The echo of bronze drums in the life of the Lo Lo people

When the first rays of the morning sun had just touched the yellow roofs of Lo Lo Chai village, the mist still lingered on the mountainside, the sound of the bronze drum suddenly rang out - deep, resonant, echoing off the cliffs and spreading into the deep valley like a stream of life awakening the entire plateau. That was not only the opening sound of the festival, but also the heartbeat of many generations of Lo Lo people, an affirmation that amidst the vast gray rocks and wind, this village still kept its ancient cultural soul.

Bronze drum is a cultural symbol of the Lo Lo people. Photo: hagiang.gov.vn

Drum sound - The soul of the festival

Mr. Nguyen Duc Chung, Chairman of Lung Cu Commune People's Committee, Tuyen Quang Province affirmed: Bronze drums are not only musical instruments, but also cultural symbols of the Lo Lo people. Every time the drums resound, the festival seems to be filled with new life. Thanks to the sound of the drums, the festival has its own soul, sacred and bustling atmosphere.

For the Lo Lo people, the bronze drum is the voice of the village, a bridge between people and gods and ancestors. In each festival season, the circle dance cannot be without the sound of the drum leading the way. Men keep the rhythm of the drum, women in colorful dresses walk gracefully in a circle - a symbol of the harmony between heaven and earth, of the cycle of growth and development.

The festival space is even more brilliant because of the traditional costumes of Lo Lo women - small pieces of fabric combined into colorful dresses, embroidered with motifs of the sun, birds, buffalo horns, chicken footprints... carrying wishes for good harvest, strength and happiness.

In particular, Lo Lo bronze drums always have two: a female drum and a male drum - symbolizing yin - yang, heaven - earth, father - mother. When the drums sound, Lo Lo people believe that the whole village is sending their best wishes to the gods.

Drum beats connect the highland culture

The Lo Lo are one of the few ethnic groups in Vietnam. In Tuyen Quang alone, the Lo Lo community has only a few hundred people left, living in small villages, but still preserving many traditional customs such as hoop dancing, praying for crops, and worshipping ancestors.

Currently, the Lo Lo community in Tuyen Quang only has a very small number of ancient bronze drums left, which are considered heirlooms. Mr. Sin Di Gai, Head of Lo Lo Chai village, Lung Cu commune, shared: As long as the bronze drums remain, the village remains. Losing the drums means losing their souls. We preserve the drums as if we were preserving the honor of our people.

Along with bronze drums, many other intangible cultural elements are at risk of being lost: ritual dances, ancient folk songs, and traditional festivals. Many young people only know how to beat drums to the rhythm of festivals, and no longer know the rhythms specific to each ritual of praying for crops or worshiping ancestors.

Village elder Vang Di Lu worries: No one knows how to make new drums anymore. Few people know how to beat the drums in time for each ceremony. If the young generation does not relearn, tomorrow no one will understand what the drums say to the gods.

However, Lo Lo Chai village still has a strong sense of heritage. Elderly artisans still persistently teach how to beat drums, embroider dresses, and perform festivals. They believe that identity only lives when practiced every day, not just in memory.

Visitors also feel that. Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Lan, a tourist from Hanoi , shared: Watching the Lo Lo people beat drums and dance in the festival is an unforgettable experience. The drum beats sound like the sound of the mountains and forests - both sacred and familiar.

Conservation for sustainable development

Realizing the value of heritage, Tuyen Quang province and local authorities are actively promoting the preservation of bronze drum sounds, linking preservation with community tourism development. Lo Lo Chai village has restored many traditional festivals, opened hoop dance classes, and organized cultural exchange nights in the communal house yard - where the sound of bronze drums continues to resonate in today's life.

Mr. Nguyen Duc Chung added: Lung Cu commune is focusing on restoring the original values ​​of the Lo Lo people. We encourage people to teach drumming and rituals, so that the drum sound not only resonates in the festival, but also resonates in the development journey of a Lung Cu rich in identity.

Sharing the same view, Mr. Sin Di Gai said as if it were an oath of the village: As long as children still learn to play drums, and people still wear traditional costumes in festivals, Lo Lo Chai village will still exist. And the bronze drums will still resonate.

In the late afternoon, the mist lingered on the rammed earth walls, the sound of the bronze drums rang out again, echoing off the cliffs and spreading down the valley. It was not only the sound of a festival, but also the melody of pride, the enduring vitality of a small but strong nation in the midst of the great forest.

In the unified cultural space of Tuyen Quang province today, the sound of the bronze drum of the Lo Lo people is not only a precious heritage, but also a unique highlight to build a typical tourism product, spreading cultural values ​​to friends from all over the world. To do that, it is necessary to have long-term conservation programs, encouraging the community to participate in teaching and practicing the heritage, so that the sound of the bronze drum not only resonates in festivals but also resonates in the development journey of a Tuyen Quang rich in identity.

According to VNA

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/am-vang-trong-dong-trong-doi-song-nguoi-lo-lo-a468710.html