Keep the soul empty

(Baonghean) - The sound of drums has been deeply imprinted in the spiritual and cultural subconscious of every Vietnamese person for generations. In solemn ceremonies or summer festivals, the deep, resounding sound of drums creates a majestic atmosphere, increasing national pride...

Following National Highway 7, 55 km northeast of Vinh City, we found Hop Thanh Commune (Yen Thanh), which is considered the place that has kept the sacred spirit of the sacrificial drums for generations. Hop Thanh still retains the solemn, majestic, and ancient features of thousands of years ago with banyan trees, water wharfs, and communal house yards. Along with Tanh Pagoda, Tam Toa Temple worshiping Ly Nhat Quang and worshiping the statue of Kim Quy, the sacrificial drum beating competition at Phung Luat Communal House on January 14 (lunar calendar) every year is considered a unique cultural feature, a source of pride for every local resident. Phung Luat Communal House - the venue for the competition - is where women in the commune sewed flags to serve the uprising to seize the district government in August 1945. The commune is currently preparing a dossier to submit for recognition as a national historical relic.

Drum festival of Hop Thanh commune (Yen Thanh). Photo from Internet.

The drumming competition is held with the aim of creating a joyful and exciting atmosphere, celebrating the Party, celebrating Spring, preserving and promoting the traditional cultural identity of the homeland. Through the competition, it aims to strengthen the spirit of solidarity, exchange and learning among families, and arouse love for the village so that children can turn to their roots. Participants are the Dai Ton families located in Hop Thanh commune. Each family forms a team with at least 3 members who are descendants of the family, in charge of 3 areas including: big drum, small drum, and nao.

In the competition, each team plays 3 sacrificial drum beats in no more than 12 minutes. Each participating clan has a conductor. This person is in charge of the ritual in front of the ancestral altar and plays 3 times 9 beats on the big drum, also known as the thunder drum, to start the competition. According to the locals, the thunder drum is a type of drum that has existed for a long time, only used for sacred ceremonies such as Tet or the 15th day of the first lunar month every year. The drum body is made from a 300-year-old jackfruit core. The buffalo whose skin is used to make the drum face must be worshiped first and carefully selected. After the drummer plays 3 times 9 beats, the other members of the team begin to keep the rhythm and play the drum music. The participants must wear ao dai and a turban solemnly according to the customs of their ancestors. Not only must the sacrificial drum beat be on time, but the drumstick dance must also be beautiful and graceful, in harmony with the soulful melody of the drum music. A competition includes 6 parts: Co Tam Thong (1 act); Khai Chinh Co (1 act of 9 beats); Tieu Nhac Tac (1 act); Sacrificial drum (1 act); Dispersal drum (5-7 beats); Procession drum (5-7 beats).

Luckily, I met Mr. Nguyen Huu Chau (72 years old), a village elder and also a judge for the drum beating competition. When asked about the format and unique features of the competition, he excitedly said: “Growing up, I saw that the village had a drum beating competition. Each commune or clan has a different way of beating the beat. The beat is sometimes fast, sometimes slow, but the criterion is to attract everyone, leading people to goodness. The person beating the big drum must follow the small drum to match the rhythm to create a sacred and motivating sound.”

The drum competition is a harmony between generations. In a clan drum team, there are both men and women, many generations participate, from the elders to the children. The Organizing Committee has prizes to encourage the younger generations in the village to participate such as the contestant who plays the biggest drum, the most promising young person or the best female contestant. The competition not only has 14 clans in the area participating, but also attracts thousands of people inside and outside the commune to watch and cheer, creating a united atmosphere of "national peace, people's peace".

Mr. Hoang Trong Ly (Chairman of Hop Thanh Commune People's Committee) affirmed: "The annual drum festival is highly appreciated by the people in terms of spiritual and cultural values. In the near future, learning from previous events, the commune will develop competition regulations. On the other hand, the scale and rituals of the drum festival will be expanded as in churches, such as combining drum beating with incense offering, reading prayers, and drum worship; organizing exchanges with other communes. Each commune has a different way of drumming with different rhythms, thereby exchanging and enriching the competition."

Khac Thinh

Ha Giang