The "storyteller" with the Hre gong

Through three rounds of conferring the title of People's Artisan and Meritorious Artisan in Quang Ngai, I am most impressed with artisan Pham Van Say, a Hre ethnic group in Teng village, Ba Thanh commune, Ba To district. Although he has just turned 42 this year, Pham Van Say has spent at least 27 years dedicated to preserving and maintaining the cultural colors of the Hre ethnic group in Teng village. The Co Lao ethnic group is one of the few ethnic minorities living at the foot of the Tay Con Linh range, in Tung San commune, Hoang Su Phi district (Ha Giang), who still preserve the traditional brocade embroidery craft. Through the skillful hands of Co Lao women, products with rich colors and patterns have been created, containing many traditional cultural values. Below are some pictures of Co Lao women maintaining the brocade weaving craft. 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Meritorious Artisan Pham Van Say with the Hre gong

At the age of 15, Pham Van Say often followed his father to participate in cultural festivals of the Hre people in Teng village. At the age of 20, Say began to practice playing the gongs of the Hre people under his father's guidance. During those years, Say was so passionate about the sound of gongs that every afternoon, when the chickens were in the coop, he would invite his friends to practice playing gongs and the chinh kala - a musical instrument made by the Hre people to replace the sound of gongs. Whenever the locality held a festival to pray for rain or worship the gods of rivers and streams, Say would participate.

Not only mastering the art of gong performance, he also has a deep understanding of Hre folk melodies, and knows how to make and restore many traditional musical instruments such as the ching kala and the brook. Thanks to his ingenuity and dedication, he has contributed to restoring and preserving the unique cultural features of the Hre people from the risk of being lost.

Meritorious Artisan Pham Van Say introduces the three-string gong of the Hre people.

Not only preserving culture, Pham Van Say also actively introduces Hre culture to the community. In the gong, brook and folk song competitions in the district, Say is always present. He regularly participates in cultural festivals at provincial and national levels, bringing with him the sound of gongs, brooks and unique Hre folk songs. Every time he performs, he recounts the origin and meaning of each song and each gong beat, helping listeners understand more about the spiritual and cultural life of the Hre people. Therefore, the gong performances and folk songs of Teng village when competing in the district and province every year win first and second prizes.

Mr. Dinh Ngoc Vy, Secretary of Ba To District Party Committee, always encouraged Teng Village Art Troupe and Pham Van Say personally during their participation in festival performances. Not only performing, Pham Van Say also went with Teng Village youth to exchange gong performances in communes inside and outside the district. Those trips helped Say learn many useful things.

Pham Van Say and other artisans in the village learn how to make the T'rung instrument.

In addition to being good at playing gongs, Pham Van Say also sought out village elders and prestigious people in the village to learn Hre folk songs. At first, he did not sing correctly or well, but thanks to persistent practice, Say gradually sang correctly and better. In 2022, Pham Van Say was honored to be awarded the title of Meritorious Artisan by the State. On the day he received the title, the whole Teng village was excited and proud because the homeland had another son recognized for his talent and contributions.

Pham Van Say shared: "Thanks to the title of Meritorious Artisan, in recent years, I have always been invited by the District Department of Culture and Information to teach gongs and practice singing Taleu folk songs and Hre singing for young people in villages and hamlets." In 2024, Meritorious Artisan Pham Van Say participated in teaching 5 classes, each class had from 35 to 40 students. "I am happy to have more than 150 students studying each year!", Say could not hide his joy when talking to us.

Teng village gong team

Not only in Teng village, the reputation of Meritorious Artisan Pham Van Say has spread further. Tourist groups and cultural researchers coming to Teng village all wish to meet him, listen to his performances and tell stories about Hre culture. Artisan Pham Van Say has also been invited to participate in cultural exchange programs inside and outside the province, bringing the sound of gongs and Hre songs further, helping friends of other ethnic groups understand and love Hre culture more.

With his passion and intense love for the national culture, Meritorious Artisan Pham Van Say is not only the keeper of the soul of the Hre culture but also a bridge to help the Hre culture spread and survive. In Teng village, the sound of gongs and brooks still resound during festivals, as a reminder of the origin and national identity that generations of ancestors have worked hard to cultivate and preserve.

Meritorious Artisan Pham Van Say introduces tourists to how to play the Hre gong.

Time Hyphen in Bui Hui Valley

Source: https://baodantoc.vn/nguoi-ke-chuyen-bang-tieng-chieng-hre-1742470768971.htm