Kaleidoscope (28-07-2013)

Source: Pano feed

by Thu Anh


The battle to save oral epics


A folk artisan of the Raglai people in the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa has been singlehandedly devoting himself to keeping alive the traditional music and literature of the ethnic minority for the last 25 years.


Mau Quoc Tien, a villager in the remote district of Khanh Son, teaches local youth about the songs and epics of the Raglai people so they will be handed down from one generation to the next.


“The epics are oral literary works handed down from one generation to the next. They feature the myths, legends, songs and stories of the local people as well as those of other ethnic minority peoples throughout the country like the Xo Dang, M’nong, and Bana in Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands),” says Tien.


“I want my villagers, especially the young people, to learn to love these epics because we can’t survive without our traditional culture,” says the 51-year-old man.


Tien is also helping the province’s cultural authorities record 300 tapes and write eight reference books in both the Kinh and Raglai languages on the ethnic minority’s cultural legacy.


Tien believes the most effective method for preserving epics is not to collect and transcribe them, but to encourage the oral tradition by reciting epics more frequently during local activities and festivals.


“I think the best way to keep these works alive among young people is to help them learn them in their hearts and souls. For young villagers, these epics help them see and understand the trees, birds, fields and streams running through the woods in their homeland,” he says.


Tien says the long Raglai epics like Udai-Ujac and Ikhat Yalukar are verses and songs which contain thousands of words but are easy to learn by heart.


He says these epics contain stories about the lives of the Raglai people, describing upheavals within their society, wars, natural calamities and social relationships. They are told in a boasting, heroic and impressive style.


“Raglai people like to sing these every day while they work in the fields. They help them become stronger and happier in their lives and work,” he says.


Tien has also passed on his passion to others living in Khanh Son, who share his belief in the power of tradition.


“Thanks to the work of Tien, the Raglai epic has lived on due to its incorporation into local people’s daily routines, especially their communal activities,” Mau Thai Cu, a local resident, says. “The epic tradition and artisans like Tien are some of the Raglai’s most precious property.”


Students show some initiative


Tran Thi Bao Tram, a final-year student at the HCM City Economics University, earns more than VND2.2 million (over US$100) by working as a freelance public relations official for several advertising agencies in the city. Although the work is demanding, she does not have a fixed schedule, giving her flexibility in arranging her school and life obligations.


Like Tram, many students are getting hands-on business experience by taking part-time jobs with companies in their final years at university. Work prospects for freelance employees are particularly good in the areas of public relations, marketing research and advertising.


Tram says she receives her work assignments via email, and then collects data about products and markets, organises public events, and writes press releases for publications, advertisements in newspapers, radio and television.


Tram, who has good English and computer skills, says she can meet the high demands of her “invisible employers” who connect with her only through a computer.


“I like my part-time job because it requires creativity and an ability to transfer business information,” she says.


Another final-year student, Tran Bach Duong from the HCM City University of Law, says that his part-time job adds “variety to my educational process because I get lessons firsthand and can improve my knowledge before beginning my real career.”


Now working for a foreign-invested company, which offers investment consulting services, Duong has gained experience in English on topics such as sales and marketing, business administration and processing plants.


“You can’t get this kind of experience at school. It adds so much more than the lessons in my textbooks,” he says.


Tram, 22, says the part-time jobs allow many students to get a taste if what it feels like to work in a high-stress work environment that often has fierce competition.


“Many companies work via networks with talented students to find and select the best employees for their business. With a computer and hard work, you can hold a bright future in your hands,” she says — VNS




Đăng ký: VietNam News