To allow gongs to "tell their story"

Immediately after the Central Highlands Gong Culture Space was recognized by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2005, the Ministry of Culture and Information (now the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) issued an Action Program to restore, preserve and promote the value of the heritage, in accordance with the commitment to UNESCO.

Recreating a gong performance scene at the Pleiku Museum. **Photo: Phuong Duyen**

However, Gia Lai province still lacks a suitable exhibition space to preserve and honor the unique heritage values it possesses. Before renovation, the Pleiku Museum only had a small room on the second floor, approximately 100 m², to simulate the Central Highlands Gong Culture Space; along with displaying two other themes belonging to the national intangible cultural heritage list.

Due to space limitations, the museum can only display four sets of gongs in the room upstairs and some other areas. This is regrettable, considering the museum houses over 50 valuable sets of gongs that have been painstakingly collected over decades. Therefore, visitors to the museum have limited opportunities to learn in depth about the gong culture of the Jrai and Bahnar people – two of the 11 ethnic groups considered to be the owners of this heritage.

A part of traditional cultural activities is recreated in the Central Highlands Gong Culture Space at the Pleiku Museum. **Photo: Phuong Duyen**

In response to this situation, on June 17, 2021, the 11th term of the former Gia Lai Provincial People's Council passed Resolution No. 410/NQ-HĐND on the investment policy for the Central Highlands Gong Culture Exhibition Room project at the Pleiku Museum. Subsequently, in July 2024, the Provincial People's Council issued Resolution No. 374/NQ-HĐND adjusting the investment policy for the Central Highlands Gong Culture Exhibition Room project at the Pleiku Museum, increasing the total budget from 3.5 billion VND to 6.7 billion VND.

Specifically, the project includes the renovation and conversion of underutilized rooms on the 3rd floor of the Pleiku Museum, such as the wood, textile, and leather storage areas; and the corridors and offices in the main building of the Pleiku Museum into a dedicated space for displaying the Central Highlands Gong Culture, with an estimated area of 431 m². In addition, it involves the renovation and completion of several other functional rooms and equipment systems; and the addition of a fire safety system to ensure compliance with legal regulations.

The village scene is vividly recreated in the exhibition space. **Photo: Phuong Duyen**

To ensure this space is truly effective and facilitates better connections between heritage sites, the community, and tourists, Mr. Le Thanh Tuan, Director of the Pleiku Museum, stated: The museum is currently preparing a budget proposal for 2026 regarding the revised exhibition content. Specifically, it will add a section simulating the cultural space of the gong culture, including: the communal house, the ceremonial pole, the water droplet, and images of festivals… linking them with some previously recreated spaces such as scenes of artisans performing gong music and the village elders' storytelling by the communal house fire. This will make the area more vibrant and provide a more authentic experience for visitors. While awaiting budget approval, the Pleiku Museum is designing temporary display stands to showcase the valuable gong sets to those who appreciate Central Highlands culture.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuy Trang, Director of Dai Ngan Tourism and Event Services Co., Ltd. (207 Hoang Quoc Viet Street, Pleiku Ward), expressed: “When the Central Highlands Gong Culture Exhibition Room at the Pleiku Museum officially opens, I will introduce it to tourists from all over to visit and learn more.”

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/de-cong-chieng-duoc-ke-chuyen-post562660.html