Preserving the soul of gongs in the vast forests of Huong Lap.

(PLVN) - Amidst the continuous mountain ranges of the Truong Son Mountains, the sound of gongs and drums was once a familiar sound in the lives of the Bru - Van Kieu people. The sound of gongs and drums connected the community, resounding during weddings, new rice harvest celebrations, or nights spent together around the fireplace… However, in many highland villages today, those sounds are gradually becoming scarce.

In this context, the authorities of Huong Lap commune, Quang Tri province, are gradually implementing various solutions to preserve the intangible cultural values ​​of the Van Kieu people, from gongs and traditional musical instruments to folk songs and dances, hoping to retain the "essence" of their culture amidst the whirlwind of modern life.

When the Vân Kiều identity faces the risk of fading away.

Huong Lap is the long-standing home of the Bru - Van Kieu ethnic group, where traditional culture is present in every house, every ritual, and every community activity. The sounds of gongs, cymbals, drums, and traditional love songs and folk dances were once an indispensable part of the people's spiritual life.

According to the results of a survey and inventory of folk songs, folk music, and folk dances in the ethnic minority areas of Huong Hoa district, many forms of folk art of the Van Kieu people are facing the risk of extinction as the number of elderly artisans decreases, while the younger generation is gradually moving away from traditional values. Those who know how to play gongs, craft musical instruments, or recite folk melodies are few and far between, scattered and mainly concentrated among the elderly.

Many young people in the village are now more familiar with electronic music and smartphones than with the traditional gongs and flutes of their ethnic group. Community rituals, which were once spaces for practicing traditional folk songs and dances, are also becoming less frequent, disrupting the transmission of culture.

The impacts of the market economy , cultural exchange, and modernization are creating an invisible gap between the younger generation and traditional identity. When there are no longer practitioners or performance spaces, intangible cultural values ​​are at risk of being forgotten or even disappearing. This is not only a concern for village elders and artisans but also a major worry for local authorities in their efforts to preserve the cultural identity of the highlands.

"Awakening" the sound of gongs and drums from the villages.

In response to this situation, Huong Lap commune is implementing a plan to preserve intangible cultural heritage while restoring traditional living spaces within the community.

One notable solution is the establishment of three gong and drum performance troupes in the villages of Cù Bai, Trăng-Tà Puồng, and Ka Tiêng, areas with large Vân Kiều ethnic minority populations and many preserved traditional cultural elements. These troupes not only serve the community's cultural activities but also aim to become a core force in preserving and transmitting heritage to the younger generation.

Huong Lap commune has established three gong and drum performing arts troupes in the villages of Cu Bai, Trang - Ta Puong, and Ka Tieng.

To ensure the teams operate effectively, the local cultural sector will provide synchronized support with traditional costumes, gongs, horns, drums, and many other necessary musical instruments. Each performing arts team will be provided with a basic set of musical instruments and Van Kieu costumes to facilitate regular practice and performances at the local level.

Significantly, preservation doesn't stop at simply purchasing musical instruments or forming a formal ensemble. "The local authorities have determined that to preserve the culture, we must preserve the people who know how to practice it. Therefore, in the coming time, Huong Lap commune will hire artisans and people knowledgeable about Van Kieu culture to directly teach the people in the commune."

"The training content includes not only how to use gongs, horns, and other traditional musical instruments, but also Vân Kiều folk songs and dances – values ​​that are in danger of being forgotten over time," said Hồ Ngọc Tình, Head of the Culture and Social Affairs Department of Hướng Lập commune.

This approach is seen as a "hands-on" effort, enabling young people not only to see their national culture but also to practice, appreciate, and be proud of it.

"Digitizing" culture to preserve tradition.

In its efforts to preserve culture in the highlands, Huong Lap is also experimenting with a new approach: applying digital technology . According to the plan, the locality will build a QR code system linking to instructional videos on singing folk songs, practicing folk dances, and using traditional musical instruments on smartphones. By simply scanning the code, people can review dance movements, learn how to play gongs and other musical instruments, or practice singing Van Kieu folk songs right at home.

"This is a new and appropriate approach in the context of the increasing prevalence of smartphones in ethnic minority areas. When direct teaching is limited by geographical distance, time constraints, or a shortage of artisans, technology will become an effective 'memory preservation channel' for traditional culture," Mr. Tinh added.

In fact, the former Huong Hoa district had previously built a digital archive, recording audio and video, and creating QR codes for cultural data to serve long-term preservation and transmission. This shows that cultural preservation today is no longer about "framing" the past, but about finding ways for traditions to enter modern life through new methods.

Huong Lap commune today.

Amidst the ever-changing pace of life in the border region, preserving the gongs, dances, and songs of the Van Kieu people is not simply about preserving a form of folk art. It is also about preserving community memory, maintaining the connection of the village, and preserving the values ​​that have nurtured the souls of generations of Van Kieu people in the Truong Son mountain range. Because once the gongs fall silent, not only will the sounds be lost, but a part of their identity may also gradually fade away.

The efforts of Huong Lap commune today, despite the many difficulties ahead, are opening up hope that the sound of gongs and drums will once again resonate in the mountains and forests; that the Van Kieu children will still know how to dance and sing the melodies of their ethnic group, as a way to remember who they are and where they come from.

Source: https://baophapluat.vn/giu-hon-cong-chieng-noi-dai-ngan-huong-lap.html