The cultural "keepers of the flame" amidst the mountains of A Lưới.

The road from the center of Hue city up to A Luoi on a late winter day seemed longer than usual. Clouds drifted lazily around the mountain slopes, mist hung over the small paths, and the villages of the Ta Oi, Pa Co, and Co Tu people peeked out from behind the deep green of the Truong Son mountain range.

Recreating the Aza festival (new rice harvest celebration) of the Pa Cô and Tà Ôi people in A Lưới.

There, amidst the ever-changing pace of life, there are still people quietly and persistently preserving traditional cultural values ​​– the "living treasures" of the A Lưới highland people.

A Lưới (Hue City) – a valley nestled amidst the western Trường Sơn mountain range – is renowned not only for its majestic scenery but also for its rich cultural heritage of ethnic minorities. There, amidst the modern development of tourism and trade, people quietly preserve traditional cultural values. They are like warm "flames" in the heart of the wilderness, safeguarding the cultural treasures of generations.

Those who "keep the soul" of traditional culture

In A Roàng 1 village (A Lưới 4 commune), the village elder, A Viết A Lia, is over 75 years old. His hair is white, his hands gnarled with the marks of time, but he still regularly cleans and tunes the village's precious gongs every week. For him, the gongs are not just musical instruments, but the soul of the village. "As long as the gongs remain, the village remains," he says slowly, his gaze fixed on the misty mountain range. From the harvest festival, weddings, and ceremonies to bidding farewell to the ancestors, the sound of the gongs is the thread connecting people with the gods and the earth.

Village elder A Viet A Lia recounted: "There was a time when, due to difficult living conditions, many of the villagers' gongs were sold for rice and salt. The elder had to go from house to house, persuading people to keep their gongs and teaching the younger generation how to play them in the right rhythm and with the right spirit. 'Playing them incorrectly would upset the spirits,' he said with a gentle smile. Now, the village's gong ensemble not only serves in rituals but also performs at cultural festivals in the commune, district, and city."

Not far from there, every time one passes through A Roàng 2 village (A Lưới 4 commune), they hear the sounds of the bamboo flute and gong echoing in the mountains and forests, created by artisan A Mử (67 years old), a renowned craftsman of traditional musical instruments of the Cơ Tu people. The seemingly lifeless bamboo sticks and wooden rods, in A Mử's hands, are transformed into flutes, pipes, and gongs imbued with soul. He recounts that he has followed this profession his whole life as if fulfilling a promise to his ancestors: "Since I was a child, I've been fascinated by the sounds of musical instruments; hearing the melodious sound of the bamboo flute makes my blood race." But this passion also comes with a great worry: few young people today are pursuing this craft, and traditional musical instruments are gradually disappearing.

Over the years, in addition to making and selling musical instruments to tourists, artisan A Mử has also opened free classes for young people in the commune. Every afternoon, the sound of the reed pipe blends with the chirping of forest birds, echoing throughout the valley. The reed pipes, gongs, and cymbals are not just musical instruments; they are memories and the rhythm of life for the community. A Viết Tư, a student of artisan A Mử, said: "If it weren't for Teacher Mử, I wouldn't have known that I could also play the reed pipe, or know the traditional songs of my people."

Spreading the cultural heritage of the Co Tu people.

At nearly 80 years old, village elder Cu Lai - Nguyen Hoai Nam, residing in PaRing - Can Sam village (formerly Hong Ha commune, now A Luoi 5 commune), remains dedicated to preserving, teaching, and spreading the culture of the Co Tu people in this high mountain region. The villagers are very familiar with the sounds of gongs and drums, and the dances of Elder Cu Lai. Having worked for many years in the grassroots cultural sector and later as the Party Secretary of Hong Ha commune, Elder Cu Lai understands the situation and the urgent need to preserve the culture of the highlanders in A Luoi amidst the changes brought about by development and integration. He teaches traditional folk songs, music, and dances not only of the Co Tu people but also of the Ta Oi, Pa Co, and Pa Hy people in the area.

In 2005, after retiring, he was elected by the villagers as a respected figure. Elder Cu Lai always harbored the dream of teaching the young people the folk songs, dances, and music of the Co Tu, Pa Co, and Pa Hy ethnic groups. Then, by chance, he connected with a university to open a music instrument class for more than 10 local people. Elder Cu Lai, along with other elders, continued to open classes to teach folk songs and dances to young people in the area. As a result, many people have become proficient in playing various musical instruments, from the bamboo mouth organ, flute, ta lu lute, horn, gong, and cymbals… And many young people have come to know the dances and songs of their ethnic group.

For many years, the cultural movement in Hong Ha has been recognized; continuously participating in performances at festivals and events in various localities. Some artisans, who were taught by village elder Cu Lai, are now continuing to teach younger generations… This is the great joy and happiness of preserving and transmitting culture that elder Cu Lai always longs for. In 2019, he was honored to receive the title of Outstanding Artisan in the field of folk performing arts awarded by the President of Vietnam . Many of his outstanding students have also been recognized as Outstanding Artisans, such as Ms. Ho Thi Tu (Pa Co ethnic group), Mr. Nguyen Tien Doi (Co Tu ethnic group)…

"Living treasures" keep the flow of modernity.

In the villages of the former Hong Thuong commune (now A Luoi 3), when mentioning Mr. A Viet Dhung, he is considered a "living treasure" of Pa Co folk knowledge. He knows dozens of ancient prayers by heart and is knowledgeable about customs and traditions. Mr. Dhung expressed: "Performing spiritual rituals is to teach people to respect nature and live in harmony with the mountains and forests. Each ritual contains lessons about morality and community conduct." Fearing that this knowledge would be lost, Mr. Dhung collaborated with local cultural officials to record the prayers and explain each word. He also passed them on to his children and grandchildren, even though he knows that preserving the craft is not easy in the modern era. "As long as there are people who understand, the culture will live," he said.

In the house of village elder Ho Van Hanh, in A Nieng Le Trieng hamlet (A Luoi 1 commune), there are countless traditional musical instruments, which he considers his greatest treasure. That day, Elder Hanh's house was filled with young men and women from the village. Everyone, dressed in traditional costumes, lined up in formations under the elder's guidance. Then, traditional dances and songs began to resound in rhythm. Elder Hanh proudly said: “I have opened two classes (14 members) to teach my children and the younger generation traditional dances and songs, including the melodies of Ca Loi, Cha Chap, and Ba Boi. I teach them how to dance, play gongs and drums, and blow horns. I also teach them how to preserve the language, writing, costumes, and unique decorative patterns of our people, in order to serve traditional festivals such as the New Rice Festival and the Buffalo Sacrifice Festival…”

Elder Ho Van Hanh is known as a "living treasure" in the vast forest, a folk culture artisan, and was awarded the title of "Outstanding Artisan" by the President of Vietnam in 2019. Despite his advanced age, the elder's agility and quickness are no less than that of middle-aged people. His feet move nimbly, his voice is deep, warm, and passionate. For many years, he has tirelessly passed on the unique cultural values ​​of his people to the younger generations in his village, commune, and other localities along the Truong Son mountain range.

In the flow of modern times, village elders, artisans, shamans, gong players, and flute makers are "living treasures." They not only preserve memories but also serve as a bridge between the past and the present. What is particularly valuable is that many of them do not keep their culture to themselves, but are willing to teach, share, and adapt so that the culture can continue to thrive in the new era.

Text and photos: NGUYEN CONG HAU

Source: https://nhandan.vn/nhung-nguoi-giu-lua-van-hoa-giua-nui-rung-a-luoi-post937755.html