From intention to reality

Those who have spent enough time living in the Central Highlands will understand the process of cultural assimilation among the indigenous ethnic minority communities there...

Widening of the Central Highlands sinus ring

At academic forums such as scientific conferences and in-depth roundtable discussions among people outside the ethnic minority communities of the Central Highlands who deeply care about the traditional culture of the mountain dwellers, regarding the preservation and promotion of Central Highlands cultural values ​​in contemporary life, most opinions express concern about the transformation of Central Highlands cultural identity. Today, the musical identity of the Central Highlands only exists in the literal sense of the words. Gongs, ding nam, k'long put, t'rưng, ​​k'woa, goong lur... - traditional musical instruments of the ethnic minorities of the Central Highlands - have now been modified based on the pitches of the notes do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, si in Western music," a Central Highlands folklorist asserted.

According to this Central Highlands folklorist, the most important social function of traditional Central Highlands musical instruments is to invoke Yang (to ask Yang), followed by the derivative function of entertainment. Therefore, traditional Central Highlands musical instruments are strictly bound by polytheistic beliefs; people must invoke Yang to use them, and only use them when Yang permits. Traditional Central Highlands musical instruments are completely alien to the emphasis on individuality. Individuals must be "under the supervision" of the community, and conversely, the community has the responsibility to honor individual talent – ​​this is a unique characteristic of Central Highlands music. Another unique feature is that traditional musical instruments of the Central Highlands are always categorized by gender: t'rưng - for men, drums - for men, k'woa - for men, gongs - for men... "In the past, the t'rưng was an instrument for men. Now, the t'rưng is almost inextricably linked to the image of Central Highlands women. The drum is the same; previously it was an instrument for men, now women play the drum with the same power and authority as men," shared artisan Ka Hem (Lang Biang ward - Da Lat, Lam Dong province).

Meritorious Artisan K'Tếu (Di Linh commune, Lam Dong province) shared: “Once cultures interact, mutual influence is inevitable. Therefore, instead of passively ‘preserving the original forms of traditional Central Highlands culture,’ the ethnic minority communities of the Central Highlands should proactively enhance their inherent strength. The best approach is to adapt the good, the beautiful, and the unique aspects of communities outside the Central Highlands.” According to Meritorious Artisan K'Tếu, the reason why two opposing viewpoints have existed for so long – preserving the original forms of traditional Central Highlands culture and promoting the unique cultural values ​​of the Central Highlands – has yet to reach a consensus. Those who view it from the perspective of “promotion” believe that the traditional cultural values ​​of the Central Highlands are creating obstacles hindering the increase of the soft power of Central Highlands culture. In reality, this is a unified whole, not a separate entity: preservation is for promotion, and promotion is for preservation. "Staying connected to our roots while adapting new cultural values ​​is how young people in the Central Highlands introduce themselves to the world ," said designer K'Jona (Cam Ly ward - Da Lat, Lam Dong province) about her approach to preserving and promoting the cultural values ​​of the Central Highlands.

Source: https://baolamdong.vn/tu-y-muan-den-thuc-tai-387628.html