(VOVWORLD) - In a peaceful village of Bien Ho commune, Gia Lai province, a group of young people is dedicated to preserving their culture, bringing traditional music to life with passion, and sharing it with the wider community. Leading the group is 19-year-old Ksor Djoan, a Jarai young man, with a deep-burning passion for music and his cultural heritage.
 Ksor Djoan, a Jarai young man, passionate about preserving and promoting traditional music (Photo: VOV) |
Every day, the sound of the T’rung, a traditional musical instrument, resonates from Ksor Djoan’s house in Bong village, Bien Ho commune. Despite life’s challenges, the local youth remain devoted to traditional music. Gan, Djoan’s longtime companion, said the group has been working together for nearly five years. They go to the forest to harvest bamboo, create their musical instruments, and practice together. Under Djoan’s instruction, the group has steadily improved their skills and is now able to play numerous music pieces.
“From the start our aim was to preserve traditional music. Djoan taught us about the tone. We were excited and happy, sharing and learning together,” Gan said.
 Ksor Djoan’s traditional music group is selected to perform at village, commune, and provincial festivals (Photo: VOV) |
Ksor Djoan’s traditional music group has been invited to perform at festivals throughout the province. From the gong to the T’rung and Klong Put, the Bong village ensemble excels in every genre. Now a first-year music student, Djoan’s passion for music burns even brighter. He regularly returns to the village to perform alongside his peers, and the great support of the community continues to inspire the group to preserve traditional culture, which is gradually fading among the younger generation.
Djoan said: “First, I learned to play the instruments, and eventually I started making musical instruments to preserve our heritage. Nowadays, few young people are familiar with these instruments, so I have to strive to keep them alive.”
In addition to performing for the community, Djoan’s group also produces videos to spread traditional music on social media. Kien, a girl from Sao Dup village, which is far from Bong village, regularly follows the group’s videos. The group’s style, both approachable and creative, makes traditional music more appealing to Jarai youth. Every video inspires Kien’s love for traditional culture.
“I closely follow and watch Djoan’s music videos on social media. I find them interesting, and they preserve our cultural identity,” said Kien.
Traditional culture is spreading to the younger generation. Young people playing the T’rung and gongs live and on social media are attracting more people to traditional music. Ksor Djoan’s traditional music group has become a role model for the Youth Union to replicate in clubs and associations dedicated to preserving and promoting traditional culture.
 Ksor Djoan (far left) is one of the 10 outstanding young ethnic minority figures in Gia Lai province honored by the Central Youth Union in 2025 (Photo: VOV) |
Tran Thi Hoai Thuong, Secretary of the Bien Ho commune Youth Union, said:“The Youth Union considers Djoan a role model for preserving cultural identity and encourages other young people in the villages to follow his example. We incorporate communications about this into the activities of the Youth Union and the Youth Federation.”
Ksor Djoan and his peers in Bong village are showing that traditional culture still inspires people and can reach far beyond the village. If more young people follow their example, the sound of gongs, T’rung, and Klong Put will continue to echo and the cultural heritage of the Jarai people will be preserved.