Artisan Lam Tan Binh - Dedicating his whole life to Cham culture

In the sunshine and wind of Binh Thuan, among the ancient Cham villages stained with time, there is a man whose hair has turned white but whose hands are still supple with each beat of the ginang drum, whose feet still diligently lift each step of the biyen dance. That is Meritorious Artisan Lam Tan Binh - a man who has devoted almost his entire life to preserving, conserving and spreading the values ​​of Cham culture in Binh Thuan.

Meritorious Artist Lam Tan Binh is teaching ginang drum playing techniques to students.

A debt to our ancestors' culture

Born into a Cham family, growing up during the Kate and Rija festivals, young Lam Tan Binh was soon instilled with a special love for his ethnic culture. From the days when he was still in elementary school, every time he heard the sound of the ginang drum and the saranai trumpet echoing throughout the village, he would secretly put down his notebook and run after them, then passionately watch each dance and sacred ritual of the Ka-ing masters. Not only watching, Binh also made his own "musical instrument" from a tractor trailer, beat the rhythm himself to the ginang melody he had just heard, then danced with his friends on fire in the dry, sun-burning fields.

That passion gradually grew into a reason for living. At the age of 14, Lam Tan Binh was chosen for the first time to dance in the work “Kinh Chiem Thuong Doan Ket” performed in Can Tho . At that time, the late veteran artisan Dao Bo soon recognized the special artistic qualities in the boy, he taught him the techniques of beating the baranăng drum, beating the ginang drum, and each soulful Ariya chant. From the full moon nights secretly listening to the mournful chanting of the late artisan Lu Do, then the times following his father to Cham classes… Lam Tan Binh’s soul was instilled with pride in Cham culture. That was a valuable asset so that later, when he grew up, no matter where he stood - on a professional stage or in the middle of the village communal house yard - he would still live fully with his love for his ethnic culture.

Meritorious Artist Lam Tan Binh

Artist on stage

With more than 50 years of dedication to Cham culture and art, Lam Tan Binh is not only a talented performing artist but also a dedicated teacher who sows the seeds of heritage for the younger generation. From the position of Captain of the Phan Hiep Commune Art Team in the 1980s, he gradually asserted his role as the "leader" of cultural and artistic movements in the region. Step by step, from Head of the Bac Binh Cham Folk Art Group to Director of the Binh Thuan Cham Cultural Exhibition Center, he became the soul of many Cham folk art programs at the provincial and national levels.

Lam Tan Binh's name is associated with dance works imbued with the Cham spirit: "Dai hoa dang Bac"; "Vui hoi Ramưwan"; "Niem vui Rija Praong". The soft, graceful dance movements following the traditional rhythm, the left foot stepping first, the right foot following the rhythm have created a unique mark for the Cham dance art he has staged. In particular, his creativity in music arrangement, ginang - saranai harmony or harmonizing Ariya folk songs have brought him a series of Gold and Silver Medals in regional and national art festivals and performances.

But the stage's glory was not enough to keep the artist's footsteps. When he returned to his hometown Phan Hiep, he devoted himself to each class teaching ginang drums, saranai trumpets, Cham script, and Ariya to generations of students. From 1995 to now, hundreds of students - from young artists, actors of Bien Xanh Theater to Cham children in Phan Hiep, Phan Hoa, and Ham Tri - have all grown up under his guidance. Among them, the most prominent is student Cuu Dang Long An , son of the late artist Cuu Lac. With a solid foundation from his father and dedicated guidance from teacher Binh, Long An soon asserted himself, becoming the Head of the Bac Binh Cham Folk Art Troupe, continuing the path of preserving the heritage of his ancestors.

Meritorious Artist Lam Tan Binh also created a way to notate the ginang drum and systematize the Saranai trumpet according to modern musical notes, helping students to absorb easily and shorten learning time. He applied the method of the late artist Truong Ton to systematize 9 original melodies according to 7 musical notes. These innovations help preserve and facilitate the young generation's access to Cham musical instruments.

Meritorious Artisan Lam Tan Binh has completed the application for the noble title of “People’s Artisan” and has been approved by the Provincial Council to be eligible to submit to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. If awarded, this title will not only be a worthy recognition of his more than half a century of dedication to Cham culture, but also a source of pride for the entire Cham community in the white sands of Binh Thuan.

The Silent Researcher

Not only an artist and teacher, Meritorious Artisan Lam Tan Binh is also a quiet researcher, diligently recording every page of Cham cultural history. He was the head and collaborated with Associate Professor, Dr. Thanh Phan to carry out many provincial-level scientific projects, from studying Cham Brahman and Bani rituals, Ariya chanting, Hari Raglai chanting to the treasure trove of Cham folk tales. The book "Relics and Festivals of the Cham People in Binh Thuan" edited by him is a valuable source of documents, contributing to preserving and introducing the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of the Cham community to domestic and international friends.

After decades of dedication, what worries him most is not only the risk of losing the heritage when many old artisans pass away one by one, while the young generation is increasingly moving away from traditional culture. However, in the eyes and heart of that artisan, there is still faith. Looking at the seeds of heritage - his students today who continue to extend their artistic journey, he believes that as long as each Cham person knows how to cherish the roots, Cham culture will never fade away.

Source: https://baodantoc.vn/nghe-nhan-lam-tan-binh-danh-ca-cuoc-doi-cho-van-hoa-cham-1743762440600.htm