BHG - The origin of the Khen is told by the Mong people that, long ago, on a mountain top, there was a happy family with 6 sons, all of whom sang well and played the flute well. When they played the flute together, the sound of the flute rose like the wind in the forest, as melodious as birds singing, as murmuring as a stream, as rushing as a waterfall. Time passed, and the parents of the 6 sons passed away due to old age and weakness. Too sad, the 6 sons cried for many days and nights without stopping, until they lost their voices. They used their flutes to continue playing, mourning for their parents. Moved by the sacred mother-child love, the gods appeared in a dream to the eldest brother, teaching them to combine the flutes of the 6 brothers to create a musical instrument, symbolizing unity and solidarity, to replace the hearts of the 6 sons. That musical instrument was called Khen. The Khen has since then been attached to and accompanied the life cycle of every Mong person on the harsh mountain top, carrying the heroic will and strong aspiration of every Mong boy conveyed in the Khen melodies.

Impressive panpipe dance.

As a locality with over 90% of ethnic minorities living, mainly Mong people, in recent years, Dong Van district has resolutely carried out the preservation of traditional culture. The Mong Panpipe Festival is considered one of the major festivals, clearly demonstrating the journey of preserving, promoting and spreading traditional cultural values. After 10 years of organization, the Mong Panpipe Festival in Dong Van district has actively contributed to building the tourism brand, while spreading the sound of Mong panpipes widely at home and abroad.

Recently, the 10th Mong Panpipe Festival in Dong Van district in 2025 was held with the theme "The sound of the panpipe calling friends" and left many good impressions in the hearts of visitors. The games and competitions at the festival such as: Making labor tools; embroidering Mong ethnic women's costumes; street parade models... vividly recreated the material and spiritual life of the Mong people in the northernmost borderland. Not only did it bring unique and impressive panpipe dances and blowing, but there were also many performances imbued with the cultural identity of other ethnic communities currently living in the district such as Lo Lo, Pu Peo, Tay, Giay, Dao. Thereby demonstrating the solidarity and unity among the ethnic groups on the Stone Plateau. They have been and are unanimous, joining hands, striving to compete in labor, production, and building a cultural life imbued with identity and civilization.

Experience making Mong household items.

Directly participating in the performance at the 10th Mong Panpipe Festival, Ly Mi Cuong, a Mong man from Lung Phin commune (Dong Van) - Champion of the 18th China - Singapore International Music Competition, brought the flute performance "Nui Dem". Unable to hide his emotions, Cuong shared: I myself have had the opportunity to perform and won a number of awards at major music competitions in the country and around the world, but the Mong Panpipe Festival stage is where I always devote all my great love. Being able to perform in my hometown, spreading the good traditional cultural values ​​of my people to a large number of tourists is a boundless pride for me. I hope that the local Party Committee and government will continue to organize traditional festivals to connect the community; promote and introduce the image of my hometown, people, and unique culture of the Dong Van highlands to domestic and international friends.

Comrade Do Quoc Huong, Chairman of Dong Van District People's Committee, said: The art of panpipe dancing of the Mong people in Ha Giang province has been recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a national intangible cultural heritage. In the 10th year of organizing the festival, the district has made efforts to bring many new and attractive activities to tourists. Each activity is a story, recreating the life and long-standing culture of the Mong people and other ethnic groups living in the area. The festival is also a bridge for people, actors and artisans to exchange, learn and strengthen solidarity. Currently, Dong Van district is continuing to direct communes and towns to actively promote and mobilize the teaching of panpipe making and panpipe dancing to the younger generation.

Article and photos: MY LY

Source: https://baohagiang.vn/van-hoa/202505/mot-thap-ky-gop-phan-lan-toa-tieng-khen-mong-4632859/