Go to Tay Ninh to see drum dance

Tay Ninh land has many unique intangible cultural heritages, including Chhay-dam drum dance - a folk art form of the Khmer people in Truong Tay commune, Hoa Thanh town.

Chhay-dam drum dance is closely associated with the traditional culture of the Khmer people, the largest ethnic group among the 21 ethnic groups residing in Tay Ninh province. According to recorded documents, Chhay-dam drum dance in this land has its own characteristics, different from some provinces in the South. Around 1953, the late Cambodian prince Norodom Sihanouk (1922-2012) presented the Tay Ninh Holy See with a set of Khmer musical instruments, including 3 Chhay-dam drums.

Drums were originally used only to beat the rhythm for worshiping ceremonies at the shrine, but later on, drum dancing was gradually combined with dragon and horse dancing and unicorn dancing. Many households in Truong Tay commune and other communes in Hoa Thanh town knew how to dance Chhay-dam drums, including Ms. Cao Thi Thu Loan (born in 1983), who is now the successor of a family of many generations who has "kept the fire" of passion for drum dancing and passed it on to children.

In addition, Mr. Tran Van Xen (born in 1957) in Long Tan hamlet, Long Thanh Bac commune, Hoa Thanh town was recognized as "Meritorious Artist" in the folk art performance genre (Chhay-dam drum dance in the festival of Cao Dai Tay Ninh religion).

The number of Chhay-dam drums in Tay Ninh is increasingly equipped, the drum dance has also become richer, modified to be more suitable. Drum dance is performed on special occasions such as the traditional Chol Chnam Thmay New Year, the Sen Dolta ancestor worship ceremony...

Mr. Le Minh Tuan, a Chhay-dam drum dancer (Ms. Cao Thi Thu Loan's husband) said that he and his dance team often perform at tourist attractions in Tay Ninh or at famous Khmer pagodas. Mr. Tuan shared that the drum is made from an old areca trunk, hollowed out, the large head of the drum is covered with buffalo or dried python skin, the smaller tail of the drum is connected to a metal drum stand. The dance usually has from 4 to 6 Chhay-dam drums, two Cuol (gongs) along with Chul (cymbals) and Krap (seng drum).

Heritage Magazine