VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI
INSTITUTE OF VIETNAMESE STUDIES AND DEVELOPMENT SCIENCES
PHAN THI HUONG GIANG

DRUM OCCUPATION IN RED RIVER DELTA
(CASE STUDY OF DOI TAM DRUM VILLAGE,
DOI SON COMMUNE, DUY TIEN DISTRICT,
HA NAM PROVINCE)

MASTER'S THESIS
Major: Vietnamese Studies
Code: 60.31.60
Supervisor: Associate prof. Dr. Le Sy Giao


COMMITMENT

I hereby declare that the researched results in this thesis are absolutely
honest. Information and results published in this thesis are my researching
work. If there is any shortcoming, I will bear all responsibilities before the
training unit and the law. Student

Phan Thi Huong Giang

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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3.1. The traditional drum 48
3.1.1. Thunder Drums: 48
3.1.2. Large drum 50
3.1.3. “De” (base) drum 52
3.1.4. “Khau” (mouth) drum 54
3.1.5. “Bong” drum 55
3.1.6. “Manh” drum 58
3.1.7. “Chien” (fighting) drum 59
3.1.8. “Ngu loi” drum 60
3.1.9. Paper tambourine 60
3.2. Drum of the ethnic group 61
3.2.1. Acur drum 61
3.2.2. “Ghi nang” drum 61
3.2.3. “Tang sanh” drum 61
3.2.4. “ Hagunsit” drum 62
3.2.5. Paranung drum 62
3.3. Modern Drum 63
3.3.1.Jazz Drum 63
3.3.2. “Seng” drum 64
3.3.3. Meca drum 64
3.3.4. “Sai dam” drum 64
Chapter 4: DRUM PRODUCTS IN DAILY LIFE OF DOI TAM 72
4.1. Effects of drums occupation economic life of Doi Tam village 74
4.2. Effects of drum occupation on cultural life of Doi Tam village 78
4.3. Effects of drums occupation on social life Doi Tam village 78
4.4. Open issues 88
CONCLUSION 97
REFERENCES 99
LIST OF INFORMANTS 103

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INTRODUCTION
1. Reason for topic selection
Since a long time ago, drum is a mean of communication of many ethnic
groups, including the Kinh. Drum involves in many human events such as
notifying events of the village (dyke maintenance, flooding, fire, etc.),
notifying festivals, funeral, etc. Drum is very closed to children (notifying
class time, counting for lion/dragon dance team). The drum appears in many
art forms such as chèo, Chầu văn, classical drama and so on. Drum has
become an indispensable part in the spiritual life of man. It contributes to
transmit information quickly and widely.
The drum is a cultural product of each region, each ethnic group. In
Vietnam, from the very primitive material like jackfruit wood and buffalo
skin, craftsman, by their skillful and sophisticated hand, have created
complete drums of different sizes, with a sonorous sound in distant space. The

Doi Tam is not well-known for drum products in major festival but for a
famous drum craft village in the North. Doi Tam drum are present in most
localities throughout the country and involved in many aspects of people’s
lives.
Being located 60km far from the Capital and limited in development of a
craft village, the reputation of Doi Tam village has not been known yet.
Research materials for products of the village are scarce as well.
For the desire of discovering products of Doi Tam village from
formation, material, structure and classification, the writer wants to get closer
access to the life of a craft village in northern delta. Also, the writer wants to
go further to find out shortcomings and disadvantages of the village and
propose solution to make the village and its products more complete and
public and to have closer look at the reality of “development process of
human culture is a continuous succession. What remains today and people
determine to preserve is the unique of national culture".

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2. Scientific and practical meaning
* Scientific meaning
Presently, there are not many writings about Doi Tam village,
particularly, general study on the village. The project of “drum occupation in
Red River delta (case study of Doi Dam drum village, Doi Son commune,
Duy Tien district, Ha Nam province)” will contribute to enrich the materials
sources on the village. The drum product of the village will be systematically
presented from formation conditions and factors, type of drums to its meaning
to people’s lives in the Doi Tam village. Readers will have scientific and
comprehensive view on the products of the villages not only in the past but in
the present.
* Practical meaning
Doi Tam drum craft village really became famous after making thunder

4. History of issue study
The products of Doi Tam drum craft village have important meaning in
people’s lives, but have not been satisfactorily studied and understood. There
is hardly any intensive document on drum of the village. The drums are only
mentioned to in general in Traditional craft village of Vietnam book by Pham
Con Son, the reader know the name, products and formation time of the craft
village.
Products of Doi Tam is mentioned much in internet journals such as Ha
Nam Portal, marketing websites of enterprises in Doi Tam or e-journals
including vietbao.vn (Article: Doi Tam drum craft village), zing.vn (Article:
strange customs in Doi Tam drum craft village), anninhthudo.vn (Article: Doi
Tam drum craft village by Thanh Phuong), baomoi.com (Article: Doi Tam
drum craft village), baodatviet.vn (Article: Doi Tam – a thousand-year drum

