On October 25, 2020, Tra Vinh Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism cooperated with Tra Vinh University to organize a seminar “Du Ke Theater Arts – 100 years of establishment and development” at TVU. 
According to the seminar topic, Assoc.Prof.Dr. Pham Tiet Khanh – TVU Rector, said: The South in general and the Mekong Delta, in particular, is the residential land of many ethnic groups such as Vietnamese, Khmer and Chinese, the Cham people, etc. The Southwest is not only known as the home of the Vietnamese music of amateurs but also is famous for two unique art forms of the Khmer that Ro Bam originated from the royal and Du Ke originated from the working people.
Since the 20s of the twentieth century, Du Ke is a unique art product, clearly demonstrating the cultural interference between the ethnic communities living together with Kinh, Khmer, and Hoa.
Research activities, Du Ke’s performance festivals, Du Ke script creation camps have currently interested in implementing the urgent need to preserve and develop the Khmer’s Du Ke theater art in the new era. The solved issue is how to create a successor force to perform, as well as to build developing strategies and orient to building records to propose UNESCO to recognize Du Ke as the intangible cultural heritage at the Mekong Delta.
The seminar ” Du Ke Theater Arts – 100 years of establishment and development” is a precious opportunity to meet scientists, artists, and managers. More than 35 papers sent to the workshop gave an overview and in-depth about the origin, history of formation and development, cultural and artistic characteristics, and values of the Du Ke theater art in the Mekong Delta.
The seminar is a forum from which to recognize achievements, summarize experience lessons during 100 years of operation of this art form. At the same time, the workshop also contributes materials for research, teaching, introduction, and promotion of Du Ke theater art widely at home and abroad.
Ngoc Thu
