Gong culture in Bo: Old traditions inspire young people!

Erfahren Sie mehr über die Gong-Kultur in Vietnam, ihre Bedeutung im Alltag und die Bemühungen um Erhalt und Weitergabe dieses Erbes.
Learn more about the gong culture in Vietnam, its importance in everyday life and the efforts to maintain and pass on this heritage. (Symbolbild/MW)

Gong culture in Bo: Old traditions inspire young people!

What's in the small town of Bo, deep in the heart of Vietnam? Here, at the entrance to the town, we find a house in which the old and venerable craft of the gong votes is practiced. Mr. Van, an experienced gong stimmer, makes Gongs sound again with a lot of skill and dedication. He goes to work with a small hammer, in the tradition of his father, who introduced him to the art of the gong votes. Mr. Van is the only one in the village that maintains this important tradition.

Dorfleben and culture are strongly interwoven with gong practice. A committed gong team from Bo is already preparing for the Gong Culture Festival 2024 in the district of GRAI. Mr. Ro Cham Oi, an over 60-year-old with decades of experience, regularly visits the practice hours and motivates the young generation to continue the gong culture. His son, a three -year -old boy, already follows him with the games, a sign that interest in this cultural heritage does not go out.

gongs: more than just instruments

The importance of the gongs extends far beyond their function as musical instruments. According to the information from UNESCO , gongs are a central component of life in the highly located provinces of Vietnam. They are part of a mystical belief system and act as a special language between people and deities. Each family has at least one gong, and it not only symbolizes wealth, but also authority and prestige.

Gongs play an irreplaceable role in the traditional ceremonies. Whether with ritual sacrifices or funeral rites, the main zeremonial instrument is and remains the gong. Different arrangements and rhythms reflect the context of the ceremony, with several gongs used in the village inserts. According to vietnam.vn , the Bo-Gong team has second place at the last Gong Kulturfestival, a respectable performance that the lasting time of this tradition underline.

challenges and future

But what does the future of gong culture look like? Despite the great commitment of people like Mr. van, Mr. Oi and Mr. Hit-Chi, there are serious challenges. Change in the social structures, the disappearance of old artisans and the growing interest in Western culture put the gong tradition in danger. Gongs sometimes lose their sacred meaning and are sold to recycling by subsequent generations or exchanged for western products.

The transfer of knowledge and skills was severely disturbed by the war years. In a world that changes rapidly, it is crucial that committed people continue to preserve cultural identity through traditional practices such as gong games. Mr. Van clearly recognized this and emphasizes how important it is to keep gongs alive in everyday life to protect the cultural heritage.

So it remains to be hoped that the love of gong culture in Bo and beyond not only will be preserved, but will also continue to bloom in the coming generations. The committed members of the Gong team are a lively testimony of the cultural diversity and the heritage of Vietnam, which radiates far beyond the limits of their small village.

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OrtBo, Vietnam
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