Google Doodle honours Vietnamese ‘ca tru’

The Doodle was illustrated by Ho Chi Minh City-based artist Xuan Le.

Ca tru, the genre widely considered to be Vietnam’s most revered traditional form of music, was inscribed on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2009.

Ca tru’s unique sound has roots that stretch back as far as the 11th century. First gaining popularity as entertainment for the aristocracy of Vietnam’s royal palaces, it later made its way into the inns and communal spaces of what is now modern-day Hanoi.

The ensemble is composed of at least three performers, including one female singing intricate poetry while tapping a phach (a small bamboo box), two musicians playing traditional instruments, and occasionally dancers. Ca tru is now found in cities across Vietnam.

Performed in designated ca tru clubs and at annual festivals, the genre has seen a recent revival due to a concentrated effort from state-run organisations and international agencies. Preservation of ca tru is elusive due in part to it being a strictly oral tradition that has been passed down only through one elite practitioner and on to the next generation after years of committed study.

Previously, Google Doodles haves commemorated many Vietnamese famous and talented artists such as musicians Trinh Cong Son and Van Cao, painter Bui Xuan Phai, and poet Xuan Quynh. It has also praised traditional Vietnamese celebrations such as Tet (lunar New Year) festival and mid-autumn festival.