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Jamming: A group of women from Trap Village play mountain rhythms from the heart. — File Photo |
At Trap Village in Dac Lac Province's Krong Ana District, six women in their mid-seventies have taken to playing gongs – cong and chieng, folk instruments of the Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) region – as a way overcome their problems and enjoy life.
They are also hoping their band will be able to bring passion and joy to their villagers. The deep sounds of the gongs are the very soul of the highlands. These instruments are played to celebrate good harvests, religious festivals as well as occasions like child-birth.
The band, Jho - Buon Trap, plays original folk songs of the E De Bih people in a unique style.
"While male artists show off their talents with their hands, our women perform with their inner emotions," said Vu Lan, former deputy chairman of the Dac Lac Literature and Arts Association.
While strong minds and hands are typically needed to play the gong, the septugenarian women are able to hold their own, he said.
"Although the women's music is softer than their male counterparts, they are giving villagers a new taste in playing cong and chieng and their way has been received with warm enthusiasm by music researchers," Lan said.
He explained that Jho - Buon Trap stands for "a sweet music and more".
"We love playing gongs because it represents our love and passion for life and people. We want to bring fans the wonderful world of Tay Nguyen – where they can enjoy music that is creative and emotional," said H' Riu, head of the band.
H' Riu first fell in love with the melodies of cong and chieng when she was a little girl. She later gathered her five friends and formed Jho - Buon Trap.
Thanks to their performances after work, many songs of E De Bih people, including Drok tue (Welcome Guests) and Wak wei (Happy and New Harvest) have now become familiar among the youth.
"Our band prefers to play songs in praise of the country, family, women and children because their melodies are suitable to our performance style," said 70-year-old H' San, a member of the band.
"Winning the hearts of villagers is the most influential part of our life. It has encouraged us to continue with our music," she said.
H' San also said that it feels "weird and happy to be playing gongs the way we want to".
"Not only are all of the Jho - Buon Trap members talented, but through performing a different style of playing, they have become important personalities in the village," said Lan.
"The work of these artists is not simple. They are the only female band in the area to play gongs. They have to practice their skills and dance for several hours each week. They also have to learn how to keep their instrument's sounds strong, sweet and clear."
Youth support
H' Rut Y Ban, a 16-year-old Jho - Buon Trap fan, said: "Jho - Buon Trap's members are like our grandmothers who have introduced us to a fresh style of playing gongs. They are different from many professional bands and artists and we want to support them."
"I like the way women – who work hard everyday in their fields – express their emotions through their music," she added.
H' Rut is one of the band's young female students who believes the music of the Tay Nguyen people reflects more than their myths, legends and stories.
"Each ethnic group has its own way of playing gongs. I learned how my E De Bih people can represent their thinking through their music." — VNS
