Vietnam’s Cultural Heritage Introduced in Malaysia

The Mother Goddess Worshipping belief is very important to Vietnamese people. Photo: VNA

A Vietnam-Malaysia arts and cultural exchange was held on June 11 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, as part of activities to mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the two countries' diplomatic ties.

The program is part of a series of people-to-people exchange activities of the Malaysia - Vietnam Friendship Association on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of ties (1973-2023) in Malaysia. The event is also part of a series of working visits of Vietnamese artisans in Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, to exchange, study and promote Vietnam's folk art and culture in the region.

The event drew the participation of more than 120 representatives of the Vietnamese Embassy, businesses and Vietnamese community in Malaysia.

In her remarks, Tran Thi Chang, president of the Malaysia-Vietnam Friendship Association, said that the event offers an opportunity for people of the two countries to learn about some traditional art forms of Vietnam which have been recognised by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as intangible cultural heritages of humanity such as Chau Van (traditional folk art of northern Vietnam which combines singing and dancing), Quan Ho (duet love) singing and Cheo (Vietnamese traditional opera).

According to Chang, art and culture exchanges will contribute to spreading the love of traditional culture among the Vietnamese community in Malaysia, as well as help nurture Malaysian people's love of the traditional arts and culture of Vietnam.

Addressing the event, former Malaysian Ambassador to Vietnam Azmil Zabidi emphasised that the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Malaysia is a great chance for the two countries to organise cultural exchange activities.

Quan ho (love duet) singing at the event. Photo: VNA

Vietnamese artists and delegates at the event. Source: Malaysia-Vietnam Friendship Association

The most special part of the event was the impressive performance of the Vietnamese artisans. Mother Goddess worship, which was officially recognised by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity in late 2016, is a traditional practice in Vietnam with a long history, having stood the test of social changes.

The belief in Mother Goddess reflects people’s desire for health, wealth and fortune. In which, the “hau dong” ritual is the most important part in practising the worship, Kien added.

The practitioners are comprised of temple guardians, ritual priests, spirit mediums, mediums’ assistants, musicians who perform the songs for the spirits, disciples and lay adherents who share the same beliefs in the spiritual power, supernatural strength and protection of the Mother Goddess spirit pantheon. All of these practitioners form groups who worship together, take part in traditional festivals and perform spirit possession rituals at temples and palaces dedicated to Mother Goddesses.

Performances by Malaysian dancers. Photo: VNA

Sharing her feelings when attending the event, Liena Abdullah expressed her joy and hope that more and more Vietnamese people will come to study and work in Malaysia, as well as Malaysians to Vietnam to study and work in Malaysia. The two sides have more opportunities to learn about each other about the country and people.

Artist Cao Xuan Van expressed his pride at having the opportunity to introduce Vietnamese culture in Malaysia, as well as his joy when enjoying the art repertoire of your country. He hoped that there would be more opportunities for the two countries to have similar cultural and artistic exchanges in the future.

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