The 2018 Gong Cultural Festival takes place in Gia Lai province from November 30 to December 2.

Young Bana and Jarai ethnic men in Gia Lai province practiced for months ahead of the 2018 Gong Cultural Festival. The gong troupe of Pleiku Roh village was selected to represent Pleiku City at the festival. The troupe has 30 members aged between 15 and 30.

"I joined the troupe not long ago and this was the first time I took part in such a big production as the gong festival of Gia Lai province. I feel very honored and did my best in every performance," said Rocom H’Huyen, the troupe’s youngest member.

A gong performance class of Pu Hue hamlet's Community House in Cư Kuin district.

Gong performance classes have been organized in Gia Lai province’s Cư Kuin district as part of the provincial authorities’ efforts to promote the Central Highlands’ gong cultural practice. Students acquire basic knowledge of the local culture and the necessary skills to play specific pieces for the gong.

"The number of individuals capable of performing the gongs in Dak Lak is consistently dropping. We’ve organized such classes with the participation of local artisans and experts to train the local young performers to play bronze and bamboo gongs," said Dang Gia Duan, Deputy Director of the Dak Lak provincial Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.

More than 1,000 artisans from five Central Highland provinces performed at the festival last weekend in Gia Lai province.

The event featured a wide variety of activities, including a street festival, a reproduction of traditional rituals and festivals of Central Highlands provinces, a seminar on preservation and promotion of gong culture, performances of various folk arts and an introduction to Central Highlands cuisine.