In the cultural life of the Cham people, music plays a particularly important role, associated with beliefs, festivals and community activities.
The sounds echoing from traditional musical instruments create a sacred atmosphere, containing cultural depth, reflecting the rich spiritual life of the Cham people through many generations.
Among the traditional musical instruments of the Cham people, the trio including Saranai trumpets, Ghinăng drums and Paranưng drums is considered the soul of the ceremonial orchestra.
These are not only musical instruments used for performance but also carry symbolic meaning in the spiritual beliefs of the Cham people. Accordingly, Saranai trumpets symbolize the head, Paranưng drums represent the body, and Ghinăng drums symbolize the legs, forming the image of a unified body.
For the Cham people, these musical instruments are considered sacred objects, so before each Katê festival season, the people perform rituals and ask for permission from the gods before using them.
The sounds of drums and trumpets echoed in the rituals as an invitation to the gods, while expressing wishes for a peaceful life, favorable harvests and harmonious nature.
Paranưng drums are round in shape, only covered in skin on one side and are often hugged in front of the chest by artisans when performing. The Cham people consider this type of drum as a symbol of the human chest and heart.
When performing, the artisan flexibly combines his hands to create many different low and high sounds, contributing to creating a typical rhythm for Cham music.
Meanwhile, Ghinăng drums always appear in pairs and are placed diagonally when performed. One side of the drum faces down to the ground, the other side faces up to the sky, expressing the concept of yin and yang harmony in the spiritual life of the Cham people. The artisan uses both hands and combines sticks to create strong, urgent but still artistic rhythms.
The Saranai trumpet plays the role of leading the melody for the entire orchestra. This instrument is made from many materials such as wood, copper, buffalo horn or ivory, with a structure consisting of the blowing part, trumpet body and trumpet speakers. The sound of Saranai echoes, resonates, often starting dances or transitions in each performance.
In the traditional festivals of the Cham people, especially the Katê festival, the sound of trumpets harmonizes with the sound of drums and flexible dances, creating a space imbued with mythical colors. These sounds are not only artistic but also convey thoughts, beliefs and aspirations for the connection between people and heaven and earth.
According to the Cham people's belief, the trio of musical instruments Saranai, Ghinăng and Paranưng symbolize heaven, earth and people. Therefore, the fact that these musical instruments are always performed together is an expression of harmony between heaven - earth - people in cultural and religious life.
Tourists when coming to the Village of Culture - Tourism of Vietnamese Ethnic Groups have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the unique cultural space of the Cham people, listen to the sound of traditional musical instruments and discover more unique cultural values of Vietnamese ethnic groups.
