Whenever the rhythm of "tac - xinh, tac - xinh, tac - tac" echoes, people of all ages - whether young or old, male or female - begin to bounce their feet and move with the music. All the hardships and difficulties of daily life seem to disappear, replaced by laughter and dances that embody a longing for a prosperous and happy life.

Son Dong has 30 ethnic groups living together. Together with the Tay, Nung, and Dao communities, the San Chay ethnic group has many unique cultural features.

The Tac Xinh dance of the San Chay ethnic group is currently being preserved by the Party Committees, authorities, and people of Vinh An and Le Vien communes. Several years ago, only a few people in the whole commune knew how to dance Tac Xinh, but now everyone can dance it.

In each home, there are always a few sets of clean traditional ethnic clothing hung in the wardrobe, ready for members to wear for Tac Xinh dance performances during village festivals.

Tac Xinh is a ceremonial dance that both recreates the labour and production activities of the San Chay people and reflects the spiritual life of farmers who are entirely dependent on natural elements.

Dam Hong Phuc, born in 1965, Secretary of the Vinh An commune Party Committee, is a San Chay ethnic who is passionate about preserving the unique culture of his ethnic group. Talking about the Tac Xinh dance, he excitedly said that in the past, the San Chay community often lived at the headwaters of rivers and streams, closely connected with their traditional, rudimentary farming practices.

This is depicted through the Tac Xinh dance, which features nine basic movements: visiting and clearing a path, making offerings, sharpening the hoe, using the hoe, clearing fields, preparing the land, taking care of rice, harvesting crops, celebrating the harvest, and performing a ritual of gratitude to the gods for a bountiful harvest.

The music and movements are quite simple, revolving around two easily memorable and practice-friendly sounds "tac" and "xinh." The percussion is made with bamboo tubes, which are readily available in daily life.

The appeal of this dance lies in its strong sense of community, and energetic and rhythmic movements. There is no distinction between the young and old as well as the male and female and there are no limits to the number of participants - all can join in and move to the same tone.

Phuc proudly said, "My father, mother, and older sister are excellent singers and Tac Xinh dancers. Attending village festivals and watching Tac Xinh dance have been a cherished part of my childhood that I carry with me throughout my life."

The Party Committees and People's Committees of the two communes have chosen schools as key sites for teaching the dance. Specifically, the Vinh An 2 Kindergarten has a Tac Xinh club with over 30 young members aged 3-5. The dance also became an extracurricular activity of the entire school starting from the 2023-2024 academic year.

According to Nguyen Si Cam, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, preserving and promoting the value of the Tac Xinh dance is not only crucial for educating future generations about traditional heritage but also for fostering pride in the unique identity of the San Chay community.

It helps strengthen community spirit and contributes to the development of the cultural life of ethnic minorities. Additionally, the dance is a religious activity embodying a philosophy of life and the tradition of "When drinking water, remember its source". It serves as a spiritual bridge between heaven and humans, igniting faith and a desire to conquer nature, and guiding people toward a better life.

With these meanings, the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism is currently collecting, researching, and implementing solutions to preserve the cultural values of the Tac Xinh dance of the San Chay ethnic people.

Mai Toan

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