"I hope to preserve gongs more than money or property," Nit, a man of the Xe Dang ethnic group in Central Highlands Dak Lak province, said of the personal importance of conservation of the grandiose Central Highlands' unique gong art.

Nit, 45, from H'Ring, Ea Ding commune, Cu M'Gar district, Dak Lak province said that he plans to go to Kon Tum to buy a new set of gongs to play, adding that the musical instruments are indispensable to his life.

Dieu Srong of the M'nong group in Quang Son commune, Dak Nong district, Central Highlands Dak Nong province said he felt regret that he cannot play gongs well and expressed his hope for the preservation of the gongs. Young generations want to develop gongs and old people want to hand down to young generations the methods of playing gongs, he said.

Many other Central Highlanders expressed their hopes to preserve and develop the gong art, which has been handed down from generation to generation.

Local people's sentiment toward gongs are the basis for measures to preserve the gong art, said Truong Bi, an official of Dak Lak's Cultural and Information Service.

A series of protective measures by localities and efforts to protect the gong art by many individuals have helped affirm the high cultural value of gongs of the Central Highlands. Funding from the State, localities and other sources has been used to collect ancient gongs and organise gong playing courses for young people and annual gong festivals at communal and district levels.

It is important to preserve the special atmosphere, a living environment for gongs, said Truong Bi, adding that in each hamlet it is comprised of a legendary river, long houses of the traditional architecture of the Ede ethnic group, and their healthy customs.

Dak Lak province alone has invested in building hundreds of long houses for community activities of local people. Each of them is equipped with a set of gongs and a system of light and audio equipment.

In addition to a traditional long house, built at a cost of VND150 million from the State budget for community activities, many such traditional houses have been built by local people in Ako Dhong hamlet, Tan Loi ward, Buon Ma Thuot city. These house are used as home for a large family of different generations, a guest room or gong playing place for special occasions. They reflect the unique character of the life of the Ede ethnic community in bustling Buon Me Thuot city.

The gongs are closely associated with the life of Central Highlanders. They serve as the voice of the people’s souls and spirits, reflecting their joys and sorrows in daily life and activities.

The gongs appear in most rituals and ceremonies, such as weddings, New Year celebrations, new rice harvests, communal house warnings, farewell ceremonies for soldiers and other occasions.

VNA