The Jrai Klong Put music
ABOUT PLEI JRAI
For sustainable community development
The idea of founding Plei Jrai, a culture space which has a “Rong” communal house, some the Jrai traditional stilt houses while organizing and carrying out activities for community projects. All these projects were supported by the Center for Educational Exchange with Vietnam (CEEVN), American Council Learned Societies (ACLS) to restore and preserve Folk Art Culture of Jrai ethnic minority, such as:
- Project 1: Teaching traditional Jrai weaving to Jrai woman groups at Kep village, Dong Da Ward, Pleiku;
- Project 2: Teaching young men at Jut 1 village, la Der commune, la Grai district, how to construct Jrai traditional musical instruments Ting-ning and K’ni out of bamboo;
- Project 3: Teaching young men at Jut 1 village, la Der commune, la Grai district, Gia Lai Province, how to play Jrai traditional music with the two instruments Ting-ning and K’ni;
-Project 4: Training local young men how to carve traditional Jrai statues from wood, for local Jrai communities to use at tomb sites in graveyard in
Kep village, Dong Da Ward, Pleiku.
- Project 5: Organize training classes for a group of 15 Jrai young men at Jut 1 village, la Der commune, la Grai district, Gia Lai Province, to collect bamboo and learn to make traditional wind chimes used in Jrai households in the province.
- Project 6: Collecting and publishing two Jrai Epic (Sử thi) volumes.
This places will be used as a base of community projects, as well as the place of all the artisans, musicians and students from community projects of Jrai in these activities, including opening a traditional working place for Jrai’s women in the village, ting-ting & k’ni music performance place, and gongs show. At the same time, towards the development of social enterprises, Jrai’s handicrafts brand name, such as baboo wind chimes, traditional weaving, mini musical instruments, the wooden carving statues and so on.
The Jrai Klong Put music
Ting-ning music instrument of the Jrai
K'ni music intrument
Traditional T'rung music instrument
To-rung is a Jrai music instrument, which material is made from bamboo and is used to play for entertaiment of Jrai labor. At night, usually men in the village created one of traditional music instruments, which material were found in the forest. They played it for entertaiment at night after long day hard work, and some of them wanted to express their love to the girl in the group.
Handed t'rung instrument
To-rung is a Jrai music instrument, which material is made from bamboo and is used to play for entertaiment of Jrai labor.
This new style of To-rung, which can be hold by hand and play with a group of other traditional music instruments. It can also be used for decorations in cultural spaces
Two stages of T'rung music instrument
To-rung is a Jrai music instrument, which material is made from bamboo and is used to play for entertaiment of Jrai labor.
Two stages of T'rung is more difficult to play which requires more time for practicing. Small version of two-stages of T'rung can also be used for decorations in cultural spaces
Jrai bamboo wind chimes
From a long time ago, the Jrai bamboo wind chimes were put on slash-and-burn agriculture and used as tool to scare birds and wild animals, which destroyed their crops. At the present, along with the disappearance of slash- and-burn agriculture, there is also the absence of bamboo wind chimes.However, natural sound of wind bells which are hung in front of the house yard as a decoration is still kept as a part of Jrai soul.
Pen box (Kra kom symbol)
Inspired from from Kra Kom (wooden carving statue at tomb of Jrai), Kro kom pen box
Bamboo wind chimes
Nowadays, bamboo wind chimes is made by musicians/creftsmen, which has good nature sounds as well as look beautiful for decoration at your house yard. By hand-toning each tube and selecting a range of sizes, they ensure that each chime will produce a unique melody
Flower vase
Made by bamboo with the decoration of the Jrai traditional brocade pattern.
Bamboo basket of Jrai
Gui (akă in Jrai) is one of the popular basket for daily life of Jrai and the Highlanders, which is used to carry all their tools for farm work, and others. Aka (gui) is made by man, for a long time ago, a Jrai man could married until they could make a aka. ‘The more beautiful ‘aka’ you can make, the more girl will follow you’ said from an old Jrai in the village.
Mini To-rung music intrument
mini to-rung can be use for decoration and play for fun
Wooden carving statue for tomb of Jrai
According artisan Hnao, the tomb of those who have just died won’t be placed a new statue(Kra kom). After two years, leaving tomb will take place, statue will be carving to decorate, and replace human. Nowadys, artisan can carve it for decoration,
Jrai weaving for table cover
Women in Highlands must know how to weave woven fabrics used for table liners, skirts, female tops, scarfs, bags, male tops, baby carriers, and loin-cloths, and 13 - 15 traditional designs attached with above woven fabric.
Journey Follow steps of the Jrai Artisans: From long times ago, Jrai’s livelihood, which was based on the slash- and- burn agricuture, however, when it was nearly harvesting time, there were many birds, wild animals came to eat and destroy their rice and other agriculture products. Thus, Jrai people made dummy of man, eagle,.. and put it on the farm to scared birds and wild animals. Till now, we have less farm than before, however, bamboo wind chime are used as decorative products at home. Bamboo gives our wind chimes a mellow, musical and enchanting sound unlike any other wind chime. All chimes are made by Jrai craftsmen. Each piece is separately hand-carved and handcrafted. Bamboos are used to make these instruments of nature, which each chime is hand-toned by Jrai traditional musicians of Plei Jrai.The musician/craftsmen make chimes good nature sounds as well as look beautiful for decoration at your house yard. By hand-toning each tube and selecting a range of sizes, they ensure that each chime will produce a unique melody.
