Preserving the Gong Culture

Tu Vu Commune is known as the “capital” of the Muong ethnic group in Thanh Thuy District, with a population that accounts for over 70%. To preserve and promote the cultural values of their ancestors, which are gradually fading in modern life, many generations of passionate artisans have returned to the ancestral lands of the Muong people, bringing with them traditional art forms, including the gong and bronze drum, to revive them locally and pass them down to future generations.

One such artisan, Dinh Van Chien, a 57-year-old resident of Tu Vu, has dedicated 17 years to researching, restoring, and spreading the love for Muong culture, especially the Gong tradition. In his memories from many years ago, Mr. Chien was carried on his mother’s back to participate in village festivals, listening to the traditional songs such as Vi, Rang, and the sounds of the Gongs. From a young age, his heart and soul were filled with the rich cultural hues of his ancestors' traditions. In 2007, Mr. Chien returned to the ancestral lands of the Muong people in Hoa Binh, Ninh Binh, and Lang Son to collect traditional art forms such as gong music, Vi and Rang songs, Dum songs, the Menh (storytelling), lullabies, and Rice Pounding (a traditional dance).

Due to the importance of gongs in Muong culture, in 2018, artisan Dinh Van Chien initiated a movement to restore the traditional gong melodies, which was widely supported by the people of Tu Vu commune. Currently, 50 members of the Muong Cultural Heritage Preservation Club, founded by Mr. Chien, continue to meet regularly on weekend evenings. The youngest member of the club was born in 2010.

According to statistics, Tu Vu commune currently preserves over a dozen sets of gongs, drum tubes, five stilt houses, and 40 sets of traditional costumes. Most of these items have been self-funded by the people, showing an increasing awareness of preserving traditional culture. In particular, the project on inventorying, collecting, preserving, and promoting the Muong ethnic cultural identity for the 2020-2025 period, with a vision to 2030 and a budget of over 8.6 billion VND, developed by Tu Vu commune, has supported the local people in their journey to preserve their ancestral culture in modern life.

To date, several projects have been completed, including the establishment of a Muong ethnic cultural heritage exhibition house at the commune center, the expansion of cultural clubs and art groups that showcase Muong culture, the purchase of 13 additional sets of gongs, and the organization of training courses to teach and pass down Muong culture.

Thuy Trang