Dù Kê: A unique treasure of Vietnamese Theatre

Let's discover how Khmer people - an ethnic minority group in Vietnam - treasure their theatre!

A creation of Khmer people

---

Unlike other stage forms that I introduced earlier, Dù Kê is a creation of Khmer people - an ethnic minority group in the southern part of Vietnam. The origin of Dù Kê is still debatable, but most cultural experts agree that Dù Kê first appeared around the beginning of the twentieth century. It evolved from the orchestral performance and dancing of Khmer performance. First emerging in the Mekong Delta, Dù Kê is deeply influenced by the lifestyle of Khmer people in this area: they immersed themselves in nature and appreciated what nature gave them. Thus, "sân khấu giàn bầu" - or squash vine stage - is the first stage of Dù Kê.

Still, Dù Kê is also influenced by the performing styles of popular stage forms of that time. I suggest you try to look at the performers' costumes in the three pictures below. Guess which picture features Dù Kê performers?

Just try your best and guess! The answer is revealed below.

Picture 2 is the correct answer. The other two featured here are Cải lương (picture 1) and Tuồng (picture 3). Congratss!

Just a short question but you can see that Dù Kê, Tuồng, and Cải lương share a lot of similarities. However, the influence goes far beyond costumes. Even the play structure and the stage setting of Dù Kê are developed based on Tuồng and Cải lương. Yet, the Khmer people - those who created this art form - still managed to make Dù Kê a unique stage performance. This lies in the unique combination of singing, dialogue, and folk acting that has been a part of the Khmer culture - evident in the traditional orchestral and dancing performance that creates the foundation for Dù Kê performance. What also makes Dù Kê's performance special is how artists uncover Khmer folklore so delicately in the play. They typically feature simple plots, and profound themes, and subtly convey educational meanings. That's how Dù Kê easily wins support from audiences because the messages are straightforward enough for people to understand, yet the means of conveyance still shows the talents and the meticulousness of Dù Kê artists.

The success of Dù Kê among Khmer people in Vietnam also helps this stage form extend beyond Vietnam. Dù Kê is also cherished by the Khmer community in other regions and even reached overseas, appraised by Khmer people in Cambodia. Gradually, becoming an indispensable cultural treasure in the lives of the people to this day.

Survival is still a concern

---

Still, Dù Kê is also falling behind in modern society. The number of skilled and proficient Khmer artists performing Dù Kê is declining day by day, while the next generation of Khmer people is showing less interest in joining the play, and young audiences are less interested in traditional ethnic art forms.

A scene in a Dù Kê performance.

To preserve and promote the value of dù kê art, cultural experts suggest that research, surveys, collection, and protection of this unique heritage should be carried out immediately. In addition, policies should be enforced to ensure Dù Kê artists a fairly stable life and also encourage the artists to continue to pursue developing Dù Kê. After all, the decline in interest from both audiences and artists is hindering new generation from continuing in this risky area. More importantly, the establishment of folk art clubs should be encouraged to protect this intangible cultural heritage within communities by nurturing and promoting it in social life.

From there, tourism tours could be developed to provide an all-inclusive experience of Khmer people's lives. By placing this art form in an open space within villages, tourists would be able to fully appreciate the uniqueness and significance of this traditional theatrical art of the Khmer people.