HBO – For members of the Muong ethnic minority group, gongs are a valuable treasure and the soul of the region. They are preserved in every house and used in many major events in Hoa Binh province. In most of the cases, festivals are not started until the gongs sound.

 

Gong team in Ngoi hamlet, Ngoi Hoa commune, Tan Lac district rehearses before participating in a team to pay Tet visits to local households.

 

The Muong ethnic group has 37 big festivals, of which 26 use gongs. Gong performances have left deep impressions on locals and tourists. Gongs are descended from one generation to another. Preserving ancient gongs and gong performances is an important mission of every Muong ethnic. At present, the province has more than 10,000 gongs.

 Some districts pioneered opening classes and inviting artisans to teach how to beat gongs such as Kim Boi, Lac Son and Tan Lac. Each class has about 30 participants. In addition, to preserve the value of Muong gongs, local authorities have stepped up disseminations, and encouraged and supported locals to develop amateur art movements, thus attracting the participation of more than 2,000 locals who work as farmers, artists and communicators to make traditional gong performances of the Muong ethnic group, contributing to the maintenance of the sound of gongs.

 During the New Year festival, in each home, gongs are beaten to invite ancestors to return home for Tet. The sound of gongs, combined with "sac bua” singing, heats up the festive atmosphere. Normally, each gong team has 12 gongs symbolizing the 12 months in a year and is called a "Phuong bua”. Each "Phuong bua” is headed by an old person called "trum phuong” who is an expert in gong types and knows numerous Muong folk songs.

 According to the custom, "Phuong bua” plays gongs in its procession, visits each household, and sings a song to wish the host prosperity. "Phuong bua” paying Tet visits must be experts in gong beating. Girls must wear traditional costumes of the Muong ethnic group. Gong performances used on this occasion are cheerful and suitable for the spring atmosphere. An important thing is that members of the gong team must have radiant faces and be well-spoken. When they concentrate on gong beating, the sound will be attractive and pervasive, according to Bui Thi Bach Kim in Cao Phong district’s Xuan Phong commune.

 In addition, the sound of the gong is a signal to open the region’s festival./.

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