VIETNAMESE TRADITIONAL MUSIC
(Source: www.asiarooms.com/vietnam-travel-guide/traditional.html)

Gongs are musical instruments made of alloy bronze, sometimes with gold, silver, or black bronze added to their composition. In the "Kinh" language, the word "cong" means "convex gongs" and the word "chieng" refers to the flat ones. Gongs vary in size from 20 to 120 cm in diameter.

Gongs may be played one at a time or in groups of 2 to 20 units. The "Muong", as well as other ethnic groups in the Truong Son-Tay Nguyen regions, use gongs not only to beat the rhythm but also to play polyphonic music.

Gongs can be struck with wooden sticks, mallets, or even bare hands. There are techniques that can be used to shut off sounds and to produce melodies. In some ethnic groups, gongs are only intended for men to play. However, the "sac bua" gongs of the Muong are played by women. In
other ethnic groups, both men and women may play. In general, taboos regarding "cong-chieng" customs differ from ethnicity to ethnicity.

ROLE OF GONGS
Gongs hold great significance and value for many ethnic groups in Tay Nguyen. The gongs play an important role in the lives of the inhabitants of Tay Nguyen; from birth until death, the gongs are present at all the important events, joyful as well as unfortunate, in their lives. Almost every family has at least one set of gongs.

In general, gongs are considered to be sacred instruments. They are mainly used in offerings, rituals, funerals, wedding ceremonies, New Year festivities, agricultural rites, victory celebrations, etc. In the Truong Son-Tay Nguyen region, playing the gongs electrifies the people participating in dances and other forms of entertainment. Gongs have been an integral part of the spiritual life of many ethnic groups in Vietnam. *AJI

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