Young E-de ethnic people in Dak Lak province have taught themselves brocade weaving, gong playing, and folk singing, as part of efforts to preserve and promote their ethnic culture.

Many people were both surprised and excited listening to ei rei singing (duet singing) and ding-nam and ding-puot (wind instrument) playing performed by young E-de people at the cultural and sports festival for ethnic minorities in Buon Ma Thuot City last month.

Y Drim E’Ban, one of the performers, said he and other young E-de in his hamlet don’t want their ethnic culture falling into oblivion. They have tried to learn local songs and pieces of music from their mothers and other elderly people in their hamlet as their own method of preserving their culture.

"I’m happy to join the competition. This is a great opportunity for young ethnic people like me to learn about other cultures while promoting our own.", said Y Drim. 

At first, Y Wan E’Ban of Buon Ma Thuot City’s M’Duk hamlet wanted to follow his older brother and play the gongs. Falling in love with this musical instrument, he asked his parents to send him to gong classes and now he can play both bamboo and bronze gongs.

"It’s fun to play the gong. I’m very proud to contribute to promoting E-de ethnic culture.", said Y Wan.

Although still very young, H’Hoa Nie has a broad knowledge of E-de culture. She often introduce her culture to visitors, who come to watch her father, artisan Ama H’Loan, make traditional Ede musical instruments.

"I’m very interested in our ethnic culture, from making traditional musical instruments and gong playing to daily activities like cloth weaving and cooking. I’m very happy to help visitors understand our culture," H'Hoa told VOV.

Y Dhong Bya showed a great interest in the sophisticated patterns of brocade weaving when he was only 6 years old. However, as a boy, he was not taught how to weave, so he decided to teach himself.

"No one would teach me weaving because I’m a boy. Teaching myself, I have learned all the techniques and now can weave almost every traditional brocade pattern of the E-de people. I sometimes visit remote areas to explore the local weaving patterns. I note them down in the hope of teaching them to younger generations," explained Y Dhong.

VOV5