Igniting the flame of culture through traditional rice cooking.

The S'tieng people are one of the ethnic minorities who have lived for a long time in the Truong Son - Central Highlands and Southeast regions of Vietnam, possessing a rich cultural heritage with a unique identity. Dong Nai province is considered an important residential area for the S'tieng people, serving as a "cradle" for preserving their precious traditional values.

Artisan Điểu Sroi and Mrs. Thị Ố perform gong music and teach the children how to play it.

Amidst the hustle and bustle of modern life, in Hamlet 6, Tho Son Commune, Dong Nai Province, the family of artisan Dieu Sroi has become a beautiful symbol of love for heritage. For them, preserving national identity is not something distant, but rather cherishing every sound of the musical instrument, every thread, and every way of life of their ancestors right under their own roof, while simultaneously setting an example in economic development and enriching their homeland.

"Keeping the flame alive" for traditional musical instruments.

Village 6 in Tho Son commune lies peacefully, with approximately 90% of its population being S'tieng people. Amidst the lush green rubber and cashew plantations, the house of Mr. Dieu Sroi always resonates with unique sounds: the gentle strains of the gourd-shaped horn, the melodious notes of the chapi instrument, and the resonant gongs played by Mr. Sroi and his wife along with their grandchildren.

Mr. Sroi, a man with rough but skillful hands, always cherishes the precious artifacts of his ethnic group. Not only is he a skilled musician, but he also dedicates himself to searching for and collecting traditional folk instruments. He acquires these items, carefully nurtures them over many years, and displays them neatly on the walls of his house. Even more valuable, he personally crafts the traditional instruments he performs with, such as the gourd trumpet and the bamboo lute (chapi lute). For him, each time he completes an instrument, the voice of the ancestors comes alive again. Thanks to this thorough understanding, he was honored with a silver medal at the 2024 National Folk Performing Arts Competition of Ethnic Groups.

Artisan Dieu Sroi shared: “As a S'tieng person, I must preserve my traditional music and musical instruments. These are instruments I learned from my grandfather and grandparents. When I see that musical instruments are useful for preserving the way of life of my people, I must keep them. If any are broken, I repair or remake them myself. That's how I repay those who came before me and left this precious treasure for future generations. If I don't preserve them, the sound of the horns and stringed instruments will be lost, and the S'tieng people will lose their roots…”

The family of Mr. Dieu Sroi is a shining example of preserving the local ethnic cultural identity. They are very dedicated and have made many practical contributions to restoring and promoting traditional values. As a result, the People's Committee of the commune has implemented many programs and policies to support and spread the practices of Mr. Dieu Sroi's family to other households in the area.

Ms. ĐIỂU THỊ HẠNH, Vice Chairperson of the People's Committee of Thọ Sơn Commune

Threads of love and unity under one roof

Behind the success of artisan Điểu Sroi lies the silent understanding and support of his wife, Mrs. Thị Ố. She is very knowledgeable about musical instruments. She loves the sound of her husband's flute and reed pipe as much as she loves her own breath. She not only weaves brocade to meet her family's clothing needs or sews exquisite costumes for Mr. Sroi to perform in, but she has also transformed this traditional craft into a stable source of income. The vibrant brocade fabrics, bearing the brand of this artisan from Hamlet 6, Thọ Sơn Commune, travel far and wide with customers, becoming indispensable items for important occasions for the S'tiêng people, such as weddings and Tet (Lunar New Year). Depending on the complexity of the patterns requested by customers, the time it takes to complete a brocade fabric can vary, but on average, to produce a quality product, she has to work diligently at her loom for a whole month.

Ms. Thi O weaves brocade to meet her family's clothing needs and makes clothes for Mr. Dieu Sroi to wear during performances, turning this traditional craft into a stable source of income.

Ms. Thi O confided: “I learned weaving from my parents when I was young. Each pattern has its own meaning for the S'tieng people. I want to preserve this craft because it's our tradition; if we don't preserve it, it will gradually disappear. Seeing my husband's passion for music makes me very happy, so I personally weave and sew the most beautiful outfits for him to wear to performances. Besides that, I also weave to sell to people who love brocade. The income from weaving helps our family have some extra money. My husband and I share the same thought: we must find a way to ensure that the music and colors of our ethnic group do not disappear.”

Besides crafting musical instruments, artisan Điểu Sroi also makes crossbows. In the memories of the ancient S'tiêng people, the crossbow was an indispensable tool for self-protection and for finding food to feed the family. To make a good crossbow, from its rebound to its spring force, Mr. Sroi has to search for sturdy wood, meticulously carving the bow and arrow for a week, sometimes even a month. His perseverance in making crossbows is not for hunting, but to preserve a part of history, so that future generations can understand the difficult yet resilient lives of their ancestors.

Mr. Dieu Sroi makes crossbows; this is the process of whittling arrowheads from bamboo.

Not stopping there, Mr. Sroi also demonstrated his business acumen. He and his wife diligently improved the land and invested in planting high-value crops such as durian and coffee. Thanks to their hard work in learning new techniques, their orchards consistently yielded stable productivity, becoming a model example in the village.

The vibrant cultural life within the family of artisan Điểu Sroi has become a source of inspiration spreading throughout the rural area of ​​Thọ Sơn commune. The story of this artisan couple shows that cultural preservation begins with small but persistent actions within each family. Their contributions have been recognized by the local government and are considered a core element in promoting the movement to build cultural life at the grassroots level.

Every day, the rhythmic sound of Mr. Sroi's gourd trumpet blends with the weaving rhythm of Mrs. Thi O in their small house in the rural area of ​​Tho Son. In that peaceful space, culture is not far away but always present, vibrant and fresh in the hearts that cherish old values. People like Mr. Deu Sroi and Mrs. Thi O are quietly writing new chapters for the S'tieng identity, so that the flame of their ancestors' culture will forever burn brightly from within their humble homes.

Thu Ha

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/dong-nai-cuoi-tuan/202604/thap-sang-ngon-lua-van-hoa-tu-nep-nha-98b2ca2/