Culture Vulture

The Viet Nam Folklore Association has announced the result of the first phase of its project for Publication of Vietnamese Ethnic Folklore, the project began in 2009 but slated to continue to 2019. Viet Nam News spoke to association chairman To Ngoc Thanh about the project.

Please give us a brief introduction to the project.

The project aims at preserving and advertising the abundant folklore cultural values of 54 ethnic groups which have been handed down and developed through generations. The association will select 2,000 works of research for publication out of 5,000 conducted. In the first stage of the project alone, which lasts until 2014, we plan to publish 1,000 works. So far, we have published 100 works.

What types of works are being published?

The works can be compilations of folkloric material, descriptive research or in-depth research on a particular form or aspect of folk culture.

For example, one work is entitled A System of Traditional Festivals of the Cham Ethnic Group in the Central Province of Ninh Thuan. Others include Folk Sayings and Proverbs of the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta Region, Orphaned Characters in the Folk Literature of the Mong, and Folk Music of the Ta Oi.

All books will be published in Vietnamese with an English abstract.

What priorities do you apply when publishing new works?

Of course, we give priority to endangered ethnic cultural values. The topics cover folk knowledge of agriculture and the environment, which expresses the relationship between man and nature. Traditional customs and festivals, which reflect the relationship between people and society, are also a focus.

In addition, we pay attention to people's thoughts expressed through important life passages like birth, coming-of-age ceremonies, marriages, illness and funerals, which reflect the relationship between community and individual. Religious ceremonies revealing the relationships between man and the universe, the supernatural and the spiritual world, are also a topic. Finally, literary achievements which express aesthetic ideals are also covered.

How will the books be distributed?

The publications will be distributed free to central and local libraries throughout the country. The books will reach universities, research institutes, military camps in border areas and offshore islands, and broadcasting stations. The books will also be sent to international cultural organisations based in Viet Nam, as well as universities and research institutes abroad with Viet Nam studies departments.

We will also print additional copies for commercial distribution and we have contacted some publishers. The Ha Noi Publishing House, for instance, will print some titles covering topics related to Ha Noi.

Is there any parallel project to translate the books into English or any other foreign languages so that the books can reach a wider audience?

We don't have any such plan for the time being. We don't have the budget for it. The translation fee is rather high. As far as I know, a page of English translation may cost VND150,000 (US$8). However, if foreign researchers, after reading the abstracts, have further requirements, we will try our best to serve them. — VNS

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