The resounding sound of gongs

The festival offered audiences captivating performances showcasing traditional rituals, musical instruments, and songs from the vast cultural heritage of 19 ethnic groups who are gathered together on the red soil plateau.

Reenactment of the mother-daughter brotherhood ceremony of the Ede people by the artisans of Ea Tul commune. Photo: Hong Ha

Not only the organizers and judges, but also the audience were captivated by the lively and energetic melodies of the pel gong ensemble performed enthusiastically by the J'rai group from Ea Súp commune, along with the Adei Ju song.

The rhythmic sound of the knah gongs played by the artisans of Buon Ho ward brings a fresh feeling, complemented by the graceful movements of the beautiful Ede girls in their wine-offering dance.

The rhythmic tapping sounds of the artisans from Lien Son Lak commune make viewers want to dance along to the rhythmic tapping of the girls' drums.

With their vibrant traditional dance performance, mkam prok, and ding drao music, the artisans from Krong Nang commune demonstrate that their cultural heritage has been passed down from generation to generation for many years.

The gong ensemble from Quang Phu commune and the medley of knah and kram gongs from Krong Buk commune brought surprise and excitement, as the allegro vivace rhythm of the knah gong has not been performed in many places for a long time. The three-stringed stone xylophone (gong lŭ) performed by the Lien Son Lak artisan group immediately after the gong pế (three knobbed gongs) performance delighted the audience with this centuries-old traditional M'nong instrument.

The folk artists from the Tay ethnic group in Krong Pac commune and the Muong ethnic group in Krong Ana commune brought a delightful surprise with their unusual yet captivating musical transitions in the ancient then dance and the sình an string instrument (for blessings and peace) and the dam duong performance. The people not only preserve their traditional culture but are also integrating very well with the highland landscape.

And one cannot help but respectfully immerse oneself in the sacred atmosphere of the M'nong people's housewarming ceremony (Lien Son Lak commune); the naming ceremony and birthday celebration of the Ede people (Buon Ma Thuot ward and Krong Nang ward delegations), filled with warm emotions; or the unique Tung Khak dance, only found in harvest festivals, performed by the Ede artisans from Song Hinh; or the lowering of the ceremonial pole by the Muong ethnic group in Tan Lap ward; and the new rice offering ceremony of the Xe Dang people in Cu M'gar commune. The reenactments of these rituals allow viewers to not only feel the joyful and vibrant atmosphere and the way the ceremonies are performed, but also the sense of community in these fascinating festivals during the "Eating and Drinking Month" season on the red soil plateau.

Many skillful performances at the festival showed that ethnic culture continues to be passed down, and the undercurrent of heritage still flows within the villages.

However, there is still a sense of unease, even a slight disappointment, due to the unexpected absence of traditional instruments such as bro, kni, ding tak tar, tlung tlo, ky pah… which were present at the festival two years ago. This festival only featured the ding nam horn accompanying the arei songs, and the ding buot (not accurately) appeared faintly in the klei khan Dam San storytelling performance from Ea Tul commune. The folk song section also caused concern because most of the elderly artists' voices were no longer resonant, or they lacked the strength to perform a complete song (such as the very rare toong toong song of the M'nong ethnic group, which was performed for less than 3 minutes). Meanwhile, the young singers' renditions of folk songs felt somewhat forced.

Another concern is the performance costumes. It's worrying if, because the weaving craft is no longer maintained, the artisans have to rent costumes, resulting in the Ede people wearing outfits that are neither authentically Bahnar nor J'rai; or if the Bahnar artisans, attending the festival for the first time, wear only J'rai costumes… It's also regrettable that the Bahnar Cham artisans from Xuan Lanh commune are absent due to the question of whether "three gongs, five cymbals, and double drums are part of the gong culture?". And, it's also regrettable that for various reasons the auditorium remains empty, with few people able to appreciate the beauty of this cultural heritage representing humanity.

Gong performance at Ko Tam Tourist Area (Tan An Ward). Photo: Hoang Gia

Despite some remaining shortcomings and imperfections, the 2025 Gong Culture and Traditional Musical Instruments of the Ethnic Groups of Dak Lak Province has successfully achieved its goal of preserving, conserving, and promoting the gong heritage of the Central Highlands. These gatherings have consistently awakened a sense of appreciation and preservation of the traditional cultural beauty within the community, including the very custodians of the heritage.

Source: https://baodaklak.vn/van-hoa-du-lich-van-hoc-nghe-thuat/202512/am-vang-nhip-chieng-1820233/