Going through many generations, the traditional drum-making craft of the Co Tu people has gradually faded, remaining only in the memories of a few elders. In Doi Village, Khe Tre Commune, artisan and village elder Vuong Van Cua is one of the last people still preserving the ancient secrets of making traditional Co Tu drums.

The Co Tu people in hamlet 5, Nam Dong commune (merged from Huong Xuan, Thuong Nhat and Huong Son communes) still call Village Elder Tran Dinh Lua (72 years old) the “living treasure” of their village. To this day, he is one of the few remaining people who preserve the sacred sound of the gong that has been intertwined with generations of the Co Tu people.

Under the majestic roof of the Guol, amidst the resonant gongs of the festive season, the Co Tu people of Doi Village are steadily awakening the potential of community-based tourism. They are creating livelihoods right on their homeland while preserving and sharing the traditional cultural values of their village.

In the festive atmosphere of the “Colors of Spring in the Highlands” celebration in A Luoi, amidst the “tung tung da da” dances and echoing gong sounds, I was fortunate to witness a special ritual of the Co Tu people - the An Ninh Pa Nua festival. This is one of their ancient traditional ceremonies, expressing the sacred feelings of the bride’s family toward the groom’s family after many years of being in-laws.

"I want each of my works not only to be beautiful but also to tell a story about Co Tu people, their life, their beliefs and their traditional values left behind by their ancestors,” said Pham Van Ve, a 26-year-old man with a passion for portraying his ethnic identity through wood carving.

The village elders and young people here appreciate and are aware of preserving traditional culture and promoting this unique art form.