The sound of the jungle

Since ancient times, the sound of gongs has become familiar to the residents of the Central Highlands. Carrying within them the crystallization of cultural values, the sound of gongs has created the identity of the land and people here. Through the inheritance, development and preservation of many generations, the Central Highlands gongs always resonate, representing the characteristic sound of the great forest.

Artist A Thu with the traditional musical instruments of the Xo Dang ethnic group.

The sound of gongs from the gong team of Dak Tram commune, Dak To district, Kon Tum province, urges listeners to come to the unique culture of the Central Highlands. The yard of artisan A Thu, Dak Ro Gia village, Dak Tram commune, suddenly became bustling, with many people coming to practice and enjoy gongs. Those who gathered here were all passionate about the melody and sound of gongs, which have been the pride of the ethnic minorities of the Central Highlands for generations. Mastering the special performances, such as the harvest festival, welcoming guests... helped Dak Tram commune excellently win first prize in the Cultural Festival of Ethnic Groups of Dak To district.

Artisan A Thu talked about how, since ancient times, the sound of gongs and cymbals has been present in the life of the Xo Dang people. The sound of gongs and cymbals has been associated with each Xo Dang child since birth, adulthood and even death. Thanks to the sound of gongs, the sound of chasing away birds and animals to protect crops and fields. Thanks to that, people have enough to eat, live and develop on this land. In festivals, gongs and cymbals are sacred objects, communication tools between people and Yang; a spiritual support for people to entrust to Yang for a prosperous and healthy life.

According to artisan A Thu, the Xo Dang gong set consists of 13 parts (8 gongs, 3 drums, 1 drum and 1 cymbal). Each part creates different sounds, so the player must feel them themselves to be able to control them as desired. The Xo Dang breathe life into the gongs, creating melodies that are closely related to their daily lives.

Gong songs, such as celebrating the new rice, building water troughs, celebrating the communal house… are deeply imprinted in the memory of every Xo Dang person. The scene of the flickering fire next to the communal house, mixed with the sound of gongs, gongs and traditional xoang dance is a beautiful image, always mentioned by the Xo Dang people whenever they introduce their culture.

Seeing that everyone was present, artisan A Thu slowly stood up, distributed the gongs and cymbals to everyone and began practicing. As a gong teacher in Dak Tram commune, artisan A Thu both struck rhythmic sounds for the listeners to feel and kindly explained the rhythm of each part of the gong and cymbals to the students in the commune.

The melodies in the gong songs of the Xo Dang people also have their own unique characteristics. According to artisan A Thu, gong songs of other ethnic groups often focus on fast, vibrant, majestic rhythms along with high improvisation, leaving a strong impression on the audience. The gong songs of the Xo Dang people, on the contrary, mostly have gentle, slow melodies and rhythms that attract listeners.

It has been more than 10 years since the first gong team of the commune was established. Up to now, the whole Dak Tram commune has 3 gong teams. The teams are divided by age, children's team, youth team and middle-aged team. However, regardless of age, every Xo Dang person shows passion and pride for gongs. It seems that for them, "gong quality" is in their blood from birth.

After hours of hard work, when the sun sets, the gong classes at artisan A Thu's house are bustling with people coming and going. They come here not only to listen and enjoy, but each person wants to hone and practice their skills in order to become the best gong player.

With its unique features and distinct values, gongs have existed and are inseparable from the daily life of the Xo Dang community in Kon Tum. As an intangible masterpiece of humanity recognized by UNESCO, gong art bears the mark and vitality of the ethnic minorities of the Central Highlands in general and the Xo Dang in particular.

The fire was burning brightly in the middle of the forest, the sound of gongs and cymbals from artisan A Thu's house still resounded, spreading far to the villages in Dak Tram.

Source: https://baodaknong.vn/thanh-am-cua-dai-ngan-237303.html