Ro Cham Kok loved the sound of gongs like flesh and blood.

(GLO)- Mr. Ro Cham Kok (born in 1983, Kep 2 village, Ia Ly commune, Gia Lai province) is praised by villagers for his skill in playing and tuning gongs. He loves the sound of gongs like his own flesh and blood.

Mr. Ro Cham Kok (right cover) and the village elders tune the gong together. Photo: Chu Hang

Talking to us, Mr. Kok confided: “Our grandparents passed down gongs to us, now we have the responsibility to teach our children and grandchildren to continue preserving them. As long as the children know how to play and love gongs, I am happy.”

Ro Cham Tim (Kep 2 village) started learning to play the gong more than 2 months ago. He was taught by artisan Kok very enthusiastically, showing him each beat and each sound. "Thanks to that, I feel closer to playing the gong and understand the traditional culture of my Jrai people better" - Tim excitedly said.

Mr. Kok and the elders in the village often sit together to adjust each gong to the right tone. The job seems simple but requires meticulousness and a delicate sense of sound.

“To adjust a gong, you have to rely on your ears. First, you have to test it to see if the gong is out of tune, then use a hammer to hit it, adjusting it little by little until the gong returns to its correct pitch. It takes us a whole day to adjust a set of gongs. There were days when I forgot to eat, just wanting to finish the job,” said Mr. Kok.

Mr. Kok actively participates in community tourism activities, bringing the gong sound closer to tourists. Whenever a group of visitors comes, he enthusiastically guides them on how to hold the gong, shows them each gong beat, and tells them about the meaning of each gong sound. "I want everyone who comes to the village to understand and appreciate the gong sound of the Jrai people," he shared.

Mr. Ro Cham Kok meticulously adjusts each gong. Photo: Chu Hang

Not only good at playing gongs, artisan Kok is also skillful in weaving and carving statues. He actively participates in holidays, events and activities to preserve traditional culture.

Mr. Ro Cham Sue - Head of Kep 2 village - commented: Mr. Ro Cham Kok actively participates in activities to preserve and promote gong heritage, and in local community tourism programs, he is always a pioneer in introducing and promoting Jrai cultural identity to tourists. Recently, he was awarded a certificate of merit by the Gia Lai Provincial Fatherland Front Committee for his outstanding achievements in patriotic emulation movements in the period 2020-2025.

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/ro-cham-kok-yeu-tieng-chieng-nhu-mau-thit-post571432.html