Ca Dong traditional musical instruments revived in Quang Ngai

In the Son Tay Ha commune of Quang Ngai province, traditional musical instruments of the Ca Dong people are being revived. One unique instrument is the ‘water đàn’, which uses the natural force of flowing streams to produce sound.

Artisans construct the instrument using bamboo, lo ô, and forest vines. By directing stream water through a trough, the weight of the moving water pulls a system of strings that vibrates the bamboo tubes. Historically, these instruments were placed near fields to provide sound and help protect crops, but they had largely disappeared due to changes in forest landscapes and farming practices.