Outstanding mediums in the Mother Goddess worship have been awarded the “folk artisan” title and the “For the sake of Vietnamese folk arts” insignia in recognition of their contributions to preserving the age-old belief.
The honour was presented in Ha Noi on September 19 by the Association of Vietnamese Folklorists and the Centre for Research and Preservation of Vietnamese Culture and Belief.
The five honoured mediums are from Ha Noi, the northern province of Nam Dinh and the northern port city of Hai Phong.
The Mother Goddess worship was created during the Tran dynasty (1225-1400) and has become part of Vietnamese spiritual life as a reminder of national history and the great contributions of predecessors and national heroes.
The ritual combines music, singing, dancing, martial arts, cooking and fashion.
During the Mother Goddess worshipping’s trance ritual, mediums serve as ambassadors connecting the material world with the genies.
The community conveys their wishes to the Mother Goddesses through the mediums, who incarnate different deities and genies in the 36 sessions of the ritual.
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has approved the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s bid to compile a dossier seeking UNESCO recognition for the Mother Goddess worship ceremony as part of intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
The “folk artisan” title, which praises those who have made important contributions to conserving and upholding the country’s intangible cultural values, has been presented to nearly 600 artists nationwide since 2001.