On our trekking trip to explore the lives and customs of the Pako people, we were lucky enough to meet elder Quynh At who is honoured as a ‘living treasure’ of the Pako people in Le Trien hamlet, Hong Trung commune, in the mountainous A Luoi district of Thua Thien – Hue city province.

A talented gong performer

Elder Quynh At is believed to be over 100 years old, but he says he can’t remember how old he is. But he just keeps in mind he was born in a young rice season and he cannot remember how many young rice seasons he has lived through. He has had a passion for gongs since he was a child. Whenever there was a festival in the village, he followed his father, one of the best gong performers in the Pako community at the time, and listened passionately to the enchanting sounds of the gongs.

“I was clever enough that it only took a few days to learn the gong melodies under my father’s instruction”, he said.

He practiced silently by himself until at A Rieu festival, the largest festival of Pako people, he took his father’s place and surprised people with a dazzling gong performance.

When his father passed away, Quynh At followed in his footsteps and became a gong performer at festivals

“When he was young, Quynh At represented the Pako people to play gongs in cultural exchanges among ethnic groups not only in his homeland of Thua Thien-Hue, but also Quang Tri and Quang Nam provinces. He was always the pride of our community at those events,” said Ho Van Hanh, Secretary of the Hong Trung commune Party committee.

During our trip, we had the good fortune to watch the elder playing the gong while dancing beside the burning stove. “Although it’s a tiring job, the sound of gongs and pan-pipes are such priceless treasures that should be preserved and passed down to the younger generations,” he said.

A Luoi district is home to more than 18,000 Pako people but most of them, being busy earning a living, are unaware of preserving their culture, particularly the gong performance. As a result, few Pako people today are able to play the gong, much less play it properly.

An aged village elder

Quynh At is said to have been born into a well-off family and become known for his outstanding gong performances and his soothing singing voice. His gong beats resounded in the mountains and forests, and his Ang Krao and Ang Qoai horns won the hearts of many young women.

Because of his prestige and talent, elder Quynh At was the village chief from the French colonial times until he retired in 2005, making him the person to hold the position for the longest time.

Despite his advanced age, Quynh At still tries to conduct a gong-playing class for young people on the first days of each month. “I will hand over what I’ve learnt from my father to posterity, no matter how hard it is,” he said.

Source: Nhan Dan