Tu Vu commune is known as the “capital” of the Muong ethnic group in Thanh Thuy district with a population of over 70%. In order to preserve and promote the cultural values of their ancestors that are gradually fading away in modern life, many generations of dedicated artisans have returned to the original lands of the Muong people to restore traditional art forms, including gongs, locally and teach them to the next generation.
In Muong culture, gongs are played mainly by women.
Gongs are musical instruments with important cultural values in the community life of the Muong ethnic group. Gongs participate in all activities of the Muong people's life from birth until they return to their motherland. Therefore, the Muong people consider gongs as treasures in their homes and preserve them for many generations.
Artisan Dinh Van Chien (Zone 18, Tu Vu Commune) is 57 years old this year and has 17 years of experience in researching, restoring and spreading the love of Muong culture, including gongs. In his memory from many years ago, Mr. Chien was carried on his mother's back by his grandmother to participate in the village festival, listening to the melodies of Vi singing, Rang singing, gongs... so from an early age, the soul of that young man was imbued with the rich colors of the traditional culture of his ancestors. In 2007, Mr. Chien returned to the homeland of the Muong people, Hoa Binh, Ninh Binh, Lang Son... to collect gong melodies, Vi singing, Rang singing, Dum singing, Bo Menh (talking), lullabies, Dam Duong...
Introducing the gongs of the Muong people to visitors from afar, artisan Dinh Van Chien enthusiastically said: “A set of gongs of the Muong people has 12 pieces, divided into 3 sets including Tle gong, Bong gong and Dam gong. The Muong people have 24 festivals using gongs such as housewarming, wedding, going to the fields festival... Unlike the ethnic groups in the Central Highlands, where the gong players are men, the Muong people, who play gongs, are mainly women.”
The charming smile of a woman in the festival melodies
A set of gongs has 12 pieces. The number 12 represents the 12 months of the year with the convergence of the sounds and colors of the 4 seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter. Tlé gongs (poong, lap, chot) include gongs number 1 to number 4, which produce the highest pitch in the set. Bong gongs (Bong Ben) are gongs number 5 to number 8, which are medium in size and pitch. Dam gongs (Kham) are gongs number 9 to 12, which are the largest in size and have the lowest pitch. |
In the cultural activities of the Muong people such as: Singing Sac Bua, weddings, hunting, hauling wood, building houses, funerals, new rice festival, when encountering wild animals... the Muong village is bustling with the sound of gongs urging. In spring, the Muong village often organizes gong troupes to visit families to wish them a happy new year, called Sac Bua. Each troupe usually has 15 to 30 people carrying gongs along with gifts such as rice, sticky rice, cakes, betel and areca nuts... to bless each house. When starting to go, the troupe plays the song "Going on the road", when arriving at a house, it plays the song "Chuc Phuc". At weddings, when welcoming the bride, the Tle type is used to make Dong gongs, when performing Rang Thuong (singing exchange between two families), the Dam type of gong is used with a gentle, deep tone. The gongs help to set the rhythm, encourage the voices when exchanging, creating a joyful atmosphere. During funerals, the family will play three consecutive gongs to signal to the people...
The shape of the gong of the Muong ethnic group
Because of the importance of gongs in Muong culture, in 2018, artisan Dinh Van Chien initiated a movement to restore the gong performance and was widely supported by people in Tu Vu commune. Currently, 50 members of the Muong cultural heritage preservation club founded by Mr. Chien still meet regularly on weekend evenings, with the youngest member of the club born in 2010.
According to statistics, Tu Vu commune still preserves about a dozen sets of gongs, gongs, 5 stilt houses and 40 traditional costumes. Most of them were purchased by people with their own money, showing that awareness of preserving traditional culture is gradually improving. In particular, the Project to inventory, collect, preserve and promote the cultural identity of the Muong ethnic group in the period of 2020-2025 with a vision to 2030 with a budget of over 8.6 billion VND built by Tu Vu commune has supported the people on the journey of preserving their ancestral culture in modern life.
Up to now, a number of projects and works have taken shape such as the Muong ethnic cultural tradition exhibition house in the commune center, expanding clubs and art troupes performing Muong ethnic culture, purchasing 13 more sets of gongs, opening training classes, and teaching Muong culture...
Comrade Khuat Dinh Quan - cultural officer of Tu Vu commune said: "Through the implementation of the project, we have mobilized resources from the whole society to participate in preserving, conserving and promoting the cultural heritage values of the Muong ethnic group in the area. From there, we have created a strong change in awareness and protection consciousness, multiplying it into a widespread, regular and continuous movement in the cultural and spiritual life of the people, especially the young generation".
Despite many ups and downs and events, the traditional cultural heritage of the Muong people, including gong melodies, will still live forever in the minds of the people.
Thuy Trang
Source: https://baophutho.vn/giu-dieu-cong-chieng-221334.htm
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