| Description |
The gong of the Mường people is a traditional, unique musical instrument, cast from brass or red copper. Gongs is present in all festivals and community activities of the Mường people such as: the festival of going to the fields, the rain-praying festival, the fishing festival, the new rice festival, the housewarming ritual and funerals.
Through a process of development and stability, a set of Mường gongs comprises 12 items representing the 12 months of the year calculated according to the rotation of the moon. A set of gongs is divided into three basic groups with different sizes and high and low sounds. When performing gongs, a gong-waking ritual must be held. The gong players are women, arranged in vertical rows, in a circle or in horizontal rows. They can play the gongs on the spot or while walking. Until now, the Mường people still consider gongs as sacred objects of the community and pass them down from generation to generation as priceless assets. |
