An arts exchange program with the Yecheon Tongmyeong Nongyo Conservation Association in South Korea was held on September 26 and featured an impressive performance of the traditional dances of the Tongmyeong farmers, accompanied by folk music played on ancient instruments. The boisterous music of the twenty-four musicians conveyed the optimistic energy and pride of the Korean people, making the exchange program more lively and attractive than ever before.
Yecheon Tongmyeong Nongyo portrayed the optimism of Korean farmers
“DTU is delighted to welcome the South Korean Yecheon Tongmyeong Nongyo Conservation Association,” said Professor Lim Sang Taek, Director of the DTU Institute for Hospitality Training and Research. “Their performance brought us the same Korean folk music that UNESCO has recognized as an intangible human heritage. Today’s exchange will increase the cultural understanding between Vietnam and South Korea and will serve as a first step towards a long-term potential collaboration.”
The program opened with a performance of the Pho Hoi Vietnamese music by the DTU Center for Arts and Sports. The dance was astutely produced as a blend of traditional dance and modern folk instruments, conveying unforgettable impressions of the Vietnamese and, specifically, the Quang region culture.
The South Korean group with DTU staff and lecturers
Accentuated by the sound and breath of the Korean people over thousands of years, Korean peasant music was a source of positive inspiration throughout the work and lives of the farmers and was also performed at religious ceremonies and when praying for luck, to create and enliven the community spirit. The Korean association meticulously prepared their costumes and props for their festive dances, to reflect an environment of hard work and the rhythm of the farmers, from sowing to harvesting. They performed pieces such as Aburaeisuna (a rice-planting song), Dowumso (sung when leaving the rice paddy), Aaehangeheh (sung while weeding), Aeiyong (sung after weeding), and Gaengmakungkingnosae (sung as the farmers return home). The combination of the energetic singing and the sounds of the clanging farming implements was like a magical, heavenly gift, relieving the hardship of the ancient Korean farmers.
It is explained that the “Yecheon Tongmyeong” are old songs passed down from the old local farmers. Their music gradually faded away in the 1950s but was completely revived in 1974 by Ham Bong-jun, Gang Won-hui and others, who first performed it again at a cultural festival in Yecheon. The South Korean President awarded the group a special prize at the 20th national folk arts contest in 1979.
Most of the Tongmyeong performers are elderly, some even in their 80s. However, their tireless and fluid dance moves and singing remain completely natural and harmonious. The dancers and musicians move flexibly to the changing beat of the melodies, creating a merry atmosphere and making their audiences tap their feet and clap in appreciation.
The Yecheon Tongmyeong Nongyo Conservation Association brought the optimistic spirit and the persistent and positive vitality of the Korean peasants to DTU. This demonstrated how a valuable cultural heritage must not lie dormant in the past, but remain alive in times to come.
(Media Center)