For generations, double drums, three “Congs” and five “Chiengs” have been considered the soul in the cultural and spiritual life of ethnic minorities in the province in general and Dong Xuan district, Phu Yen Province in particular. In addition to storing musical instruments to contribute to preserve and promote this value, the artisans also constantly strive to teach the younger generation how to beat drums and gongs with correct rhythm, and preserve the traditional music.
Performance of double drums, three “Congs” and five “Chiengs” at the 11th Festival of Culture, Sports and Tourism of ethnic minorities in Phu Yen province
At the Cultural House of village 1, Da Loc commune, Dong Xuan district, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has just organized a training course to teach cultural officials, bureaucrats and children of the local Cham and Ba Na ethnic minorities the skills of performing double drums, three “Congs” and five “Chiengs”.
Mr Doan Van Tuoi is a drummer and gong artisan in village 1, Da Loc commune. Over the years, Elder Tuoi has persisted and actively mobilized his descendants and villagers to preserve and preserve the culture of double drums, three “Congs” and five “Chiengs”. Because it is the soul of the village and the treasure left by their ancestors. Despite his advanced age, because of the pain of keeping the drums and gongs for future generations, on this occasion, Elder Tuoi still enthusiastically taught his children to play the drums and gongs in the right song and rhythm.
Elder Tuoi shared: “Double drums, three “Congs” and five “Chiengs” are smooth combination of body movements and hands to create a series of improvised rhythms, sometimes scattered, sometimes rushed. The random melodies overlap, making listeners think of the murmuring melody of the stream, the flickering of fire and the pouring rain of the great thousand. Dancers of double drums can talk to each other through expressive symbols in drum sounds and dances. The five “Chiengs” keep the melodious, elegant, and distant reverberation; while three “Congs” play the role of a bass raft. Double drums, three “Congs” and five “Chiengs” blend into many different rhythms. When welcoming (welcoming guests), the rhythm is fast and fun; when communicating, it is quiet and calm; when seeing off guests, they bring a sad tone."
Although busy with farming, many young men in the village have arranged and gathered at the Cultural House of Village 1 to participate in training classes, listen to the instructions of the artisans, and beat the double drums, three “Congs” and five “Chiengs”. Thanks to the enthusiastic guidance of the artisans, the distant sound of gongs attracted a large number of people. This is an opportunity, a great source of encouragement, to encourage young people to trust and stick with traditional music. Elder Tuoi as well as the artisans could not hide their joy when young people in the commune were excited about learning double drums, three “Congs” and five “Chiengs” as well as performing this traditional art form in festivals.
According to Mr Nguyen Ngoc Thai, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the performing arts of double drums, three “Congs” and five “Chiengs” of Cham and Ba Na ethnic minorities (Dong Xuan district) have been recognized as a national cultural heritage in February 2016. Currently, this art has become a unique community-based tourism product, attracting a large number of tourists to participate, learn and experience, contributing significantly to the development of Phu Yen culture and tourism. Therefore, it is necessary and urgent to preserve and promote the value of the intangible cultural heritage of performing arts of double drums, three “Congs” and five “Chiengs”.
This training course is one of the activities to implement the National Target Program for socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas in 2022 and the Project on conservation and promotion of traditional cultural values of ethnic minorities associated with tourism development in 2022 in the province. “I hope that through this training course, in the coming time, more people will know how to perform this folk art form, to contribute to preserve and promote heritage values and serve tourism development in the locality", Mr Thai emphasized.
Translated by Hai Loan