Socialist Republic of Vietnam

The Ministry of Culture and Information has chosen 11 cultural genres to be displayed at the 2007 Smithsonian Folklife Festival, in the US, in late June.

A delegation of 52 members, including 39 folk artists and artisans, will participate in the festival, which will take place from June 23-July 9.

Representatives of the Bana ethnic group from Central Highlands Kon Tum province will introduce their gong performance art, epos as well as dugout making and papoose knitting skills. Southern Bac Lieu province will be represented by “don ca tai tu” (a form of chamber music) while the Dong Thinh troupe of southern Vinh Long province will perform hat boi (a classical opera).

Lion dancing will be performed by a dance group from Bac Lieu province while a Robam (ballet) will be staged by Khmer dancers from Mekong delta's An Giang province.

The Smithsonian festival is an annual event that introduces visitors to various types of traditional arts from countries in the Mekong River Basin.

VNA