Preserving the sound of Muong

In Kiet Son commune (Tan Son district), the Muong ethnic people make up more than 80% of the population. For generations, gongs have not only been musical instruments but have become an indispensable spiritual and cultural value in the life of the Muong community here.

For a long time, gongs have not only been musical instruments but have become an indispensable spiritual and cultural value in the life of the Muong community in Tan Son district.

Like the Muong people in many places across Tan Son land, gongs are not only traditional musical instruments but also sacred objects connecting people with gods and ancestors, closely associated with the lives of the Muong people in Kiet Son, often used on every occasion of Tet, important ceremonies of the Muong people such as weddings, funerals, housewarming, or in the rituals of praying for crops...

According to the elders of the commune, the origin of the original gong sounds was the “mysterious” sounds emitted when the ancients accidentally touched the stalactites in the mountain caves. From those sounds, the Muong people have summarized, filtered, and crafted musical instruments imitating those magical sounds. The gong was born and has been associated with the Muong people since then.

A set of 12 gongs represents 12 months of the year, including a pair of female gongs, two pairs of call-response gongs and 7 kham gongs. When playing in concert, the final gong is often used to accompany each beat of the main gong. The Muong people believe that the sound of the gong is closely associated with the life cycle of each person from birth until returning to the motherland. Over the years, the gong has become a cultural heritage, representing the spirit of the Muong community, a treasure preserved through generations.

In recent years, with the awareness of preserving the cultural features of the nation and conserving and promoting the value of heritage, the Party Committee and the government of Kiet Son commune have focused on promoting propaganda, education, and promoting the good values of the gong cultural heritage to each cadre, party member and people in the area; regularly organizing training sessions and cultural and artistic exchanges in residential areas.

Since 2018, Kiet Son commune has established a Folk Arts Club, regularly maintaining its activities, becoming one of the most active and effective folk arts clubs in Tan Son district.

In particular, in 2023, the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism supported a number of localities in Tan Son district, including Kiet Son commune, to equip traditional gong sets and many Muong cultural performance instruments, all funded from the project “Preserving and promoting the fine traditional cultural values ​​of ethnic minorities associated with tourism development” (Project 6) under the National Target Program on socio-economic development of ethnic minority and mountainous areas of Phu Tho province in 2023. This practical activity has effectively helped raise awareness among the community and society about the work of preserving and promoting the fine traditional cultural heritage values of ethnic groups.

The Kiet Son Commune Folk Arts Club performs a Muong gong ensemble at the Hung Temple Festival 2024.

Ms. Ha Thi Tien, Head of the Kiet Son Community Club, shared: “The club currently has 41 members participating in activities. In addition to practicing performing art performances for villages, communes, and districts on the occasion of holidays, Tet, and anniversaries and participating in exchanges and performances in many localities inside and outside the province, the club also regularly teaches how to play moi dances, dam duong, cham ong, gong music, and traditional folk songs, as well as singing Vi and Rang for the younger generation. In 2023, the club was supported by the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism to equip 1 set of gongs, 1 set of moi dance drums, 25 sets of traditional female costumes, and many tools and sound equipment for performing activities. Thanks to the support and attention of the authorities at all levels and the people in the commune, the club members have been motivated to continue to contribute and compose more beautiful gong and dance pieces to serve the people...

In the flow of history, there was a time when the sound of gongs gradually became scarce in many Muong regions. However, with the joint efforts of all levels and sectors and the passion and dedication of the artisans in the gong club, folk culture and arts have contributed to nurturing and preserving the sound of Muong regions forever...

Thuy Phuong