FPT University students do media project about Central Highlands gongs

It is no coincidence that a group of 4 final year students majoring in Multimedia Management (FPT University Ho Chi Minh City) including: Trao Nhat Hang, Luu Vuong Khanh Ha, Luong Nhat Thi and Cao Hoang Anh chose the Central Highlands gong cultural space as their graduation project. Because the group has 2 members who are children of Gia Lai - the locality that preserves the largest number of gongs among the 5 Central Highlands provinces.

Group of 4 students from FPT University carried out the project "Gong coordinates" (photo provided by character)

Representing the project team, female student Trao Nhat Hang said: “As a native of Gia Lai, I am always proud of the world-recognized gong heritage. The more I learn, the more I am fascinated by the value and beauty of gong culture, so I convinced the team to start working on it.

This is a media project focusing on promoting the Central Highlands gong cultural space through digital technology and creative arts, thereby attracting the attention and interest of young people.

“To love, one must understand” is the motto of the student group when implementing the project “Gong Coordinates”. In phase 1, the group focused on the story of preserving and maintaining the heritage value of the Central Highlands gong. With the permission of researcher Bui Trong Hien (Vietnam National Institute of Culture and Arts), the group compiled 40 ancient gong songs that he and his colleagues had collected over many years, spread across 5 provinces of the Central Highlands to widely release on the official website of the project “Gong Coordinates” and on many other social networking platforms.

Student Trao Nhat Hang (left cover) introduces the communication project at the event of FPT University, Ho Chi Minh City. (photo provided by character)

“40 ancient gong melodies with sounds that were thought to have been lost, have been digitized so that everyone can listen, feel and experience them in the most authentic way on a digital platform.

Each gong sound carries within it a story, a memory of the great Central Highlands. Hopefully, those beautiful melodies will touch the hearts of young people, be a source of inspiration for musicians, producers to exploit and create different arrangements using the sounds and images of gongs. From there, add vitality to gong music" - Hang shared.

The group of students also used 3D models of gongs based on the sets of gongs on display at the Gia Lai and Dak Lak Provincial Museums and through press and document sources. Thereby, helping people have a more specific and general view of the shape, meaning of each set of gongs and the unique sound of each type.

The project team also made field trips to villages in Gia Lai to meet gong master Puih Dup, Meritorious Artisan Ro Cham Tih (a master craftsman of traditional musical instruments who has contributed to bringing Jrai culture and music to the world), and young artist Rcom Bus (who is considered the Tarzan of the Central Highlands).

From the experiences of those who have contributed to cultural preservation and inspiration in this community, the group has a deeper understanding of the story of transmitting, preserving and promoting the value of heritage today. On that basis, information and materials are filtered for the content of the communication project.

Gongs are introduced at the annual musical instrument exhibition of FPT University - an activity in the project "Gong Coordinates" (photo provided by character)

Hang excitedly shared: The group's project has reached a large number of young people at two major events: "Cung dan dat nuoc" - a series of annual musical instrument exhibitions of FPT University and "FPTU Experience Day" - welcoming 4,500 students from high schools in Ho Chi Minh City and neighboring provinces to FPT University to experience the real learning environment.

These are big events, gathering many people, and are an opportunity for the group to widely introduce the products made in the project so that everyone can access the Central Highlands gong cultural space through sound, images as well as traditional costumes and gong performance art.

In the near future, the group will continue to introduce gongs in the heritage music night Gong Night at the Creative Park (Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City). From the deep mountains and forests, gongs will resonate in the heart of the city named after Uncle Ho, reaching young people with the intersection of ancient gong beats and modern remixes.

“Gongs not only have significance in the cultural life of the ethnic minority communities in the Central Highlands but also contribute to enriching the cultural identity of the Vietnamese people. It is also a source of pride for any Vietnamese person when going abroad.

The group hopes that the project "Gong Coordinates" will bring the Central Highlands gong cultural space closer to young people and people across the country in general, so that each person can become a factor in joining hands to preserve this cultural heritage" - Hang expressed.

With the new approach and perspective of Gen Z, the promotion of the value of Central Highlands gongs has become more attractive and appealing, especially reaching the younger generation. Researcher Bui Trong Hien highly appreciated the students’ love for heritage.

He said: The space of gong culture in the Central Highlands is a massive art form but also very popular and simple. Preservation and promotion is no longer the private story of the heritage owner but increasingly attracts the attention of many people, including young people still in school. This is very precious!

Source: https://baodaknong.vn/sinh-vien-dai-hoc-fpt-lam-du-an-truyen-thong-ve-cong-chieng-tay-nguyen-247839.html