
How Elder A Lang Doi Keeps Co Tu Culture Alive
Giữ lửa văn hóa Cơ Tu
Source: Vietnamnet
A Lang Doi, born in 1964, is a Co Tu village elder in Da Nang. He is skilled in woodcarving, building traditional Guol houses and playing dozens of traditional instruments.
Doi spends his time teaching younger people to play gongs, dance and carve wood. He does this not only in his own village but also through cultural exchange programs that travel across Vietnam, sharing Co Tu music, rituals and stories with new audiences.
In 2019 he helped create a Co Tu cultural space at Toom Sara in Hoa Vang Commune, where traditional Guol and Moong houses were built according to old methods. The following year, in mid‑2020, he taught performers at the Nguyen Hien Dinh Tuong Theater how to dance, drum and keep the gong rhythm.
His work has been officially recognised. He was identified as one of 26 outstanding artisans receiving a certificate of merit from the Dong Giang District People’s Committee for preserving ethnic cultural identity.
Children are learning directly from him. Fifth‑grader A Ting Quy, a member of the village gong ensemble, says Doi taught her the rhythms step by step. She now hopes to teach younger children the same songs and dances.
Doi’s story shows that when elders pass their knowledge through teaching, performance and community projects, a minority’s heritage can survive and inspire future generations.
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