After more than 60 years of pursuing his passion for gongs, artisan Ho Song Hao (74 years old), in Xom Moi village, Vinh O commune, Vinh Linh district, has not only mastered the skills and used them skillfully, but has also actively participated in teaching, preserving and promoting the cultural heritage of gongs of the nation. Thanks to his guidance and mentorship, many young generations in the mountainous areas of the West of Vinh Linh district have learned to use gongs skillfully and spread their passion for musical instruments and musical instruments of their nation.
A performance by the Gong Performance Team of Vinh O commune participating in the announcement ceremony of Vinh Khe commune, Vinh Linh district meeting new rural standards in 2023 - Photo: NB
Childhood was infatuated with gong rhythms
For generations, in the cultural and spiritual life of the Van Kieu and Pa Ko people in the Truong Son mountains, gongs are not only musical instruments but also considered "gods of the village", symbols of wealth in each family and the power of each village. The melodies and rhythms of gongs are like a supernatural language of communication between humans and the spiritual world. The echoes of gongs convey the feelings and prayers for a full, prosperous, peaceful and happy life of humans to the spiritual world.
Born and raised in the mountainous area of Vinh O commune, since childhood, Mr. Hao often saw people in his village using gongs during Tet, festivals, and happy occasions. The melodies of gongs have fascinated him since childhood and from then on his passion for traditional musical instruments and instruments grew. Every time the village or commune held a festival, Mr. Hao followed the gong performance team to watch and learn.
At that time, because he was still young, Mr. Hao was not allowed to use gongs, but because he was so passionate, he had to use tools such as wooden boards and corrugated iron to simulate the shape of the instrument and practiced enthusiastically by himself.
Being an intelligent, quick-witted person, with a talent and passion for music and traditional musical instruments, after only a few years of practicing alone, Mr. Hao was able to perform almost exactly the same tunes and rhythms that the artists often performed. It was not until he was 13 or 14 years old that he officially followed the elders in the village to learn how to play gongs and inherit the skills passed down from his fathers.
Artisan Ho Song Hao (right) shares gong playing techniques with his younger brother Ho Van Binh - Photo: NB
In 1969, Mr. Hao was sent to study at the teacher training college in Dong Trieu, Quang Ninh province, so he temporarily put aside his passion for gong research. In 1972, Mr. Hao was assigned to Huong Lap, Huong Hoa district to teach primary school. Here, he actively practiced and researched the good and new features in the use of gongs.
“My father passed away early, in 1979, my mother was seriously ill, my siblings were still too young so I decided to quit teaching to help the family. Returning to my hometown, I was elected as village chief, police officer and in 1998 I became a judicial officer of the commune. In 2014, I retired under the regime. Since leaving Huong Lap commune to return to my hometown, I have been more passionate about learning, having the opportunity to study more thoroughly the melodies, rhythms, and gong skills passed down from my fathers. Since I was a child, I have considered gongs as a part of life and will strive to help the younger generations to follow me preserve the gong rhythm for the future,” artisan Ho Song Hao shared.
For decades, artisan Ho Song Hao has always participated in gong, cymbal, and drum performances on happy and sad days in the village and commune. He is happy that the younger generation does not let traditional culture, musical instruments, and musical instruments gradually fade away. And that has motivated him to make more efforts in teaching the skills of using gongs to the younger generation in the commune and region.
Let the gong sound forever
Originally a teacher, Mr. Hao flexibly applied his pedagogical skills in compiling "lesson plans" for teaching gongs and carefully consulted and discussed with the Party Committee and government of Vinh O commune in preserving and promoting traditional musical instruments of the nation.
Thanks to that, the Vinh O Commune Gong Performance Team was established under the direction, management and operation of the Commune People's Committee for many years now. Currently, the team has about 30 members, with specific assignments for each person to use drums, gongs, cymbals, and dance teams. Artisan Ho Song Hao is an important person in the Vinh O Commune Gong Performance Team.
The first thing he wants to tell the team members and the people, especially the young people, is to respect the "god of the village". Accordingly, before bringing the gongs out for long-term practice, performing, serving festivals, funerals, and weddings, one must comply with the gong worship regulations. The offerings are only chickens and bottles of wine, but they must be neat, solemn, and respectful. When the gongs are no longer played, the homeowner or village elder, and the team members are assigned the task of bringing the gongs to hang in the most solemn place in the house. And that beauty has always been accepted and practiced by the younger generation for many years.
Artisan Ho Song Hao (left) passionately performs gongs - Photo: NB
Gongs have many songs and rhythms that vary depending on the context of use, but generally, on festivals, the rhythm is joyful and happy; on worshiping occasions, the rhythm is solemn and respectful. Most young people just like to play gongs spontaneously, without following any rules, and this way of using them is only suitable for joyful festivals.
From that reality, Mr. Hao has “compiled” many flexible lessons, suitable for the purpose so that young people can use the gong songs and rhythms proficiently, and know how to use them correctly to promote traditional cultural values. “To teach young people to play gongs proficiently, we must first arouse their passion for gongs. From there, the children will be enthusiastic and actively participate.
Gong songs have truly awakened the spirit and pride of traditional national culture in many people, especially young people. For many years now, the rhythm of gongs combined with dances has attracted more and more participants and increased the sense of community and solidarity in villages and residential areas. That makes me strive even harder to teach all the skills in using gongs to the younger generation, so that tomorrow the sound of gongs will echo forever in the majestic Truong Son range," Mr. Hao shared.
Over the years, artisan Ho Song Hao has not only taught the use and beauty of gong culture to members of the Vinh O Commune Gong Performance Team and the people in the village, commune, and his children, siblings, and clans, but has also traveled to villages and hamlets in Vinh Ha and Vinh Khe communes (Vinh Linh district) with the desire to preserve and spread the gong culture left by his ancestors.
With this enthusiasm, in the future, the image of young men, women, the elderly, and children in all the mountainous villages in Western Quang Tri holding hands and singing to the rhythm of the gongs, welcoming the bumper crops, welcoming the renewal and prosperity of their homeland will no longer be rare...
Nhon Four
Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/giu-nhip-cong-chieng-giua-dai-ngan-190730.htm
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