In May 2023, the Vietnamese Institute for Musicology collaborated with the Department of Culture and Information of Ngọc Hồi district to carry out the traditional music collection of the Brâu people in Pờ Y commune, Ngọc Hồi district, Kon Tum province.
The Brâu ethnic group in Vietnam has a small population, with 500 people living in Pờ Y commune. Despite having a small population, the Brâu people’s folk music is rich and unique. They preserve and practice many types of folk songs and music, including: ritual and festival music such as tha gong performances, gong performances, and dances; various types of music in daily life such as bamboo gong ensemble (goong sơng play), u-guốt solo, bôồng bôông solo, lor flute blowing; lullabies and love songs. The Vietnamese Institute for Musicology collected a unique type of musical instrument ensemble known as the đinh bụh ensemble.

Đing bụh is a primitive musical instrument played by women. It consists of one or two ancient bamboo pipes that are about 1.3 meters long and hollow at both ends. During the performance, the women clap their hands in front of one end of the bamboo pipe to create a flow of air through it, or they clap directly on the pipe’s mouth to produce various sounds. Performers collaborate to create distinctive musical rhythms and melodies.

Those interested in this field can access the collected documents, including audio-visual files, fieldwork reports, and interview information, which were completed and stored in the library of the Vietnamese Institute for Musicology.

NGUYỄN VƯƠNG HOÀNG