Performance Art “Len Dong” of Vietnamese People: from Ritual to Stage

Author: Nguyen Thi Yen (Institute of Cultural Studies, Vietnamese Academy of Social Sciences, Vietnam)
Speaker: Nguyen Thi Yen
Topic: Language Documentation
The (SCOPUS / ISI) SOAS GLOCAL CALA 2020 General Session

Abstract

“Len Dong” is a special ritual in practicing beliefs to worship the mother Tu phu of Vietnamese people (Haeaven mother, Land mother Water mother, Forest mother ). This is a ritual of converging many cultural and artistic values of Vietnamese people such as poetry, music adoration, dance, costumes and decoration art, … After Renovation (1986) and especially after practicing the belief of worshiping the the mother Tu Phu of the Vietnamese which is Registered by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage of mankind in December 2016, the “Len Dong” ceremony was introduced to the public in many different forms, including the form on stage. This article will analyze the similarities and differences of the performing art “Len Dong” from the ritual practice space to the space of stage performance, focusing on the aspects of music, dance, space. performances, costumes, interaction with attendees and opinions of insiders, … Thereby showing the uniqueness of the performing art “Len Dong” as a typical ritual of practice the belief of worshiping the Vietnamese model Tam phu.

Keyword: Len Dong