The melancholic sound of the khen flute drifts through the mist along the mountain slopes, whispering in harmony with the babbling streams and the rhythmic clatter of looms, creating a mystical melody that captivates travelers. The village of A Luoi today bustles with visitors from afar, as the local people have learned to leverage their cultural identity for tourism. Behind these transformations are the tireless footsteps of a Pa Co woman who loves her homeland - That is Ms. Le Thi Them, the former Head of the Culture and Information Department of the former A Luoi District, now the Head of the Party Building Committee of A Luoi 1 Commune.

Amid the majestic Truong Son Mountain, the Pa Co people continue to preserve a sacred festival, where the sound of gongs and drums blends with the flickering red flames. A Rieu Piing is a time to honor ancestors, a communal celebration that illuminates the unique cultural values of the Pa Co community.

In the days leading up to the Mid-Autumn Festival, the children in my neighborhood have been joyfully practicing. Calling it a “unicorn dance troupe” sounds grand, but in fact, it’s just about a dozen kids from grades 1 to 7. One contributes an old drum, another brings a unicorn head or a Mr. Earth mask, while some dig through closets for their mothers’ Ao dai, … all gathered together to form an eager, lively team of little unicorn dancers.

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.

The sound of gongs echoing through the mountains, the graceful spins of Pa Co and Ta Oi (ethnic groups) dances, once thought to belong only to the memory of old festivals, are now alive again in A Luoi 2. Here, a Co Tu girl named A Rel Thuy Linh, along with local youth, continue to nurture their passion, bringing the heritage of their homeland to life with vibrant performances that immerse audiences in the atmosphere of a true festival.

Thousands of audiences joined a vibrant music night at the Noon Gate Square, where new, youthful, and modern sounds echoed while still retaining a strong sense of identity.

I have fully lived through those precious, unforgettable moments - moments where I could touch the echoing sound of waves that bear the names of the DK1 platform soldiers who now rest in the depths of the sea. It was to convey, in the most genuine way, the bravery and steadfastness of these soldiers who have become unshakable fortresses guarding the sea and sky of our homeland.

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.

In Hue City, the number of conductors is not high, and formally trained conductors are even fewer, with currently only one person: Mr. Nguyen Hoang Nhu Y (born 1987), who works at the Department of Composition, Conducting, and Musicology at the Hue Academy of Music.

The Acecook Happiness Concert with the theme "Sounds of Happiness", featuring many outstanding performances, truly captivated a large audience in the ancient capital. It took place on the evening of March 23 at the Huong River Theatre of Hue Academy of Music (1 Le Loi, Thuan Hoa District).