Driven by a love for their heritage and a desire to nurture traditional values, residents in many Thái, Lào, and Mông villages have established their own art troupes. To date, the entire province boasts over 1,200 grassroots art troupes across various villages, hamlets, and residential clusters.

These village art troupes are composed of cultural nuclei, primarily individuals who hold significant heritage knowledge and share a passion for traditional folk songs and ethnic identity. Alongside rising economic standards, the spiritual lives of residents have become increasingly diverse. In ethnic minority communes, these art troupes have grown rapidly in both number and quality, creating healthy environments that satisfy spiritual needs and strengthen community solidarity. Beyond rehearsals and performances, these teams play a vital role in conserving the traditional values of ethnic minorities.

Operating for over a decade, the Hoong Lếch Cang village art troupe in Thanh Nưa commune consists of more than 20 members of various ages. In addition to a group of women aged 30 to over 40, the troupe includes a senior group consisting of experts in folk songs, dances, and traditional musical instruments. These elders pass down ancient melodies and dances preserved in their memories to the younger generation.

On a recent evening, the Hoong Lếch Cang troupe organized a performance of ancient folk tales. To prepare the content, Vì Thị Đỉnh, the troupe leader, and her members spent months visiting various villages to meet with elders, listen to their stories, and record them. Within just three months, the team successfully collected 12 ancient tales regarding the origins of various plants and animals.

As someone deeply devoted to preserving her people’s culture, Vì Thị Đỉnh has gone beyond collecting stories and songs to actively organizing collective cultural activities, teaching traditional folk music, the Thái language and script, and performing folk tales within the community. These activities are highly supported by the villagers. To make it convenient for everyone, sessions are held in the evening, attracting large crowds beyond the troupe members and creating a joyful atmosphere.

Vì Thị Đỉnh shared that because many elders who know these stories are nearly 90 years old, there is an urgent need to expedite the collection process. To preserve their linguistic heritage, the troupe gathers children aged 10 to 15 to teach them the script, storytelling, lullabies, and traditional folk games of the Thái people. The stories selected for performance often carry profound messages about family ties and community relationships.

With the aim of maintaining the unique folk music and traditional dances of the Lào people, the Pa Xá Lào troupe in Thanh Yên commune has played a key role in local cultural activities for many years. Notably, through the restoration of traditional dance values, Lào ethnic dance art has been practiced and preserved across Lào villages. The Lam Vong dance has become a symbol of the culture and lifestyle of the Lào community, significantly contributing to the cohesion of their spiritual life.

In addition to spreading cultural values at the grassroots level, these troupes and artisans actively participate in major provincial cultural programs and exchange events across the country. Recently, Vì Thị Đỉnh and members of her troupe performed at the 2026 Ban (Bauhinia) Flower Festival, while some Lào artisans joined cultural exchanges in other provinces. By participating in these community activities, residents have become more aware of their role in preserving ethnic values. This contributes to building cultural life at the grassroots and serves as a motivation for production. Furthermore, the unique characteristics of each ethnic group and the attractive cultural spaces of these villages help draw tourists to visit and experience the local identity.