San Chi people in Tien Yen district enthusiastically sing soong co at all festivals.

San Chi people in Tien Yen district mainly live in Dai Duc commune, and some other places in the district. They are very passionate about singing and many of them can sing soong co.

Soong co in the language of the San Chi people means singing. This is a type of folk cultural activity to express and exchange emotions between San Chi community groups.

Soong co in San Chi language means singing.

San Chi people sing soong co whenever there is an opportunity, with many forms of expression such as during the New Year holiday, weddings, new homes, singing to exchange feelings. It is a way of singing against each other between male side and female side (single or group). This is also an opportunity for young men and young women to make friends and confess their love to each other, sharing their confidences. Besides, they also pass on to each other experiences at work as well as in life.

Singing soong co is a form of folk performance. The lyrics include quatrains (each stanza has 4 lines, each line has 7 words), similar to Sli-luon singing of the Tay and Nung ethnic groups or vi singing of the King people in the Northern Delta. Through soong co singing, singers can interact and learn from each other, express their feelings and thoughts to the person they love, teach their children and grandchildren about their parents' gratitude for nurturing and giving birth, and experience in treating people...

To preserve and develop the soong co songs, the Center for Culture and Sports of Binh Lieu district has cooperated with Huc Dong Secondary School to open a class to teach and practice singing "soong palm" for students. Up to now, 2 classes have been opened, with more than 40 students each class, with the study period of 3 months, from Friday to Sunday every week. Participating in teaching are San Chi artisans who have extensive experience in singing soong co, such as artisans Trac A Thin, Ninh Thi Com, Tran Thi Phau...

After the course, children can perform the soong co songs at school activities and participate in communal activities. In addition, the Binh Lieu District Center for Information and Culture also invited artisans to teach and practice bamboo leaf trumpet, tac xinh dancing, and bamboo flute in order to restore the long-standing culture of the San Chi people.

Binh Lieu district authorities have been paying attention and creating favorable conditions for preserving, teaching and introducing the appeal of soong co, exploiting its highlights for tourism development; at the same time, preserving, and promoting the cultural heritage and unique identity of the San Chi people in a sustainable way, creating resources to develop tourism and build a cultural brand of Binh Lieu district.

In particular, on June 29, 2016, the Binh Lieu District Party Executive Committee issued Resolution No. 06-NQ/HU; and on September 15, 2016, the District People's Committee issued Plan No. 1412/KH-UBND on preserving and promoting the unique traditional cultural values of Binh Lieu district's ethnic communities. This shows that the work of preserving and promoting the value of cultural heritage of ethnic minorities in the area is highly valued by the local authorities.

Yen Minh