(VOVworld) - ‘Dù kê’ is a style of musical theater created by Khmer people in southern Vietnam in the early 19^th century, reflecting a cultural interaction of different ethnic communities inhabiting the Mekong River Delta region. It’s a cultural heritage embodying the region’s rich history.

‘Dù kê’ show performed by Trà Vinh art troupe (Photo: Le Hoa)

There have been many discussions about the origin of ‘Dù kê’.  It was basically created in the south of Vietnam in the early 19^th century. It was influenced by Vietnamese ‘Cải lương’, or renovated theater, and Chinese singing. Songwriter and veteran artist Sơn Lương, Vice President of the Association of Vietnamese Ethnic Groups’ Literature and Arts, is directing a study on ‘Dù kê’ in Sóc Trăng province.   He said: “Dù kê is a cultural product created by Khmer people in the southern region which blends the rich cultural diversity of three ethnic groups – Vietnamese Kinh people, Chinese people, and Khmer people. We want to preserve and promote the values of Dù kê. Our study contributes to the preservation of cultural values, pursuant to the Party and State objective. The spiritual and cultural values are irreplaceable.”

During its development, the genre spread to Cambodia where it won the hearts of the locals and has been growing ever since. Many artists who founded ‘Dù kê’ troupes in Cambodia are from southern Vietnam.  Meritorious artist Kim Thịnh heads the Ánh Bình Minh Khmer art troupe in Tra Vinh province: “The Ánh Bình Minh Khmer art troupe has conducted performance tours in Cambodia. Since 1979 there have been 13 shows. The art has received a warm welcome from Cambodian audiences and some shows have attracted thousands of people”.

Efforts to preserve and promote ‘Dù kê’ have been aided by Khmer-language television programs aimed at a young audience.

The first national professional theater festival in Trà Vinh fueled enthusiasm for the art. The Trà Vinh provincial College of Art and Culture piloted a class to train 26 ‘Dù kê’ artists. Le Thi My Ha, rector of the college, told VOV: “The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism does not have a specific curriculum for ‘Dù kê’, so we are working with the Ministry to devise such a program for our students. They study hard and are passionate”.

A recent workshop on ‘Dù kê’ musical theatre in Trà Vinh province collected researchers’ opinions for dossiers to be submitted to UNESCO for recognition of ‘Dù kê’ as a world intangible cultural heritage.