival will offer meaningful experiences so that people of all ages, especially the youth, understand more clearly and love traditional values,” she said.

Tô Văn Động, director of Hà Nội Department of Culture and Sports said the event aims to praise and advertise historical values and profound knowledge of holy land Thăng Long - Hà Nội.

“From this event, culture workers like me hope Hanoians will show off their responsibilities in preserving and developing heritage,” he said.

“Then each of them can be an ambassador to advertise Hà Nội’s culture and personality based on their profound understanding on the city’s history and culture,” he said. VNS