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village). However, above articles are mostly report mentioning to most
common information about Doi Tam drum craft village such as origin of
formation, materials, processes of producing drums and the most typical
craftsman and drum products of the village (the drum served in 990
th
, and
1000
th
year anniversary of Thang Long – Hanoi).
There is a very careful and meticulous study on Doi Tam drum village,
the Final Project of “Drum manufacturing occupation in Doi Tam village, Doi
Son commune, Duy Tien district, Ha Nam province” by Ms. Nguyen Thu
Huong. The thesis scientifically and specifically described the drum village:
formation, the founder, production processes and its effects on aspects of
people’s lives in Doi Tam. The author; however, focusing in studying

primitive communal system into a higher socio-economical form, that is
division of social labour. History of ancient society experienced three times of
social labour division, including: The first time, breeding separated from
cultivation; the second time, craft separated from agriculture; the third time,
commerce appeared. After the first labour division, both breeding and
cultivation developed with the application of breeding into cultivation. The
society has certain changes; there appeared private ownership, the society is
divided into slave and slave holder class.
Metal was discovered and metal tools helped to increase labour
productivity. The metal manufacture, textile, ceramic industries and
agricultural product process are more and more developed. As the result, the
craft is separated from the farming to become an independent occupation.
Since then, various crafts were formed and developed.
The appearance of many professions in production has generated demand
for goods exchange in society. The development of commodity production
leads to the development of trade which was later separated as an independent
sector. This labour division made profound changes in society with the advent
of merchant class.
Thus, the craft has been formed since ancient time with the division of
social labour and the establishment of craft villages over the time
development.

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Craft village is a cultural and socio-economic environment. Craft village
in Vietnamese is a term that refers to communities, mainly in outskirts and
rural areas, a joint production of traditional craft products of the same type.
Craft village is often characterized by the unique, typical and not only
economic but also cultural tradition. Findings of archeology and the historical
evidence have proven that Vietnam craft villages were born thousands of
years ago. Together with the development of agriculture, many craft careers

different external structure as well as low or moderate tune; it also depends on
which drum the drummer wants to play to make a complete song with the
help of other musical instrument.
Drum is musical instrument of many parts of the world such as Japan,
China, Nepal, Mongolia, India, Indonesia, Canada, Kenya, Peru, and Ecuador.
In general, the drums called Denden-daiko in Japanese are the toys for children and
also the musical instrument of monks in Buddhism in Nepal, Mongolia and India.
Materials of drums are different from each place; it depends on natural
conditions of each country. In Japan, drums are made of wood and paper, but
in other countries, animal skin is used to cover the drum surface. In china,
drum surface is covered by plastic. In Kenya, cement tools are used to beat
the drum. Decoration in drum surface is diversified and attractive, zebra is
seen in the drums in Kenya and tropical bird is in drums in Ecuador. Drums
make unique marker reflecting culture of each country.
In Vietnam, a tropical country with rich cultural tradition, drums have
had close relation with people since ancient time. Through the ups and downs
of history, drums increasingly play an important role in the cultural life of the
nation. Drums appeared in every large-scale or small-scale cultural event of
the country and participated in many activities, important milestones in the

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life of everyone. Speaking of space, it is impossible for us not to mention to
Doi Tam drum village – a craft village well-known not only in northern delta
but also all over the country.
1.1. Cultural space of Doi Tam drum village
Doi Tam or Giap Ba, Doi Son commune, Duy Tien district, Ha Nam
province is a separate administrative unit established during the separation of
villages. It is one of three villages: Doi Son, Doi Nhat and Doi Nhi or Giap
Nhat, Giap Nhi and Giap Ba.
Doi Son is located in the South East of Duy Tien district which includes

locates in the Northwest of Doi Mountain. Center of the village is an ancient
communal house worshiping tutelary gods – Two founders of drum draft.
Founder is a sacred concept in the spiritual life of each craftsman. It is
taught by our ancestors that “everyone has a job though poor or rich”. A job is
created for the demand of living, and aesthetic. Any job starts by the
invention, creativeness of one or many people who are called the founder.
Back to ancient time, people of Dong Son culture knew how to cast
copper drums with sophisticated techniques (2500 years ago). So, when was
wood drum created and by whom?
In the myth of local people, drum craft was formed 1000 years ago. It
comes from ancient time that one day while two brother of Nguyen family are
passing Doi mountainous area they saw many beautiful jackfruit trees so they
decided to choose this place for settlement and handed down drum career.
The older brother Nguyen Duc Nang and the younger brother Nguyen Duc
Dat chose strong young and skillful people to teach them drum career. Until
one day, they were informed that the King Le Dai Hanh would hold plaughing

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festival here, two brother decided to make a special drum to welcome the
king. That drum was completed in spring of 987.
Other myth says that: Drum career has existed for very long time, no one
remembers. They only know that Mr.Nguyen Quy Cong or Phuc Nang in Han
script is now being worshiped as the founder and founder’s grave is built as
imperial tomb in the eastern side of Doi Mountain.
It is said by People in Doi Tam that, when the King Ly Cong Uan was
moving Hoa Lu capital to Thang Long and passing Chau River, Doi Mountain
he heard very beautiful drum sound from Doi Tam village and allowed local
people to come and settle in the capital, thus the drum street is formed and
widely developed. The drum career from Doi Tam village has been well
known since then.

