Ayun Pa Town Ethnic Boarding Secondary School preserves and promotes traditional cultural identity

Mr. Rah Lan Very (Team Leader) instructs students how to play gongs. Photo: NH

In the first days of the At Ty spring, the sound of gongs performed by students of the town's Ethnic Boarding Secondary School echoed throughout the 19-3 Square, making viewers unable to take their eyes off. In traditional brocade costumes, the students confidently performed gong music skillfully with all their passion and pride in their national culture.

Behind that performance was the happy smile of Mr. Rah Lan Very - Team Leader. Instructing his students to practice, Mr. Very did not forget to encourage them to learn to play the gong with their own feelings from their hearts, to let their souls follow each beat of the gong, not just to strike the gong in a simple, mechanical way.

For over two years, every Friday afternoon, Mr. Very has been diligently teaching gongs to his students. Starting with the simplest notes, he guides them gradually to familiarize themselves with difficult gong pieces and practice performing in front of a crowd.

According to Mr. Very, the biggest advantage for the students is that they study in a boarding environment, with plenty of time to practice together. Along with that, because they were born and raised in the village, the sound of gongs seems to have permeated them from a young age, just waiting for the opportunity to shine.

“Many students have good musical ability and love gongs, so in just a short time they can perform like a real artist. However, there are also cases where I have to be patient and persistent in teaching them with the hope that when they graduate, they will all be confident in performing with the cultural heritage of the nation,” Mr. Very confided.

The gong practice movement at Ayun Pa Town Boarding Ethnic Secondary School started at the end of 2022. With the desire to arouse pride as well as awareness of preserving and promoting national cultural values ​​in each student, the school allocated 50 million VND to buy a set of improved gongs and coordinated with Gia Lai College to open a gong class for students.

Taught by artisans for 3 months, the school's gong team of 42 members (mainly 8th and 9th grade students) has mastered the techniques and roles of each gong, as well as the melody and rhythm of the gong song.

After the class ends, the school develops a plan for well-trained students to teach the remaining classes, with the Team Leader teacher in charge of general guidance.

In this way, the gong sound is taught through generations of students, without being lost. Currently, 150 students in the school all know how to perform gongs. They can confidently participate in gong performances whenever the village has a festival or at performances organized by all levels and sectors.

At the street gong performance program organized by the Town's Culture, Information and Sports Center in 2024, with the gong song "Celebrating the New Rice", the school's gong team attracted attention and received enthusiastic cheers from the audience. The young faces shone with pride, the small hands played the gong rhythm together. Many people and tourists did not hesitate to hold the hands of the students, immersing themselves in the graceful, rhythmic xoang dance, creating an extremely vibrant atmosphere.

Directly participating in the program, Rcom Phu (grade 8) expressed: “I am very happy to be part of the school's gong team. From not knowing how to play the gong, thanks to the guidance of teachers and seniors, I was able to perform many gong songs such as: Celebrating the new rice, Celebrating the victory, Stabbing the buffalo... Every time I have the opportunity to perform gongs at festivals and competitions organized by all levels, I feel very proud of the cultural traditions of my people”.

Ksor H'Rebeka (grade 6) confided: "At school, we participate in many useful activities, learn more about the unique culture and customs of our Jrai ethnic group as well as the Bahnar, Tay, and Nung ethnic groups. I feel very proud every time I wear traditional brocade costumes. It reminds me to be aware of preserving and promoting the beautiful cultural identity left by our ancestors."

6th grade students of Ayun Pa Town Ethnic Boarding Secondary School wear traditional costumes when going to class on the first Monday of the week. Photo: Vu Chi

Along with gong practice, the town's Ethnic Boarding Secondary School regularly organizes activities to experience traditional culture. For example, the spring festival displays brocade and woven products. At the festival, teachers and students together prepare traditional dishes such as: bamboo rice, grilled chicken, cassava leaves, banh tet, banh chung... The school also invested in buying brocade costumes for the 6th grade class to welcome them on the first day of school.

As a special school, the preservation and promotion of traditional cultural values ​​is always focused on by the Town Boarding Ethnic Secondary School. Ms. Mai Thi Hong Tam - Principal of the school - said: In addition to teaching and learning tasks, the school regularly organizes extracurricular activities, creating useful playgrounds for students to exchange, share, learn more about culture and perform gongs .

The school board hopes that cultural values ​​will contribute to nurturing and nurturing students’ souls; helping them not only understand, love but also appreciate cultural identity, and have a sense of national pride right from when they are still in school. Because preserving traditional culture in school is the fastest and most effective way to preserve and promote cultural values ​​in the community.

“The school also plans to make each student a traditional brocade costume to wear as a uniform on Mondays and holidays throughout the year. Many competitions and performances require the type of gong used. Therefore, the school wishes to be provided with an additional set of ancient gongs and be taught how to play this type of gong by an artisan,” Ms. Tam expressed her wish.

Source: https://gialai.gov.vn/tin-tuc/truong-thcs-dan-toc-noi-tru-thi-xa-ayun-pa-bao-ton-va-phat-huy-ban-sac-van-hoa-truyen-thong.81943.aspx