Soong Co singing festival to open in Binh Lieu district on April 18
The Cultural Festival of Soong Co singing is going to be held at Huc Dong commune in Binh Lieu district on April 18, announced the People’s Committee of Binh Lieu district. This year’s festival also involves various sport and cultural activities.
Soong Co is a type of folk singing genre performed between two groups of men and women or mixed groups. The San Chi sing Soong Co whenever and wherever they want, particularly at happy events such as at New Year celebration, weddings, and house warming ceremonies. They sing to make friends, to profess love, and to exchange experiences.
It is a type of community performance at festivals, along with folk games such as pushing sticks, tug of war, swinging, weaving wattles, and hewing shoulder poles. They sing in the San Chi language and wear traditional costumes, aiming to spread their culture and language.
Being held annually in the commune of Huc Dong where San Chi ethnic minority people mainly live in, the festival aims to tighten the solidarity among the community as well as preserve and develop valuable cultural value of this ethnic minority group.
During the festival, local people gather to sing duel love songs (a song type as a means to express personal affections and to compete against the talent of others in public).
According to organizers, the festival will also include other interesting cultural programs such as San Chi traditional fashion show, a campfire night, exhibitions of farming materials, etc. Particularly, this year’s festival also covers the opening ceremony of Huc Dong Commune’s sports competitions with a range of sports activities held by Huc Dong commune.
Located in the eastern part of Quang Ninh province and bordered with China, Binh Lieu is home to ethnic groups such as Tay, San Chi and Dao and endowed with many stunning landscapes as well as attractive cultural features.
The mountainous district is likened to ‘Sapa’ in northern Lao Cai province with similar climate, landscapes and culture of ethnic minority groups. Binh Lieu has no high-end tourism services but will comfort travelers by its own wild beauty and peaceful scenery.
Tourists can visit tourist sites such as Luc Na communal house, Khe Van waterfall, Khe Thien waterfall, Mooc A waterfall, border roads, etc.
They also trek up mountains to admire various wild flowers and fruits, enjoy the beauty of immense terraced rice fields and learn more about the daily life of ethnic people living in stilt houses scattered around mounts and hills.
Binh Lieu has also a border gate market where tourists can shop for some souvenirs, garments and food.
