Drum dancing in Tay Ninh province
The land of Tay Ninh boasts many unique intangible cultural heritages, including the Chhay-dam drum dance – a folk art practiced by Khmer people in Truong Tay commune, Hoa Thanh town.
The Chhay-dam drum dance is closely tied to the traditional culture of the Khmer people, the largest ethnic group among the 21 ethnic groups residing in Tay Ninh province. According to records, the Chhay-dam drum dance in this area differs from that performed in some other provinces in the Southern region. Around 1953, the late Cambodian Prince Norodom Sihanouk (1922-2012) gifted the Tay Ninh Holy See a set of Khmer musical instruments, including three Chhay-dam drums. Initially, these drums were used to set a beat during rituals at the Holy See. Later, they were used during dragon and unicorn dances.
Documents also note that Truong Tay commune is the “cradle” of Chhay-dam drum dancing in Tay Ninh. Here, a Khmer family in Truong An hamlet has been teaching Chhay-dam drumming to children for decades. Currently, Ms. Cao Thi Thu Loan (born in 1983) continues her family’s tradition of passionately teaching this special drum dance. The number of Chhay-dam drums in Tay Ninh has risen, and drum dance routines have adapted and grown more diverse. Drum dances are performed during special occasions such as the traditional Chol Chnam Thmay New Year and the Sen Dolta ancestor worship festival.
Mr. Le Minh Tuan, a Chhay-dam drum dance artist (and Ms. Cao Thi Thu Loan’s husband), said he and his dance team often perform at tourist spots in Tay Ninh and at famous Khmer temples. Mr. Tuan shared that the drums are hollowed out from the trunks of old areca palms, with the drumheads made of dried buffalo or python skin. The drum’s base is smaller and connected to a metal stand. A typical drum dance performance includes four to six Chhay-dam drums and two Cuol (gongs), along with Chul (cymbals) and Krap (clappers).
