The Present State of Gong Performances in the Central Highlands of Vietnam: A Study Focusing on Performance Styles and Melodies

Abstract

Ethnic minorities in the central highlands of Vietnam each have their own “gong culture.” They believe that gods or goddesses reside in each gong, and thus the gong is a sacred symbol that is a significant part of their lives. Gongs have long been used as prestige goods, exchange goods, and sacred musical instruments played in important rituals and ceremonies such as funerals, farming rituals, grave abandonment ceremonies, inauguration ceremonies of communal houses, and buffalo sacrifice rituals. Gongs have also made their way into the Catholic Mass where they are played along with the Western organ. New-style gong ensembles, called “improved gong ensembles,” have appeared in places, presumably as a result of the influence of the Western music.

This paper first provides an overview of “gong culture” and analyzes the present opportunities for gong performances in the villages of Bahnar and Jarai. Then, the differences in playing styles and melodies of the “traditional” and “improved” gong ensemble are examined. The birth of the “improved gong ensemble” may be attributed to the underlying social changes, such as the conversions of many ethnic minorities to Catholicism and the growing presence of Western music. Finally, it is concluded that contemporary “gong culture” embraces two values: one is the value of diversity that characterizes the “traditional gong culture” and the other is the value of “improved gong ensemble” newly created by local people in keeping with the social changes.