Gong culture in the Central Highlands of Viet Nam has been recognized by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Intangible Heritage of Humanity. Gong culture covers five provinces of the Central Highlands: Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Dak Nong and Lam Dong. The masters of gong culture are the ethnic groups of Bahnar, Sedang, Mnong, Coho… The Gong Festival is held annually in the Central Highlands. In the festival, artists from these provinces give gong performances, highlighting the gong culture of their own province. For the ethnic groups of the Central Highlands, gongs are musical instruments of special power. It is believed that every gong is the symbol of a god who grows more powerful as the gong gets older. Therefore, gongs are associated with special occasions in people’s lives, such as the building of new houses, funerals, crop praying ceremonies… The gong sound is a way to communicate with the gods.

1.Where does Gong culture exist?

2.How often is the Gong Festival held?

3.What do artists do in the Gong Festival?

4.Are Gongs pieces of folk music?

5. Is the gong sound a way to communicate with the ancestors?