The Gong resonance amidst the clouds

The path leading to Ho Van Dinh's home in Village 5, Tra Doc Commune, Da Nang City, is not an easy one. From the reservoir basin of the Tranh River, we boarded a canoe to cross deep blue waters, then traced a winding rocky slope to finally reach the stilt house nestled against the mountainside.

The highland afternoon was enveloped in drifting fog. Kitchen smoke from the old wooden roof drifted lazily through the thin mist. The artisan, with snow-white hair and a long beard like silver thread, stepped out to welcome guests with a gentle smile.

Inside the house, scented with wood smoke, sets of gongs, drums and bamboo baskets hung neatly on wooden walls. The space felt like a small museum preserving the cultural memories of the Ca Dong people. At 83, his eyes still sparkled whenever he spoke about village festivals or the sounds of mountain gongs.

As if worried that those memories might one day fade away, he carefully took out an old notebook from beside his bed. Its worn pages were filled with handwritten notes and drawings depicting ceremonial poles, gong sets, bamboo baskets and traditional rituals. He gently turned each page as though retracing the story of his own life.

"I wrote these things down so future generations will still know the culture of our people. Every ethnic group has its own way of making ceremonial poles, playing gongs and conducting rituals. If we do not record them, young people will eventually forget," he said, his voice softening.

After speaking, Dinh walked over to the gong set hanging on the wall. His thin hands skillfully picked up the mallets and adjusted each gong like a musician preparing for a performance. 

The sounds suddenly filled the stilt house halfway up the mountain, sometimes gentle like a stream flowing through rocky rapids, sometimes energetic like the footsteps of villagers celebrating a new rice harvest. The gong rhythms blended with the rain falling outside, creating a moment of stillness.

Because of his deep knowledge of gong music, K'cheo folk singing and traditional rituals, people in the former Bac Tra My highlands have long referred to him as a "multi-talented village elder."

In recognition of his lifelong contributions to preserving cultural heritage, he was awarded the title of Meritorious Artisan in 2019. In a wooden room behind the house, certificates of merit and commendations cover the walls, quietly telling the story of a life devoted to Ca Dong culture.

The guardian of mountain sounds

Ho Van Dinh's dedication extends beyond gong culture. He is also one of the few people in Tra Doc who continues to practice the traditional Ca Dong craft of bamboo and rattan weaving.

During his free afternoons, he often sits on the porch splitting bamboo and rattan to weave baskets and carrying packs. His thin hands still move swiftly, guided by decades of experience.

He showed us a basket he had completed only a few days earlier. Outside, rain blurred the surface of Song Tranh Reservoir.

"It took nearly a week to finish this basket. Rattan is much harder to find nowadays, and going into the forest is more difficult. But whenever I sit down to weave, I become completely absorbed. I just cannot give it up," he said.

In the past, Ca Dong people relied almost entirely on items made from bamboo and rattan. From baskets used to carry rice and containers for household goods to bamboo trays used in daily meals, everything was handmade within the village.

According to Dinh, nearly everyone knew how to weave in those days. Both men and women could make their own baskets or woven gifts for family members.

"Now there are plastic and stainless-steel products everywhere, so fewer people are interested in this craft. If I do not preserve it, one day nobody will even know what a traditional Ca Dong basket looks like," he said thoughtfully.

Perhaps it is precisely this fear of losing old traditions that has motivated him to continue practicing the craft for so many years. As far as he is concerned, as long as he can still work, he will continue teaching younger generations.

Huy Truong