pier, footwear for soldiers.
At that time, the Government prevented superstition, Doi Tam craftsmen,
though they already had bicycles to go and make drums for other
communities but they had to make the drums on a hill and could not try the
drums after making as they might get arrested.
Boys at Doi Tam village were taught how to make small drums since
they were at 12 or 13 years old and they would go along with their father and
brothers to make big drums. Thunder drums could be made by healthy and
skillful men only. Doi Tam craftsmen could make any type of drums: drums
for temples, drums for traditional operetta, drums for schools, and drums for
mid-autumn festival, etc. In the past, craftsmen could make up to twenty
thousand drums and sold everywhere.
Innovation time brought back many changes to Doi Tam drum making
village. People got interested in their spiritual lives, pagodas and temples
were built everywhere leading to the demand for drums. Especially, after the
Government restricted people from setting off firecrackers, drums were more

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and more common used. In the past, firecrackers were used in most of the
events, now it is the drums to be used.
Over the thousands of years, Doi Tam villagers still keep and have been
developing their traditional industry. Doi Tam drum making village became
famous of their traditional industry after making the drums for Thang Long -
Hanoi 990 years event (in 2000). In October, 2004, Ha Nam granted a
certificate recognizing Doi Tam drum making village as a traditional craft
village. And in November, 2007, the village was granted with the credit of
“Typical Craft Village of Vietnam” by Vietnam Association of Craft Villages.
Doi Tam drum making village managed to keep their traditional industry
over the economic depreciation period by helping each other among the
villagers. Nowadays, Doi Tam craftsmen are still trying to keep their

helping to burry”, and “the family will be cursed for 3 generations”. The
village’s secret is for the villagers only. The curse is embedded in every Doi
Tam villagers’ memory of all generations.
Wherever they go, Doi Tam craftsmen still follow their regulations. The
know-how-to secret is kept within the families. Even the chief drum maker
would not let his assistant know all the skills. In the past, the formula for
making the drum rim, and taking measurements, etc., are kept in secret, only
the chief worker knows.
Though the industry is very competitive, the relationship among the
craftsmen is not affected, especially among craftsmen who have the same
mentor. There is also an article in the regulation saying that: If a worker has a
new contract and there is another worker in his team, there are two options. If
the other worker already removed the drumhead, the one who has the contract

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would offer that worker a meal before letting him off the work. And the other
worker would not ask for a share in the work. If the other worker is making a
bargain with the one who orders, both the craftsmen will cooperate to make
the drum and will share the pay. If the other worker does not agree with the
bargaining price and another worker can work with that price (lower price),
he can have the contract.
Mutual assistance is also typical in the drum making industry. A working
who is making a drum, but runs out of material, can borrow materials, and
even helpers, from another team.
There are some forbidden in the process of making drums such as women
are not allowed to climb onto the drums, especially the drums for worship
purpose. Men are not allowed to have sex for 1 week before and during the
making of drums to keep the drums sound good and loud enough.
Conclusion 1
Thus, in the point of cultural origin, Doi Tam drum craft village locates

satisfied, the key to nailing drum fixed to the body. The drum sound quality
depends on the skill and standard of the workers…
2.1.1. Wood
First of all, timber to do the drum that is jack fruit wood. This wood is
yellow, smooth plastic, wood grain is very small and very soft, rarely warped
by the effects of weather, degree of the heat climate, little vermin. These
properties are very essential for doing the drums as well as for the
convenience of worshiping and othe appliances ( foot candles, incense tubes,
trays…). Jack wood also have one other characteristic is the be likely to enjoy
music, amplified. When creating a pair of cylindrucal sealed container, this
wood become a powerful and standard thing.

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Jack fruit wood consists of three parts: the outer shell of wood is rough,
dark brown, the inside of the timber class – divided into two categories: the
first layer of jack fruit wood, called wood “feeling” in white and divivory to
resistance weaker the the inner layer, inner layers of jack fruit wood called
“core” has bright, that is very yellow.
Drum “bare core” meetings (full wood core) is the truth ideal, because
the wood core strong, fared and “older” than should not suffer, with srand
great force. Doing the drum, the “bare core” (full wood core) is the best ideal,
because the wood core strong, hard and “older” than should not suffer, with
srand great force.
Days ago, people in other places often carry wood to Doi Tam village
to sale, or the workers go to any where often take saw, plane to do the drum is
place as required, taking wood at the place. Now jack wood is rare the wood
in the village is not enough to provide to do the drum. Doi Tam workers
usually order or purchase processed jack fruit wood in the different place,
sawn chips available at various facilities in the areas of the other provinces by
the Doi Tam, that submitted there. Northern areas now jack fruit wood are