The person who "passes on the torch" of traditional culture of the Co Tu people

This year, at the age of 75, village elder Bhling Hanh (in Cong Don village, Zuoi commune, Nam Giang district, Quang Nam) still shows himself to be quick-witted, friendly and approachable. Not only does he take the trouble to collect and record the intangible cultural values ​​and identities of the Co Tu people to teach the younger generation, he also actively teaches the art of gong playing, da da dance and wood carving to the young people in the village and commune.

Talking to us, old man Bhling Hanh shared that he was born and raised in the heroic land of Zuoih commune, Nam Giang district. When he was just 17 years old, in 1967, he volunteered to participate in revolutionary activities with the main task of being a youth volunteer, carrying ammunition, and participating in road opening in the battlefields across Quang Da province.

Village elder Bhling Hanh diligently completes a wooden statue in the traditional style of the Co Tu people.

During his time as a youth volunteer, in 1972-1973, he also arranged to attend medical classes to both fight and gain medical knowledge to care for wounded soldiers on the battlefield. After the liberation of his homeland, he returned to his hometown and worked at the Zuoih Commune Health Station; then he became the Commune Youth Union Secretary and then the Commune Justice Officer. In 2000, he was elected Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Zuoih Commune, and he retired in 2010.

After returning home from the revolution, village elder Bhling Hanh has always strived to teach the traditional arts of the Co Tu people to the younger generation in the village and commune, such as the art of carving wooden statues, playing gongs, and dancing the da da dance. According to Elder Hanh, to become a good wooden statue sculptor, in addition to artistic talent, aesthetic sense, and skillful hands, one must also be careful, persistent, and patient. Each chop with an axe, a chop with a machete, or a chisel with a knife on the wood must be calculated and require high precision, otherwise it is easy to ruin the overall shape of the wooden statue. And equally important is knowing how to choose a suitable piece of wood that is suitable for the idea of ​​carving the statue. Thanks to Elder Hanh's dedicated help, up to now, in Zuoih commune in general and Cong Don village in particular, many young people have mastered the art of carving wooden statues. Not only teaching the young generation the traditional wood carving art of the Co Tu people, for many years, old man Hanh has also actively taught the art of gongs to young men in the village and commune. Old man Hanh said that in 1998, Nam Giang district directed the establishment of a drum and gong team in each commune, so he went to each house in the village and commune to encourage people to search for and preserve traditional musical instruments such as gongs, drums, cymbals, Abel instruments... and then established the Gong Team named Cong Don. He himself adapted the drum and gong dances and taught them to the young generations in the village and commune. After a period of active practice and many achievements, up to now, the Cong Don Gong Team has participated in the cultural and artistic troupe of Nam Giang district to perform in many places such as Hanoi, Da Nang, Can Tho, Tay Ninh..., thereby contributing to promoting the fine traditional culture of the Co Tu people to all regions of the country. “Gongs in the life of the Co Tu people are a type of traditional music and culture that carries a strong national identity. For the Co Tu people, gongs are not only a source of pride but also a language that connects people with the supernatural world. Every year, during the traditional festival season of the village such as the new rice celebration, the oath-taking ceremony between two Co Tu villages, the harvest celebration..., seeing young Co Tu men and women join hands to dance to the traditional tang tung da da dance, to the rhythm of drums and gongs, I am very happy because I see that this is the result of my hard work in teaching the cultural identity of the Co Tu people to the younger generation”, confided old Hanh.

The leaders of the Department of Culture and Information of Nam Giang district assessed that village elder Bhling Hanh has made great contributions to the preservation of the culture of the Co Tu people in the district. Not only understanding the traditional customs of the local people, village elder Hanh also collects, composes, and adapts melodies and dances to suit and preserve the cultural identity of his people. With his contributions to the Co Tu culture, in 2018, elder Bhling Hanh was honored to be awarded the title of "Meritorious Artisan"by the President for his outstanding contributions in preserving and promoting the intangible cultural heritage of the nation.

Source: https://cand.com.vn/Tieu-diem-van-hoa/nguoi-truyen-lua-van-hoa-truyen-thong-cua-dong-bao-co-tu-i772636/