The person who keeps the flame of M'nong folk songs alive in Duc An.

From small houses, folk songs spread throughout the vast forests.

Every weekend, the small house of artisan Thi Py On becomes a special classroom, where the M'nong folk songs are sung by young, innocent souls, as pure as dewdrops on forest leaves.

No blackboard, no chalk, the "classroom" consists only of a mat spread in the middle of the house and a special teacher – a woman who has dedicated more than half her life to cherishing each folk melody like a treasure. She sings first with a warm, deep voice, each word and phrase imbued with memories and love for her ethnic identity. The children listen, then hesitantly sing along, sometimes off-key, sometimes not quite right, but their eyes light up with excitement and anticipation. The songs she teaches are music and a part of the spiritual life of the M'nong people, such as: songs celebrating the new rice harvest, greetings to the forest spirit, melodies welcoming honored guests to the village...

Through each song, she gently tells the children about their ancestors, their land, and the bonds of community. Her teaching method is simple yet profound, not preachy or textbook-based, but based on genuine emotion and burning pride. "I hope the children learn to sing, understand the lyrics, and then later they can teach their own children and grandchildren. If we stop singing folk songs, it's like losing a part of our nation..." said Mrs. Thi Py On.

Many children taught by Ms. Thi Py On have come to love the M'nong language and their own cultural identity even more. Thi Vy (12 years old) shared: “Artisan Thi Py On taught me songs about welcoming spring, the forest spirit, and welcoming guests… I find the folk songs very beautiful and special. I wish I could sing as well as her someday so I can perform in many places.”

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Those who pass on cultural knowledge should not teach merely for the sake of teaching, but must understand that what they carry is a value for the entire community. Therefore, despite my advanced age, I continue to learn, exchange ideas with other artisans, and carefully record every lyric and melody so that I can teach it in a systematic and profound way.
Artisan Thi Py On

Preserving with heart and love for culture.

Besides teaching children in her village, artisan Thi Py On is also a familiar face in arts and culture competitions at the commune and district levels. Each time she competes, she always carries with her a deep pride in M'nong culture, performing and spreading that love to even more people.

Mr. Trieu Van Tuat, Head of N'Jang Lu village, commented: "Ms. Thi Py On is an exemplary person, deeply devoted to her ethnic culture. She not only sings beautifully but also has a passion for passing it on. The entire village respects her and sees her as a role model for their children and grandchildren to follow."

Watching Mrs. Thi Py On sitting among the children, her eyes sparkling with joy when one sings in rhythm, or her proud smile when she hears folk songs soaring in the quiet afternoon, one understands that what she does is not just "passing on the flame," but also preserving the soul of the land and its people. Without people like her, those melodies would gradually fade into oblivion amidst the flow of modernization.

In her mind, M'nong folk songs are not just lyrics, but life itself. They accompany the M'nong people from the time they go to the fields to the time they celebrate the new rice harvest, from lullabies to songs sung over jars of rice wine. Ms. Thi Py On shared: "Singing folk songs is like breathing. If you don't sing, you feel empty. When you sing, you feel like you're returning to yourself."

For artisan Thi Py On, preserving and spreading traditional culture is a persistent, silent journey, but one filled with love, embodied in every musical note, every glance, and every small yet warm singing lesson.

Source: https://baolamdong.vn/nguoi-truyen-lua-dan-ca-m-nong-o-duc-an-382994.html