(VOVworld) – The duet drum dance is indispensable for the festivals of the Cham Hroi ethnic group in mountainous Dong Xuan district, Phu Yen province. The seductive rhythms of the drum beats make festival goers shake their bodies. 

The Cham H’roi’s communal house in the heart of Xuan Lanh commune echoes with the sounds of drum beats and gongs. Whenever they are free from farm work, local youths invite musicians to play and teach them how to play drums, duet drums, and gongs. Duet drum sounds boisterous and improvisational.                                   

The duet drum dance reflects the sacred spirit that the Cham H’roi people convey to the gods. Mang Nuu, head of Ha Rai hamlet, told VOV: “The duet drum dance is usually performed in buffalo stabbing festivals, weddings, health saluting in March. The drum sounds pray for the health for the entire village”.

Two male artists perform the duet drum dance. Each hangs a double-sided drum over his shoulder and dances to the accompaniment of the beats he plays. The melodious pitch stirs the audience’s imagination of streams flowing, forest waterfalls, or burning coal fires. Through the sounds of drums and body movements, the two dancers communicate with each other. So, the duet drum dance requires the two artists to be a good match. Artist Oi Thu told us: “During the buffalo stabbing festival, the duet drum is played overnight. When a duet tires, they are replaced by another duet. When the men play, the women offer them wine and everybody dances happily”.

Local artists perform duet drum dance (Photo: Lan Anh)

The duet drum dance requires physical strength as the artist has to carry a drum which weighs 4kg while constantly dancing and slapping the drumhead. Young people in Xuan Lanh commune can play the instrument but not as skillfully as artist Oi Thu. Na Xuan Hinh of Ha Rai hamlet told VOV: “It took me 3 years to learn how to play my ethnic group’s instruments, including the gong and the duet drum. At that time I was 15 years old. The duet drum is more difficult to play in good harmony with another player. I feel that I have to learn more to preserve our predecessors’ legacy”.

It’s also difficult to make duet drums. There are only two duet drum makers, including Oi Thu in Xuan Lanh commune. This drum, called Chil gul, has a diameter of 27cm and a length of 40cm. Finding the proper wood for the drum making is a challenge. Artist Oi Thu again: “The drum body is made of wood. The drum head is covered with ox-hide or horsehide which is thin and produces echoing sounds. The hide is soaked in water for one night. The two drum heads must produce different sounds: one is low and the other is high pitched”.

The sounds of drums mixed with the rhythms of gongs attract male and female villagers to join in an upbeat dance in the middle of the forest.