(VOVworld) – The Brau people play gongs and other traditional musical instruments. There are different types of gongs, which are played in various circumstances and for various purposes. 

The Brau’s musical instruments including gongs, pan-pipes and flutes are made from natural materials such as stone, bamboo, iron and copper. A set of gongs called Tha in Dak Me village, Ngoc Hoi district of Kon Tum province, is a precious asset of the Brau people. Luu Anh Hung, Deputy Director of Vietnam Museum of Ethnology and researcher of ethnic people in the Central Highlands, says: “A set of Tha gongs consists of only 2 gongs, but their value is worth a dozen buffaloes. The Central Highland people believe that everything has its soul and the Tha gongs contain souls as well”.

Tha gongs of the Brau (Photo: baogialai.com.vn)

Tha is indispensable in the Brau festival and only men are allowed to play Tha gongs. For the Brau people, Tha helps links their secular life with the world of gods. Each sound from the gong is believed to be heard by the gods and brings about good luck to the locals. Tha gongs are usually played during celebrations of welcoming guests, house warming and new rice.

2 Tha gongs make a set, the smaller one is called wife gong (Chuar) and the bigger one is husband gong (Jo Lieng). Tha gongs are hung on a stand and two people sitting on the ground use 4 drumsticks to beat the gongs. Tha can be played independently or accompanied by other instruments.

The Brau people also boast pan-pipe and flute: T’rung, Klong Put, Dinh Tuk and Ting Nin is made from bamboo, Goong instrument is made from the bark of the gourd and M’bin made from wood. Some instruments are played in festivals and communal activities, while the others are played on the field, for love proposals, weddings, lullaby, entertainment and repelling wild animals.