Preserving the M’nong Cultural Soul
Amid the vast forests of Lam Dong, where the sound of the wind blends with the rhythm of gongs, M’nong artisans continue to safeguard and pass on the soul of their ethnic culture, ensuring that age-old values do not fade away in the flow of modern life.
Amid the vast forests of Lam Dong, where the sound of the wind blends with the rhythm of gongs, M’nong artisans continue to safeguard and pass on the soul of their ethnic culture, ensuring that age-old values do not fade away in the flow of modern life.
Lam Dong Province is currently home to 29 Meritorious Artisans and 4 People’s Artisans of M’nong ethnicity (including six artisans who passed away before, after, or during the process of awaiting official recognition by the State President).
These artisans are custodians of a wide range of distinctive intangible cultural heritages, including gong culture, folk songs, epics, brocade weaving, indigenous knowledge, and traditional rituals.
With profound knowledge and an enduring love for their ethnic culture, they have become key pillars in preserving, transmitting, and spreading cultural heritage within their villages.
A “Great Tree” of M’nong Culture
In Dieng Ngaih Village, Tuy Duc Commune, there is a man deeply respected by the community — People’s Artisan Dieu Noi, regarded as a “great tree” of M’nong culture.
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Having devoted more than half his life to gongs, he preserves the soul of M’nong gong culture with deep love and pride. Beyond his skilled hands as an artisan, he is a living memory of an entire culture.
Every gong he tunes, every basket he weaves carries his devotion — expressing love for his village and his enduring commitment to safeguarding the cultural spirit of the M’nong over time.
Not only a master gong tuner and performer, People’s Artisan Dieu Noi has also played a vital role in researching and recording historical accounts associated with the heroic leader N’Trang Long.
Even in his later years, he continues to pass on traditional cultural values to younger generations, hoping that these beautiful traditions will be preserved and spread. In him converge cultural memory, ethnic pride, and a deep sense of responsibility to the community.
Keeping the Fire of Brocade Weaving Alive
Born in 1942, People’s Artisan H’Jang of Dak B’lao Village, Kien Duc Commune, is considered one of the most steadfast guardians of the M’nong brocade weaving tradition.
From following her mother and grandmother to learn weaving after working in the fields, for nearly 70 years she has remained devoted to the loom, creating textiles adorned with traditional patterns unique to her people.
To her, every brocade pattern carries its own meaning, closely tied to mountains, streams, people, and village life. Weaving, therefore, is not merely a livelihood but a way of preserving the cultural essence of the M’nong.
Beyond practicing the craft herself, she tirelessly teaches her children and young women in the village, hoping the traditional thread will not be broken amid modern life.
For her lifelong dedication, she was awarded the title Meritorious Artisan in 2015, and in 2019, she was honored with the prestigious title People’s Artisan — a noble recognition of a life devoted to brocade weaving and M’nong culture.
Lighting the Flame for Future Generations
For more than half a century, Meritorious Artisan Thi Ai of Bu Koh Village, Tuy Duc Commune, has also steadfastly kept the flame of M’nong brocade weaving alive. She began learning the craft at the age of 10 and, after over 45 years of practice, has mastered every stage of weaving, creating intricate patterns on skirts, loincloths, blankets, and shoulder bags.
Beyond her craftsmanship, she is deeply respected for her commitment to preserving traditional skills and teaching younger generations.
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Traditional brocade fabrics woven by her students are a great source of joy for Ms. Thi Ai.
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Meritorious Artisan Thi Ai teaching brocade weaving to the younger generation.
She continually seeks to learn and refine weaving techniques, with the aspiration of passing on the craft in a more systematic and sustainable way.
In addition to her own practice, she has actively taught around 30 villagers, participated in training courses, competitions, and festivals, all with the hope that young people will better understand and cherish their traditional craft. In early 2025, she was nominated for the title People’s Artisan — a well-deserved recognition for a lifetime of dedication.
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Echoes of Gongs and Epics
If brocade weaves color into daily life, then folk songs, epics, and gongs resonate with the spiritual soundscape of the M’nong people.
In N’Jrang Lu hamlet, Duc An Commune, People’s Artisan Thi Boh has devoted her entire life to gong performance and folk singing.
She began learning gong playing and folk songs from village elders at the age of 18. Throughout the decades, she has mastered numerous ancient gong repertoires and melodies associated with rituals and festivals of the communitIn Bu Dar hamlet, Quang Truc Commune, Meritorious Artisan Thi Brao grew up immersed in epics, folk songs, and the echoing gongs of the forest.
From the age of 13, she learned songs and gong rhythms from her father. For more than 60 years, despite her age and declining health, she has continued to participate actively in cultural preservation and transmission.
Women Who Guard the Cultural Rhythm
In Sa Pa hamlet, Thuan An Commune, Meritorious Artisan H’Plơ is affectionately known as the “Flower of the Village.”
She is knowledgeable in gong performance, folk singing, and traditional rice wine brewing—cultural streams deeply intertwined with M’nong daily life. From village festivals to large cultural events, she is always present with her gongs and songs.
Over the years, she has trained more than 200 people in folk singing, sowing cultural seeds throughout the community.
Beyond performing, she tirelessly teaches younger generations so that the sound of gongs will not be lost amid modern rhythms. In 2022, she was awarded the title of People’s Artisan, recognizing a lifetime devoted to preserving M’nong cultural heritage.
Preserving Epics Through Generations
In Bu Dar hamlet, Quang Truc Commune, Meritorious Artisan Thi Brao grew up immersed in epics, folk songs, and the echoing gongs of the forest.
From the age of 13, she learned songs and gong rhythms from her father. For more than 60 years, despite her age and declining health, she has continued to participate actively in cultural preservation and transmission.
A New Generation Carries the Flame Forward
Not only elderly artisans preserve the heritage—the cultural stream is now being continued by younger generations.
Meritorious Artisan Y Lanh, from Pi Nao hamlet, Nhan Co Commune, began learning gong performance at the age of ten.
By his early twenties, he was already capable of leading village gong ensembles, bringing the sound of the great forest to cultural exchanges both domestically and internationally.
For Y Lanh, each lesson taught to young people is a way of keeping the cultural fire alive, ensuring that the sound of gongs never fades and that M’nong identity continues to resonate through time.
Sustaining Heritage in Modern Life
In today’s rapidly changing society, where many traditional values face the risk of fading, Meritorious Artisans and People’s Artisans are the core force in preserving and spreading intangible cultural heritage.
They not only practice heritage but also teach it, nurturing cultural pride among younger generations.
According to Le Thi Truc Linh, Deputy Director of the Lam Dong Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, artisans are the creators, custodians, and transmitters of intangible cultural heritage.
In the coming period, Lam Dong Province will continue to implement solutions to preserve heritage in connection with community-based tourism, creating conditions for artisans to practice their crafts while improving their livelihoods and contributing to sustainable cultural development.
Alongside provincial policies, the local authorities where artisans reside also need tailored mechanisms, ensuring coordinated support from provincial to commune levels to enhance the role of artisans and sustainably safeguard intangible cultural heritage.