Held at Dai Doan Ket Square in Pleiku Ward, the event brought together 40 Jrai artisans from the Pleiku Roh village gong team in Dien Hong Ward. Several performers took to the stage alongside family members, with fathers, sons and siblings playing gongs and singing traditional folk songs across generations.
One of the youngest participants was five-year-old Puih Thắng, who performed several traditional pieces with his father, Puih Than.
According to Puih Than, his son has attended community gatherings and become familiar with gong music and traditional xoang dances since the age of three.
"My son now joins the team in performances both inside and outside the province. Our family is proud to see his passion for the gongs. I hope he will continue preserving and sharing gong culture so that one day he can perform for both local people and visitors," Puih Than said.
The nearly two-hour programme featured performances rooted in Jrai cultural traditions, including a welcoming ceremony, the Pơ Thi Festival, a Victory Celebration, a medley of ethnic musical instruments titled "Echoes of the Great Forest," a solo performance on the Central Highlands lithophone to greet the sun and Jrai folk songs.
Visitors were also invited to explore the traditional gong cultural space, try indigenous musical instruments and sample local cuisine.
Among those attending was Vo Quang Thuy Van from Thong Nhat Ward in Gia Lai Province, who joined the artisans in singing and dancing to the rhythm of the gongs.
Born and raised in Gia Lai, Van said the music brought back memories of her younger years performing in provincial art troupes.
"I was born and raised in Gia Lai, so the sound of the gongs seems to run in my veins. Every time I hear it, my heart beats in time with each rhythm," she said.
Van said the programme's focus on Vietnamese Family Day encouraged her to bring her children so they could experience traditional culture firsthand and develop a deeper appreciation for preserving it.
The event also attracted visitors from outside the province. Nguyen Thi Xuan Loan and her family from Rach Gia Ward in An Giang Province stayed until the end of the programme, watching the performances and joining the xoang dances with the artisans.
"I had only seen gong performances on television or in newspapers before. Experiencing them in person today was truly enjoyable. I especially appreciate seeing so many families performing together because it is a meaningful way to preserve and pass on traditional cultural values to future generations". Loan said.
As the evening concluded, the sound of the gongs echoed across the mountain town, bringing together residents and visitors in a celebration of cultural heritage and the enduring role of families in passing traditional values from one generation to the next.
