Opening of the gong and xoang competition of the Xo Dang people

11/28/2024 10:33

The 2nd Gong and Xoang Competition in 2024 at Tu Mo Rong.

(PLVN) - On the morning of November 28, at the Central Square of Tu Mo Rong district, the People's Committee of Tu Mo Rong district (Kon Tum) opened the 2nd Gong and Xoang Competition of the Xo Dang ethnic group in Tu Mo Rong district in 2024.

This year's gong competition is one of five events organized by Tu Mo Rong district to respond to the 5th Culture - Tourism Week and the 2nd Kon Tum Province Gong and Xoang Festival of Ethnic Minorities in 2024 as well as to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Tu Mo Rong district's establishment. The competition lasts 2 days (from November 28 to 29).

According to the Organizing Committee, this year's gong and xoang competition has 11 teams from 11 communes in the district. Each team has about 25 people or more, including many different ages. Each competition lasts no more than 35 minutes and includes 5 contents: introducing the traditional Xo Dang culture, presenting policies to preserve gongs, reenacting traditional rituals, performing gongs combined with xoang dance and adjusting gongs.

Mr. Pham Xuan Quang - Vice Chairman of Tu Mo Rong District People's Committee delivered the opening speech at the contest.

Mr. Vo Trung Manh, Chairman of Tu Mo Rong District People's Committee, said that in the district, the Xo Dang ethnic group accounts for 95% of the district's population, creating a unique and valuable cultural treasure. At the same time, the district identifies tourism as a strategic direction to help people escape poverty sustainably, and preserving the Xo Dang ethnic culture is a prerequisite for this development.

According to Mr. Manh, in recent years, many policies have been implemented such as donating gongs to villages, opening free classes to teach gong playing and tuning, including gongs in the curriculum, and organizing competitions to encourage cultural exchange. Thanks to that, from facing the risk of extinction, gong culture now has a young generation to inherit its talent, while also contributing to attracting tourists and bringing a stable source of income to the people.

According to Mr. Manh, the special point of the second contest is that in one team, there are many ages participating, from children to adults. They unite and enthusiastically perform gongs, xoang dances, and folk songs imbued with national identity. The contests focus on love for the homeland, love for the village; national pride; praising the development of the country. This is a positive sign, because Xo Dang culture has spread strongly in the community, proving that the cultural preservation policies implemented by the locality have brought positive results. In the coming time, the district will continue to focus resources on implementing solutions to promote the culture of the Xo Dang people, helping the unique culture in the revolutionary land to always be preserved and widely developed.

At the end of the competition, the Organizing Committee will conduct a scoring and award ceremony for outstanding categories, including awards for gong and xoang dance performances, awards for exquisite gong tuning, and awards to honor outstanding folk song performances. These awards not only recognize the talent and efforts of the teams but also contribute to strongly encouraging the spirit of preserving and promoting traditional cultural values.

Source: https://baophapluat.vn/khai-mac-hoi-thi-cong-chieng-xoang-dong-bao-xo-dang-post533197.html