How three generations are keeping M'nong culture alive

Soft M'nong lullabies fill a modest wooden house in Ja Rah Bon, Nam Nung commune in Vietnam’s Central Highlands. A grandmother gently sings as her young grandchild sleeps in a hammock, while just outside, the child's mother prepares for an evening rehearsal of traditional M'nong dances with local youth.

Inside this modest home, M'nong culture is not simply preserved, it is quietly passed from one generation to the next through songs, dances and the enduring traditions of family life.

At 50, artisan H'Brơi continues to teach traditional folk songs, perform gong music and take part in community cultural activities. For her, preserving M'nong traditions is not only a lifelong passion but also a responsibility to safeguard her people's cultural identity.

Growing up after the war in a family with a strong revolutionary tradition, H'Brơi spent her childhood surrounded by the sounds of bronze gongs, folk songs and village festivals. Her father played the gongs, while her mother sang traditional lullabies that gradually became part of her own life.

“I've known these songs since I was little,” she recalled. “Whenever the village held festivals, I followed my mother to sing. At home, she sang lullabies to her children and grandchildren. I listened every day until the melodies became part of my life.”

Among the M'nong people, folk songs are far more than music. They preserve oral history, epic tales, customs and traditional values that have been passed down through generations. Every lullaby carries memories of the community, while every ceremonial song reflects its cultural identity.

Today, H'Brơi has become the bridge between generations. She spends much of her time teaching folk songs and gong performances to young villagers. Yet what makes her proudest is seeing her own daughter continue the journey.

Raised in the melodies of her mother's songs, H'Như developed a passion for traditional arts from an early age. She now leads Nam Nung commune's M'nong folk dance troupe while, and serves as secretary of the youth union in Ja Rah Bon.

“Since childhood, I've accompanied my mother to rehearsals and performances," H'Như recalled. "Being around traditional songs and dances inspired me to preserve our culture and encourage other young people to join.”

For H'Như, cultural preservation is also about creating opportunities for the next generation.

Youth union gatherings regularly include rehearsals for traditional singing and dancing, attracting more than 30 young people from the village. Many eventually become members of the commune's folk performance team, ensuring that M'nong traditions continue to flourish among local youth.

“Most members of our dance group are young people from the village,” she said. “By combining cultural activities with youth programmes, we create an enjoyable environment while helping preserve our ethnic identity.”

At festivals and cultural performances, mother and daughter frequently share the same stage. As the resonant sound of bronze gongs echoes through the mountains, H'Brơi sings ancient M'nong melodies while H'Như interprets those stories through graceful traditional dances.

One keeps the songs alive. The other keeps the dances alive. Together, they inspire the youngest generation to carry the traditions into the future. Their dedication has also earned recognition beyond the village.

In recent years, Nam Nung Commune's folk arts troupe has received numerous awards at provincial and national cultural festivals. At a national folk culture festival in Quang Tri province in 2024, the troupe won nine prizes, including four top awards.

According to H'Thương Knul, deputy head of the commune's Culture and Social Affairs Committee, H'Brơi leads the traditional gong and folk singing group, while H'Như heads the folk dance team. Together, they have become the driving force behind efforts to preserve and teach M'nong cultural heritage in the community.

For H'Brơi, however, the greatest achievement is not measured by awards. It is hearing her granddaughter fall asleep to the same lullabies she once learned from her own mother.

If her parents' generation helped protect the nation during wartime, H'Brơi and her daughter are helping safeguard another priceless legacy—the cultural heritage of the M'nong people.

In their small wooden house in Ja Rah Bon, the passing of tradition happens quietly every day. From a grandmother's lullaby to a mother's songs and a daughter's dance, three generations are ensuring that the voice of M'nong culture will continue to resonate across the Central Highlands.

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