The Central Highlands is not only famous as the coffee capital of Vietnam but also for its beautiful natural landscape and rich, diverse culture with many ethnic groups living together. In particular, gong, cymbal and xoang dances combined with unique folk dances have become Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity recognized by UNESCO, deeply reflecting the spiritual life and beliefs of the people here.

Dak Ha district artisans welcome fam trip delegation (Photo: TITC)

Kon Tum is part of the Central Highlands, recently organized the 5th Culture - Tourism Week and the 2nd Kon Tum Gong and Xoang dance Festival of Ethnic Minorities in 2024 to promote the culture, land, and people of Kon Tum. Visitors can immerse themselves in the gong culture space imbued with identity, living in the gentle and charming sinus rhythms. The fam trip delegation of Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism experienced captivating xoang dances in the program "Dak Ha Harvest Space" in Kon Tum.

Ms. Pham Thi Thuong, Vice Chairwoman of Dak Ha District People's Committee, Kon Tum Province, said that gong singing is taught naturally among members of the village. Each member looked at each other, following each other to learn to dance, learning from a young age. Gong dance is associated throughout the life cycle of the Ba Na people, connecting the past and the present. Gong dance is associated with most community activities, from harvest time, sowing, harvesting to festivals... The dance movements are simple with gentle steps, reflecting daily working life such as making fire, chopping wood, sowing seeds…

Gong dance is no longer simply a dance of community cultural activities but has become an invitation for tourists to come to the village (Photo: TITC)

Amidst the gentle sound of gongs and the graceful dance welcoming visitors, the introduction of the staff of Dak Ha District Cultural Center resounded. Xoang dance is a community dance that anyone can participate in, from children to the elderly. Dances are often performed during festivals, when the sound of gongs and drums resonates, drawing people into the cultural atmosphere. The sounds of small gongs, big gongs blend together, like rain and wind. Sometimes they sound as light as flowing water, sometimes as gentle as the afternoon breeze, sometimes as loud as a waterfall, like August thunder. Played loudly, the sound of the gong penetrates deep into the forest, creeping up high mountains. Played slowly, the sound of the gong creeps across the grasslands. Wild animals forget to eat, forget to drink, raise their heads to listen to the sound of the gong…

Tourists taking photos with the gong artists of Dak Ha district (Photo: TITC)

The vibrant, resonant sounds of the gong instruments seemed to breathe life into each dance step, maintaining the rhythm of the dance formation. In the space of “Dak Ha Harvest Space”, the delicate, flexible movements of the artisans and the Ba Na people of Dak Ha seemed to attract and invite the survey team to integrate with the local culture. And those artisans did better than all, creating a widespread attraction for the gong culture of the Central Highlands. They have cherished and preserved the gong culture of the village, sharing and spreading it beyond the village boundaries. So that the gong dances are no longer simply dances of community cultural activities in the village but more importantly, become an invitation for tourists to come to the village, to come to the rustic culture, to come to the hospitable people here.

Tourism Information Technology Center