The person who breathes life into Hmong culture.

In Sin Cheng commune, there is a man who is preserving the craft of making mouth harps – a unique cultural feature of the Mong ethnic group. That is Mr. Giang A Thong, who has been dedicated to this simple yet profound musical instrument, once considered the "voice of the heart" of Mong men and women during spring festivals.

Mr. Giàng A Thống is 70 years old this year. Despite his advanced age, he still diligently makes mouth harps. His hands are calloused from years of meticulously carving, grinding, shaping, and bending each brass bar to create the perfect reeds.

His passion for the mouth harp dates back to his youth. He has been making mouth harps for 40 years now. He shared that making a mouth harp isn't difficult, but to play it well, the maker must have heart and soul.

Mr. Giàng A Thống is playing the mouth harp.

“When I was young, I always carried my mouth harp with me wherever I went. It was my ‘call’ to my loved one at night festivals, a way to express my feelings when I hadn’t dared to confess my love…,” Mr. Thong recounted.

Every day he makes six to seven mouth harps. He doesn't make them for economic gain, but simply to preserve the Hmong musical tradition. Not only does he make mouth harps himself, but he also teaches his children and grandchildren how to make this instrument. He is willing to teach anyone who wants to learn, because he believes that preserving this craft is preserving the soul of the Hmong people.

Currently, Mr. Thong is the only person in the commune still practicing the craft of making mouth harps. The Party Committee and the local government of Sin Cheng commune always encourage Mr. Thong to pass on the craft to future generations; at the same time, they incorporate performances of folk musical instruments into collective activities at schools, festivals, and traditional cultural events of the locality.

Whenever there's a market day or a traditional festival, Mr. Thong brings out his mouth harp and plays it. The warm, deep sound of the harp attracts many people, evoking memories of love stories from the past.

Mr. Giàng A Thống sells mouth harps at the market.

Sin Cheng commune is not only home to high mountains and terraced rice fields, but also a land rich in Hmong cultural identity. Mr. Giang A Thong is a person who has contributed to maintaining and promoting ethnic culture. The sound of the mouth harp is not just music, but also a symbol of love, identity, and the continuity of generations of Hmong people.

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/nguoi-thoi-hon-van-hoa-mong-post648820.html