The elderly couple keep the gong rhythm in Bu Sop village.

The sound of the gongs has accompanied Mr. M'Bray and Mrs. Thi Bai from their childhood to their old age. For more than half their lives, this couple in Bu Sop village (Quang Truc district) has continued to keep the rhythm of the gongs together during every festival and joyous occasion in their village, with an enduring love for their ethnic culture.

Ms. Thi Bai and Mr. M'Bray (standing second and third from the left) practice with the gong team before participating in the performance.

The bond between husband and wife is deeply rooted in the rhythm of the village gongs.

Whenever the Bu Sop village has a festival, wedding, or local celebration, the people are familiar with the sight of Mr. M'Bray and Mrs. Thi Bai appearing together with the gong ensemble. Amidst the deep, resonant sounds of the vast forest, he strikes powerful rhythms, while she joins in with soft, rhythmic tones. The engrossed demeanor of the elderly couple with the gong ensemble makes many people feel the special love they have for their ethnic group's gongs.

Mr. M'Bray was born in 1953, and Mrs. Thi Bai was born in 1957. Both grew up in the gong culture of the M'nong people in Bu Sop village. From a young age, the sound of gongs was present in their daily lives, from the New Rice Festival and the Health Prayer Ceremony to the evening gatherings around the campfire.

Ms. Thi Bai recounts that she learned to play the gong at the age of 15. At that time, she watched the adults in the village practice out of curiosity, and then learned to follow along with the rhythm. Initially, it was just a hobby for a young girl in the village, but the more she became involved, the more she fell in love with the sound of the gongs without even realizing it. Mr. M'Bray learned to play the gong even earlier than his wife. From his teenage years, he followed the village elders to play the gongs in the village festivals and gradually became proficient.

In the old days, marriages were usually arranged by the elders in the family. My grandparents came together through this matchmaking. But what made their married life even stronger was their shared passion for gongs. After getting married, that love grew even more as they joined the village's gong ensemble during every festival.

"When we were young, whenever we heard about a festival somewhere, my husband and I would go together. Sometimes we'd be out from morning till night and still have fun," Mrs. Thi Bai recalled with a gentle smile.

Many people in the village jokingly say that celebrations without the gongs played by Mr. M'Bray and Mrs. Thi Bai feel like they're missing the familiar atmosphere of the village.

Keep the sound of the gongs echoing forever in the vast forest.

As the years passed, the elderly couple's hair turned gray, but their passion for gongs remained as strong as ever. For Mr. M'Bray and Mrs. Thi Bai, the sound of the gongs was not just a hobby, but an indispensable part of their spiritual life.

Whenever the local community organizes a festival or welcomes visitors, the couple enthusiastically participates. Even when tired, if they hear the villagers need someone to play the gongs, they prepare their costumes and arrive early together. For them, as long as they can hold the gongs and join in the traditional dance, they feel healthy and happy.

Ms. Thi Dan, a member of the gong team of Bu Sop village, said that Mr. and Mrs. M'Bray are very passionate about gongs and are always enthusiastic in activities to preserve traditional culture in the locality. Whenever the village or locality needs to perform, welcome guests, or participate in festivals, they are always there.

"Having been with the gong ensemble for many years, everyone respects the elderly couple. Despite their age, they remain very enthusiastic, hoping that the sound of the gongs will be passed down to future generations," shared Mrs. Thi Dan.

In their small house in Bu Sop village, the sound of gongs sometimes still echoes on peaceful afternoons. No stage or large crowd is needed; the familiar rhythm of the gongs is enough to bring back youthful memories for the elderly couple. Mr. M'Bray says that in the past, every young person in the village knew how to play the gongs and perform the xoang dance. Now, life has changed, and the younger generation has many other interests, so fewer people are still involved with gong music. This often makes the couple ponder.

Amidst the hustle and bustle of modern life in the highlands, the image of the elderly couple quietly accompanying the gongs through the festival seasons touches many hearts. Without fanfare or grandeur, Mr. M'Bray and Mrs. Thi Bai are contributing to keeping the sound of the village's gongs echoing through the mountains.

Source: https://baolamdong.vn/vo-chong-gia-giu-nhip-chieng-noi-bon-bu-sop-444037.html