(GLO)- Compared to people over 100 years old who were recently celebrated by Ia Bang commune (Dak Doa district, Gia Lai province), artisan Dach (Prong Thoong village) stands out in many aspects. He used to be a village elder, has the talent to tell khan (hri) stories and especially has a good memory and good health. Around him are always stories sparkling with legendary colors.
Strong as an elephant
Prong Thoong villagers consider artisan Dach as a warrior from an epic because of his rare strength. Village chief Siu Lol said: When he was young, Mr. Dach was famous throughout the region for being “as strong as an elephant”. Unbelievable stories about him were passed down from word of mouth and spread far and wide throughout the region. He said: “In this region, there are two characters that have gone down in the history of the village, Mr. Mang is famous for being rich with many sets of gongs, bronze pots, elephants, and horses filling the stables. The second person is Mr. Dach, considered the strongest person in the region. Whenever villagers go to Duc Co, Chu Se, and Ayun Pa districts, they may not know him in Prong Thoong, but if they talk about Prong Mang, they will know that they come from Mr. Mang’s village. And if you ask about the strongest person in the sloping land (Thoong in Jrai means slope) at the foot of Ham Rong mountain range, it is definitely Mr. Dach”.
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In addition to storytelling, Mr. Dach is also skilled in traditional weaving and has a lot of indigenous knowledge. Photo: HN |
Village chief Siu Lol said that the story about Mr. Dach's extraordinary strength was completely grounded: "4 years ago, when Mr. Dach's son was working on a field near Kep stream, there was a large rock blocking the stream. The son tried all sorts of methods with crowbars and levers but could not lift the rock to bring water into the field. However, Mr. Dach used his bare hands to "uproot" the heavy rock to another place in front of the villagers. At that time, he was over a hundred years old. Since then, people have increasingly believed that the previous stories about him were true."
People still tell stories about hunting trips and witness Mr. Dach as a hero from a fairy tale. According to Village Chief Siu Lol, at that time, every household raised horses to gain strength to carry goods and move easily. Mr. Dach raised a herd of horses roaming freely in the forest and only tamed the leader to ride on hunting trips. On each hunting trip, the village often chose strong young men to ride the best horses. There were trips that took many days to return, the people and horses climbing the mountain were exhausted but Mr. Dach was still as strong as usual. Those who went with him said that he was ready to jump off the horse's back, run up the mountain to follow the tracks of wild animals as easily as people walking on flat land.
Asked about the secret to his health, Mr. Dach said: “The villagers rumored that I had a hidden medicine, but in fact it was a kind of “strong root” called “tơ nho”. This is a forest plant, the root is similar to turmeric but smaller, there are two types, yellow and purple, and it tastes spicy and bitter in the aftertaste. Eating this root makes people excited and work tirelessly. However, if you eat the “tơ nho” root and drink alcohol and do not work, it will affect the nerves, causing loss of control and anger. Eating “tơ nho” is like a double-edged sword, it can help you stay healthy but can also harm you. Only a few people know about this plant and its real effects. When I was young, I only ate it a few times because the “tơ nho” root has completely disappeared. I intentionally went into the forest to look for it but could not find it anymore.”
Mr. Dach also does not know whether the bamboo tuber has made him healthy until now or not, but it is the hard-working life, riding horses to the forest and fields that makes him strong and "all his senses are sharp" - as he said. Born in 1916, but compared to his younger brother Dun (born in 1920), Mr. Dach is much healthier. At the age of 107, he still goes through the forest to cut bamboo and rattan to weave baskets. Sometimes he travels dozens of kilometers to find trees with flexible trunks to make bases. One rainy afternoon, sitting and chatting in the stilt house overlooking the Ham Rong range, his hands quickly weave the basket, telling clearly many stories that happened more than half a century ago, making us surprised and admired.
Centennial Artist
Not only is he healthy, artisan Dach also has a special talent for reciting epics. On the stage of the Dak Doa District Ethnic Culture Festival (April 2023), his deep, resonant voice received thunderous applause from artisans from many villages and communes. Ms. Dinh Thi Lan, a civil servant of Dak Doa District's Department of Culture and Society, said: “Mr. Dach regularly participates in cultural events of the district and the province as a folk song reciter and singer. He is an artist full of personality and style. When reciting epics, he combines the movements of the characters in the old stories in a natural, rhythmic way, with a strong voice and always maintains a long breath. His performances always have a special appeal.”
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Over 100 years old, artisan Dach still retains his special epic singing voice and regularly participates in local cultural events. Photo: Minh Chau |
With a Bahnar father and a Jrai mother, understanding the languages and cultures of the two ethnic groups, artisan Dach can recite the khan in two languages. He recalls: “In the years before liberation, this area was all thatched houses, without electricity. Every night, people gathered in groups, lit fires for light and prepared jars of wine, then invited me to sing and recite epics. Wherever I went, people begged me to recite the khan for them. When the village had important matters to attend to, it was not difficult to gather everyone to reach a consensus.”
According to Siu Lol, artisan Dach is a symbol of the village because of his dedication and healthy lifestyle. “He is not only talented in art but also a treasure trove of knowledge for the village. There are many things that people do not know or do not know thoroughly, so they have to rely on him. People say that when an old person dies, it is like a library burning down, this is completely true for artisan Dach,” Siu Lol affirmed.
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