S’tieng people: “Passionate about weaving, enchanted by gong music”

For generations, the vibrant brocade fabrics and the resounding beats of gongs have echoed through the unique festivals of the S’tieng ethnic community. One might think such cultural traits could easily fade amid the pace of modern life. Yet, in Tan Hung commune (Dong Nai province), the S’tieng people have found creative ways to “renew” these traditions, preserving and spreading their cultural beauty to the wider community.

Delighted that their culture is embraced by visitors, members of the Tra Thanh – Lo O hamlet Gong Ensemble enthusiastically practice every afternoon at the hamlet’s cultural house. Photo: Viet Doi

Currently, on weekends or during holidays and festivals, the Tra Thanh – Lo O hamlet Gong Ensemble (Tan Hung commune) regularly performs at Ba Den mountain tourist area (Tay Ninh province) and the Cu Chi tunnels historical site (Ho Chi Minh City). Through these performances, they help promote the unique cultural identity of the S’tieng people to the public.

Gongs – from the hamlet to the wider world

For the S’tieng community, gongs have always been the very soul of their culture. The sounds produced by these instruments carry messages and prayers to their deities during sacred festivals. For members of the Tra Thanh – Lo O hamlet Gong Ensemble, beyond serving cultural festivals, they also connect with other clubs and tourist sites to perform gongs, bringing wider recognition to the beauty of their people’s traditions.

For the S’tieng people, gongs are not merely musical instruments, but the very voice of the soul and the memory of the community. During festivals, the sound of the gongs blends with traditional dances, as people join hands to form a warm circle. At performances, countless visitors have “immersed” themselves in our culture, which in turn inspires the S’tieng to take even greater pride in their heritage, striving to practice and preserve their unique cultural identity.

Village elder Dieu Cu, Tra Thanh – Lo O hamlet, Tan Hung commune, Dong Nai province 

Ba Den mountain tourist area and the Cu Chi tunnels historical site are two venues where the ensemble regularly performs, leaving a lasting impression on both locals and visitors. Each trip is another opportunity to showcase and promote the cultural identity of the S’tieng people, helping others to better understand and cherish it. Three years after its founding, every member takes pride in what they have achieved. No matter how busy they are, each afternoon they gather at the hamlet’s cultural house to practice playing the gongs, keeping alive their traditional dances.

Dieu Thi Hong, a member of the Tra Thanh – Lo O hamlet Gong Ensemble, shared with excitement: “When we perform and receive the applause of the audience, we feel happy and encouraged. It makes us realize how unique S’tieng culture is and reminds us of our responsibility to preserve it.”

The Tra Thanh – Lo O hamlet Gong Ensemble has about 30 members. Those who already have skills in gong playing guide newcomers. Men learn to play the gongs and drums, women practice traditional dances and songs, and even the children of the hamlet take part, for they are the next generation entrusted with preserving the resounding echoes of the great forest.

“Modernizing” brocade

Having studied fashion design and recognizing challenges in the trade and consumption of traditional brocade, Thi Xinh – Head of the Tra Thanh – Lo O hamlet Brocade Weaving group (Tan Hung commune) – boldly chose a new direction for the craft. By “modernizing” brocade, combining traditional patterns with contemporary fabrics, she and her fellow members are creating products that suit today’s lifestyles and consumer needs.

“Pure brocade is beautiful, but it appeals to only a small group of buyers. That’s why I thought we should design a wider range of outfits, both traditional and modern, to reach more customers. This way, we can generate jobs for our members while keeping alive the craft of our people,” Thi Xinh explained.

Among the most dedicated artisans is Thi Gion, who has long devoted herself to brocade weaving in Tra Thanh – Lo O hamlet. By her calculation, it takes a weaver around 3-5 months to complete a meticulous, finely detailed brocade piece, which typically sells for 2-3 million VND. “With this new direction chosen by the group members, I believe brocade will take on a fresh, lighter image while still retaining the distinctive cultural essence of the S’tieng people,” Thi Gion shared.

Each gongbeat resounds today carries a reminder: “Heritage truly lives only when it is shared.”

Since its founding, the group’s members, especially the younger generation, have brought these “modernized” brocade products to cultural events both within and beyond the province. Members of the weaving group have also joined the gong ensemble in performances across cities and provinces such as Hanoi, Tay Ninh, and Ho Chi Minh City. To the rhythm of gongs, S’tieng girls in modern brocade outfits, combined with their distinctive dances, capture the curiosity and delight of audiences. This shows the initial success of the S’tieng community’s efforts to “seek and renew” their own ways of preserving and promoting their culture.

Alongside the establishment of the Brocade Start-up group and participation in performances at tourist destinations, women’s associations – particularly S’tieng women – have sustained the model of “The beauty of brocade uniforms.” This movement has encouraged S’tieng people, from the young to the elderly in Tan Hung commune, to wear brocade attire – whether traditional or modern – when going to public places and community gatherings.

For generations, gongs have been the music, and brocade the attire, of the hamlets and small villages nestled deep in the great forest. Yet today, the sound of the gongs and the beauty of brocade have crossed those boundaries, carrying the sacred spirit of the mountains and forests to places near and far.

By: Thanh Nga

Translated by: Quynh Giao - Thu Ha