(HBO) - In 2016, the gongs of the Muong ethnic group were honoured as national intangible cultural heritage. Through ups and downs, they have been respectfully preserved and affirmed a special position in the cultural life of people in the Hoa Binh.


Artisan Nguyen Thi Hinh (second right), Lam Son commune (Luong Son) teaches Muong gongs to women in the area.

According to statistics, the province houses about 10,000 Muong gongs. Fortunately, in recent years, the instruments have been treasured by local families as a sacred and precious object in the house. Many young people, even elementary and junior high school students, also know how to play the gongs.

In order to promote the value of Muong gongs and introduce them to domestic and international friends, in recent years, the provincial centre for culture and cinema has opened classes teaching people in homestay areas to play the instrument.

As a result, the tourist villages of Hien Luong, Tien Phong, and Suoi Hoa communes have created their own imprints and identities with gongs, attracting many tourists.

Meanwhile, Muong gong performance has become one of the indispensable contents of local festivals at all levels. On the occasion of the province's 125th founding anniversary, the performance of 1,000 people from four Muong regions playing 1,000 gongs set a Guinness record. On Hoa Binh’s 130th founding anniversary, the record was broken by a performance of 1,500 gongs.

Luu Huy Linh, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said that for the Muong people in Hoa Binh, gongs are not just a musical instrument but have become an indispensable cultural and spiritual value in their community life.

According to Linh, the local Muong ethnic group currently has nearly 40 major festivals, 90 percent of which employ gong music. Recently, Muong gong art has also been included in major political and cultural events of the province in a unique way, leaving a deep impression on locals and tourists at home and abroad. Many families have even bought 1-2 sets of gongs to use and hang them in solemn positions in the house as a proof of love and pride for the national cultural identity./.

 


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