Then Singing, Vietnam - Thái Hải bán nọong | Recording Earth

Inside the main room of a stilt house, a blackened kettle sits above the crackling fire. A small parcel of cake covered in colourful tissue paper is placed on the floor and musicians gather round. I have just arrived in the Thái Hải reserve in the Thái Nguyên Province, Northern Vietnam.
This appears to be the minimum amount of ceremony required for this community of Tày people to perform Hát Then, 'Then singing', a style of singing usually reserved for village festival days and ceremonies, unique to ethnic minorities of Northern Vietnam.
As if to acknowledge my arrival the group play a song called Thái Hải bán nọong, 'Our Thai Hai Village'. It's cheerful upbeat sound accompanied by bells makes for a beautiful way to be welcomed.
Thai Hai village is a collection of 30 or so traditional stilt houses, nestled within tree-covered hills. To the people living here, they represent more than just homes, said instead to contain "the souls and cultural vitality" of the Tày people. The village was purpose built only 15 years ago as a reservation that protects and maintains Tày values and traditions.
One of the singers, Ms Hằng, tells me about the Đàn tính, a three-stringed gourd lute. When played with Hát Then it's used almost as a second vocalist to accompany the singers.
Afterwards, as I was packing up my equipment I was asked to join the musicians for tea. I sit down to a cup only slightly bigger than a thimble and a piece of gelatinous sweet cake made from rice. We took a moment to chat before everyone returned to their duties for the day. I reflected on the idea that something as simple as a cup of tea can be turned into a ceremony enough to bring people together.

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Unfathomably beautiful.