JOIN US - CULTURE EXPERIENCE TOURS
3.5 Hours Discover Jrai’s Traditional Music World!
- * Meet up with the most popular Jrai artisan and musician: amazing in using knife to make music instruments with his talent to tone its sounds with bamboos
- * His own life and passionate with music and craft work
- * Experience to learn about playing ting-ning and k’ni with Jrai famous musician >>Learn more
Jrai's Kra Kom Experience Tour: Explore Jrai’s daily life and typical sculpture!
* Meet up with the most popular Jrai artisan and musician
* His own life and passionate with music and craft work
* Experience to make your own Kra Kom >> Learn more
Wonderful experience with the Jrai traditional weaving!
Great chance to learnt weaving introductory session, tools and hands-on with the most popular Jrai traditional weaving artisan.
16-07-2014
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Incredible experience of Jrai’s bamboo wind chimes making with Jrai artisan and musician!
* Meet up with the most popular Jrai artisan and musician: amazing in using knife to make bamboo wind chimes with his talent to tone its sounds with bamboos
* His own life and passionate with music and craft work
* Experience to make your own ching kok angina (bamboo wind chimes) >> Learn more
Teaching to construct &play Jrai traditional musical instruments KNi
Young men at Jut 1 village, la Der commune, la Grai district, to construct and to play Jrai traditional musical instruments K’ni from bamboo;
Teaching traditional Jrai weaving to Jrai woman groups
Teaching traditional Jrai weaving to Jrai woman groups at Kep village, Dong Da Ward, Pleiku;
Teaching to construct & play Jrai traditional musical instruments Ting-ning
Teaching young men at Jut 1 village, la Der commune, la Grai district, Gia Lai Province, how to construct and play Jrai traditional music with the two instruments Ting-ning.
Training local young men how to carve traditional Jrai statues
Training local young men how to carve traditional Jrai statues from wood, for local Jrai communities to use at tomb sites in graveyard in Kep village, Dong Da Ward, Pleiku.
Organize training classes to make traditional wind chimes
A group of 15 Jrai young men at Jut 1 village, la Der commune, la Grai district, Gia Lai Province, to collect bamboo and learn to make traditional wind chimes used in Jrai households in the province.
Collecting and publishing two Jrai Epic (Sử thi) volumes
Collecting and publishing two Jrai Epic (Sử thi) volumes. Record oral Jrai folk epics (Sử Thi) from local elder artists, transcribe into written Jrai language, translate into Vietnamese, edit both language versions, and publish 2 Jrai Epic volumes (bilingual) to preserve traditional Jrai folk epics
Testimonials
Nguyen Linh Vinh Quoc, camera man
While the modernization life is growing every day, the Highlanders and Jrai, is well integrated with that flow. Traditional cultures are pushed away and replace with modern technologies. However, the project of teaching and conservation Jrai’s traditional music (Ting-ning and K’ni) class is just great, and happened on time somehow to help the young generation of Jrai to learn and preserve their ancestor's tradition, as well as some knowledges of traditional culture. Through that will preserve traditional music, as well as traditional weaving and carving statue work”.
Ksor Yin (Ama Yami),- Former vice director of Gialai Department of Education & Training
This is the first class to teach traditional instruments of the Jrai people so the methods and experience are perfect, but the effect is very good. The evidence is all practitioners can play traditional instruments of their own ethnic. When approaching these musical instruments, the spirit and attitude of the students are very excited and excited, and through the performance, the practitioners see the sacred, mountains of the Central Highlands that they have long been forgotten.Thank you Siu Hril for revitalizing traditional Jrai instruments, instruments that Jrai boys used to "attract" beautiful mountain girls.
Mrs. Y Phương -Ethnicity: Bahnar
The model of conservation and teaching traditional cultural, music, weaving, and wooden carving statue of Jrai people have achieved the over expectations result, which contributed a part in preserving work, as well as promoting the value of traditional culture of Jrai people in the Center Highlands of Vietnam. Hopefully, the above model will keep go on with the work of some organizations, private sectors, and local government, who have been enthusiastic work in promoting and preservation of the traditional cultural. This approach will keep go on to develop and help the local community development in the Center Highlanders of Vietnam and especially Jrai and Bahnar people in Gia Lai province.
Plei Jrai Team
Hrill Siu
Co-founder Plei Jrai
MA, University of Hawai’i, USA
Over 10 years experience travel industry
Anh Minh Nguyen Dang
Co-founder Plei Jrai
PhD Candidate, EPHE, France, 7 years research work in Central Highlands of Vietnam
Find us on
Website: http://wwww.pleijrai.com
Blog: pleijrai.wordpress.com
Youtube: goo.gl/Z85nL3
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hril-siu-022884b6/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pleijrai/
Trip Advisor: https://www.tripadvisor.com/members/jraip
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pleijrai/
Plei Jrai & Co-founders on media
"Hrill Siu - a young ethnic minority man is dedicated to promoting his community’s culture and tapping into his hometown’s tourism potentials" - TuoitreNews
