(VOVworld)-Jew’s harp is one of popular musical instruments of ethnic minority groups in the central highlands region and H’mong ethnic group in northern province of Ha Giang. For H’mong ethnic people, Jew’s harps are not only a musical instrument but also a tool for them to express their love to each other.

Artist Nguyen Duc Minh plays Jew's harps

Jew’s harp is one of the unique musical instruments found in many continents and they are in diverse types. Appeared in Vietnam long ago, Jew’s harps have recently become popular, especially since artist Nguyen Duc  Minh won an excellent award at the World’s Jew’s Harps festival in the Netherlands 2006. In Vietnam, Jew’s harps made of metal and bamboo can be found in Gai Rai, Ba Na, and E De ethnic groups in the central highlands region. Vietnam now has 10 types of this instrument, of which that of H’Mong ethnic minority group in Ha Giang province is the most favorite for its beautiful shape and sound. Pham Hong Thai has studied Jew’s harps for 10 years and now owns a shop of jew’s harps in Hang Manh street. Thai says: “Foreign customers, especially the French and the German are interested in Vietnamese Jew’s harps which are either made of bamboo or bronze. They like small instrument made by H’Mong ethnic people because they are easy to use and produce beautiful sounds”

Cultural researchers and tourists to Vietnam are inspired by the tradition and the use of Jew’s harps of ethnic minority groups in Vietnam. H’mong ethnic minority people in Quang Ba district, Ha Ging province and Sapa, Bac Ha in Lao Cai play Jew’s harps as a unique tool to express their love. H’mong men always play flutes and jew’s harps to whisper love songs to the girls. In the current busy life, jew’s harps have become less popular posing the need for further efforts to preserve and promote it. Hung Dinh Quy, a cultural researcher says: “It’s necessary to promote festival activities of ethnic minority groups to preserve the beauty of the Jew’s harps. We should educate young H’mong people about the significance of Jew’s harps and how to preserve the instrument”.

Jew’s harp is one of the most lively evidence showing the richness of Vietnamese folk music. Since 2008, central highlands and northwestern provinces have organized several Jew’s harps performances, training classes and contests in an effort to restore and promote the instrument.

To Tuan