VietNamNet Bridge – Ro Bam, a unique style of musical theatre created by the Khmer ethnic community in southern Viet Nam, has been alive for 200 years. Now, the art is being preserved by both veteran and young artists of a troupe in Soc Trang Province, home of 400,000 Khmer. 

Nature’s stage: Ro Bam artists visit many villages of Soc Trang and neighbouring provinces, including Bac Lieu, Tra Vinh, Kien Giang and Ca Mau, to offer outdoor shows. VNA/VNS Photos Nguyen Luan

The Ro Bam Bung Chong Art Troupe of Tran De District has travelled around the region to offer a series of ethnic performances.

Its performances provide local people and youth with the knowledge of Ro Bam and its songs and dances.

“Our artists also offer free training for young farmers, who love to sing and dance traditional tunes,” said 56-year-old performer Lam Thi Huong, head of the troupe.

Using their strong voice and dance skills, Huong and her peers impress their audiences with popular plays, and delve into the daily life hopes and dreams of Khmer people in southern provinces.

They have visited many villages of Soc Trang and neighbouring provinces, including Bac Lieu, Tra Vinh, Kien Giang and Ca Mau, to feature the art.  

Their outdoor shows, at low prices or for free, feature the culture of Khmer people.

Artistic heritage: Ro Bam, a unique style of musical theatre created by the Khmer community in southern Viet Nam, is being preserved by farmer artisans living in Soc Trang Province, home to 400,000 Khmers.

In traditional Khmer clothes, they sing, dance and stage plays based on the religions, traditional customs and culture of the Khmer.

"Through our art, we hope to give people, particularly youngsters, the opportunity to learn about and enjoy the folk theatre. Our audiences can find out how rich their culture is as well as gain lessons about the nature, people, love and life, which are often featured in Ro Bam plays,” said Huong, who has more than 40 years working for the troupe.

Huong is the fifth generation of her family involved in Ro Bam. She began singing on the stage at the age of 13 after learning the art from her grandparents and parents.

“All of my family’s members have been involved in performing and teaching Ro Bam, which was created by the ethnic Khmer people a long time ago and spread widely with Du Ke, another genre of Khmer theatre, in the region in 1920s,” Huong said.

Keep it going: Ro Bam, a genre of Khmer theatre, is alive thanks to performers of the Ro Bam Bung Chong Art Troupe of Soc Trang Province’s Tran De District.

The Ro Bam Bung Chong troupe has 23 performers, including singers and musicians, most of them from farmer families.

“My children, My Hanh, Thach Nauy and Nacy Luol, are young talents in Ro Bam, who have more than 10 years of performing,” said Huong, who began her management job in 2010 after the death of her older brother, Lam Phuong, the former head of the troupe.

“We often work on new shows to entertain villagers and children during the Tet (Lunar New Year) and the Khmer new year festival Chol Cho Nam Thmay (which begins in the third month of the lunar calendar).”

“I face many new challenges but my love for Ro Bam keeps me going forward,” she said.

Last year, Hương was invited to teach Ro Bam to young actors of the Kien Giang Khmer Art Troupe.

“I have worked hard to infuse my love and skills for the art to younger generations in the hope of giving Khmer theatre a long life,” Huong said.

Dao Chuong, former head of the Kien Giang  Khmer Art Troupe, said: “Huong is one of the region’s very few professional performers, who has kept Ro Bam original and unique on stage. Thanks to her troupe, the traditional theatre of Khmer people would be expanded.”

VNS