The cultural atmosphere of Cong Chieng (Drums and Gongs) Tay Nguyen was recognised as a masterpiece which is orally passed down and as an immaterial heritage of human beings by UNESCO on 15 November 2005. After "Nha nhac cung dinh Hue" (The refined music in imperial palace in Hue), this is the second legacy of Vietnam that receives this title.The cultural atmosphere of "Gongs of Tay Nguyen" is spread out in five provinces in Tay Nguyen area: Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Dac Lac, Dac Nong and Lam Dong. The subjects of this cultural atmosphere are consisted of different ethnic groups, including E De, Ba Na, Ma, Lac, etc.
The cultural atmosphere "Gongs of Tay Nguyen" contains these main components: "cong chieng" (drums and gongs); songs played by "cong chieng"; persons playing those; festivities where "cong chieng" are used such as "cung com moi" (offer sacrifices after a harvest) festivity or "cung ben nuoc" (sacrificing happens at "ben nuoc" - an area containing water, near the river and springs, where inhabitants usually gather to take water) festival; and venues where those festivities take place like "nha dai" (long house) for household using, "nha rong" or "nha guol" (wide house) for community using , milpa, "ben nuoc", sepulcher and forests near the mountainous villages in Tay Nguyen).
On the grandiose mountain chain Truong Son of the country, "cong chieng" fine arts are always close-knit to cultural rites of the ethnic communities residing in Tay Nguyen region. Therefore, "cong chieng" is categorised into the system of ritual musical instruments and is also considered as a language communicating with deities of local residents on this land.
The cultural space of gongs and cymbals
the land of the Central Highlands Vietnam is the native country of numerous minority ethnic groups, such as: Jrai, Bahnar, Eddé, Jeh, Raglai, Sédang, Stieng, Ma, Brâu, Churu, Mnông, etc. Talking about the Central Highlands Vietnam, we think immediately of long epic poems, strange festivities, residences on stilt, charnel house, funeral statues but also and especially of the gongs and cymbals with their percussive music recognized as heritage of humanity by the UNESCO.
Gongs and cymbals are classified in percussion section and they belong to the groups of autosound instruments. These instruments are fabricated either bronzy beaten, or in alloy of copper blended with some gold, silver or some bronze. Their sizes vary between 20 and 120 centimetres in diameters. Gongs, in the raised edges, have a knob in the middle, while cymbals, in edges lightly raised, is destitute. To play this music, instrumentalists knock on gongs and cymbals with a maul covered with cloth, or by the hand.
However, gongs and cymbals are not fabricated on place, but introduced, by purchases or exchanges, from neighbouring countries. And they are then changed by the mountain artists to acquire desired tonality and to make the private musical instruments of their tribe.
The music of gongs and cymbals in Central Highlands remains tied to the inhabitants' life. In effect, these instruments sound from the cradle to the grave of each individual : the sound of gongs and cymbals in the ceremony Bluh tongia momuai (blow in ears) of a newborn baby is to confirm his or her new presence in the community; gongs and cymbals participate in Bông hua pơdo (the marriage) of a couple to wish them endless happiness and remind them of their forefathers' tradition; in great age of the person, the music of gongs and cymbals in the hơmech kơtec ceremony (wish a good health) wishes to him or her longevity and a good health; and finally, gongs and cymbals resound to say goodbye to the deceased. And the music of gongs and cymbals leaves a person, member of the community, only after the Pơthi (abandonment of tomb), which takes place in general three years after decease, to erase its presence in this world.
The same in daily life, the sound of gongs and cymbals is heard to encourage the combatants before battles against the enemies but also fierce animals who come to attack the community. The music of gongs and cymbals is still known as expression of joy after a good reaping or one military win. However, for many times, these instruments are played with an upsetting rhythm. These are the moments when a certain misfortune arrives to the community, to know an epidemic or a natural blight, etc.
Beyond musical instruments, gongs and cymbals constitute a marvellous language allowing to the mountain dwellers to communicate first between them and even with the gods. In effect, according to the firm belief of the Central Highlands inhabitants, every gong and cymbal always shelters a god or a goddess also with their own sentimental life and their own family. Powerful, this godhead is able to bring destiny and happiness to the man but also attract misfortune when they are angered.
Therefore, for all these historical, artistic, social and musical features, the music of gongs and cymbals of the minority ethnic groups of Central Highlands, was acknowledged as heritage of humanity by the UNESCO, on November 25th, 2005. However, today, this musicology knows a serious deterioration which is understood in all meanings of the term, such as: dizzy reduction among the specialized musicians and as a result, battery of the gongs and cymbals in villages; the disappearing of singing and air of gongs and cymbals, etc, but the worst consists of the fact that these instruments lost their interpretation environment. Fortunately, acknowledged as heritage of humanity, the music of gongs and cymbals became, in natural way, object of numerous programs of maintenance and revaluation. It is a sacred mission of each individual and every generation of us.
Together, let us wish to all minority ethnic groups in Central Highlands, a glorious future on this grandiose and mysterious land, plunged into the cultural ambience of the music of gongs and cymbals, at the same time traditional and contemporary.
