Dak Nong (VNA) – A housedisplaying lithophones was inaugurated on July 30 in Dak R’Moan commune, GiaNghia town, the Central Highlands province of Dak Nong.
Prominent among the guests at the the inaugural ceremony were experts from the United Nations Educational,Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and scientists from the Vietnamese Ministry ofNatural Resources and Environment.
Apart from lithophones of Vietnam’s M’Nong ethnic minority group, the housealso showcases other types of lithophones of ethnic minority groups across theworld.
The house is set to become a tourist destination of the Dak Nong geopark, whichis being assessed by the UNESCO for the global geopark status.
Peoplein the Central Highlands created the rock gong or lithophone, a musicalinstrument made of rocks, thousands of years ago. The sound of the lithophonecan express the happiness or sadness of the Central Highlanders, the mystery oftheir majestic forests, or the murmur of a brook.
The first lithophone of the M’Nong was discoveredin Dak R’lap district, Dak Nong province, in 1993.
The M’nong produced many lithophones. Theycombined rocks of different sizes to create melodies. The long, thick rockscreate deeper sounds while short, thin rocks create clearer sounds.
A lithophone usually has 6 rocks of different sizes. The longest isabout 30 cm, and the smallest 10 cm. They make sounds similar to a 6-tone gongset called a Cung Bor. In ancient times, the M’Nong used lithophones to scareaway wild animals and protect their crops. Later they used lithophones incommunity events such as New Year festivals and celebrations of planting andharvesting.
The M’nong considered rock gongs a way to connect the world of menwith the world of genies and spirits, the present with the past.
For thousands of yearsthe M’nong and other ethnic groups in the Central Highlands have used bronzegongs and they still preserve many sets of lithophones. They play the rockgongs to preserve their cultural values and to maintain a connection with thepast.-VNA
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At the ceremony (Photo: VNA) 
