The keeper of the sounds of home.

Despite having been away from her hometown for a long time, driven by her passion and desire to preserve the beauty of her cultural roots, Ms. Sam Thi Tich (born in 1963, Cao Bang village, Dak Phoi commune) still quietly preserves the sound of the dan tinh - a traditional musical instrument that embodies the soul of her homeland, Cao Bang.

In 1991, Ms. Tich and her family moved from Cao Bang province to Dak Lak province. Back in her hometown, the melodies of Then singing and the simple sounds of the Tinh lute were frequently heard at cultural events and festivals. The geographical distance and the passage of time have made these familiar sounds evoke a longing for home in her.

In her free time, Mrs. Tich would take out her zither and practice to satisfy her passion.

Upon arriving in Đắk Phơi, Ms. Tích noticed that the Cao Bằng village was home to a large community of Tay and Nung people from Cao Bằng province. It was here that traditional performances of the đàn tính (a type of stringed instrument) and hát then (a type of folk singing) were vividly and fully recreated by the villagers during major events such as the National Unity Day and local congresses. These occasions ignited her passion, motivating her to embrace the traditional culture of her homeland.

Ms. Tich began her self-taught crafting of the zither through guidance from elders in her village. Later, she proactively learned more and improved her skills through social media channels. Ms. Tich revealed that the most important step in making a standard zither is selecting the right materials. She must choose large, beautifully shaped dried gourds to ensure a resonant and accurate sound. The gourds, harvested from the garden, are cut at the top and soaked in water for about a week to remove the pulp. Next, the gourds are thoroughly dried and coated with a good quality paint on both the inside and outside to preserve them for a long time, protecting them from termites and mold. Then, a sharp iron rod, heated over charcoal, is used to drill the sound holes. The lid of the zither is a thin piece of wood, securely attached to the gourd.

Of all the steps, making the neck of the instrument is the most meticulous and time-consuming. The neck is made from various types of wood, requiring careful cutting and shaping to the correct size, curvature, and length before being securely attached to the body. Finally, she selects suitable nylon strings to complete the strings and tune the instrument.

Ms. Tich and the Cao Bang village's performing arts group performed the zither and sang then songs.

Ms. Tich doesn't remember how many zithers she's made to satisfy her passion for playing the zither and singing Then folk songs. With her self-made zither, over the years, Ms. Tich has been an active member of the women's association in Cao Bang, bringing Then folk songs and the sound of the zither to many meaningful performances in Dak Phoi commune. Although not a professional artist, Ms. Tich has made a significant contribution to preserving and spreading the traditional culture of her homeland.

According to Ms. Luc Thi Doi, Secretary of the Cao Bang village Party branch, Cao Bang village has 147 households and 614 inhabitants, of which the Tay and Nung communities from Cao Bang province account for about 80% of the village's population. Despite living far from their homeland, the villagers still preserve the traditional culture of their ethnic group, especially the Tinh lute and Then singing. Then singing and Tinh lute performances organized during festivals, Tet (Lunar New Year), and the Great Unity Day not only enrich the cultural and spiritual life of Cao Bang village but also contribute to the overall cultural diversity of Dak Phoi commune.

Source: https://baodaklak.vn/van-hoa-du-lich-van-hoc-nghe-thuat/202511/nguoi-luu-giu-thanh-am-que-huong-47b1f70/