(VOVworld) – Mo H’ra village in Vietnam’s central highlands province of Gia Lai has retained its traditional cultural values despite the rapid pace of socio-economic development. Local veteran musicians are working hard to pass down their passion for traditional instruments such as gongs to the younger generation. Cong Bac, VOV reporter in the Central Highlands, has more.
We visited the communal house or Rong house of Mo H’ra village when there was a cultural happening event. The local people in their traditional costumes were talking cheerfully to each other, relaxing after the hustles and bustles of daily life. Familiar songs from the Ba Na ethnic group, the sound of gongs and the melodies of Koni instrument echoed through the village.
After the musicians had rehearsed, young people began to learn how to play a gong. 10 minutes after being summoned by a beating drum, about 40 young Bana people gathered in their traditional attire they made themselves. The players are from the ages of 7 to 17. The boys were learning to play gongs while the girls practised a dance called xoang. 7 year old Dinh Lo told us: “I enjoy this class very much and I will try hard to play very well.”
 |
Dinh Tran, head of the village’s gong troupe, was busy instructing youngsters playing techniques. He said he has been in this job for more than 5 years and feel enthusiastic because it will help to preserve the Ba Na people’s tradition. The local young people are also well- aware of the need to protect their group’s cultural identities. Dinh Tran said:“The children have improved a lot. They can play some gongs works very well such as the buffalo stabbing and new rice festival rythms. It’s good that the young people are aware of the need to preserve the gong culture. I hope they will keep upholding the Ba Na people’s tradition.”
The Gong music played at the buffalo stabbing festival was rehearsed for the final time before performing it at a district ceremony.
By doing so, the village’s gong players have helped to preserve the gong music, an UNESCO-recognized oral and intangible cultural heritage of humanity.