(VOVworld) – The Rong house of the Ba Na is a cultural venue for all villagers. Its typical architecture shows a harmony with nature and effectively protects the villagers from harsh weather and wild animals.
People enjoy a festival in front of the Rong house |
Every hamlet of the Ba Na has a Rong house which is made of precious sindora and iron wood. The house frame has no collar beams, only pillars tied to each other by rattan strips and creepers. A normal Rong house is 12 m high, 12 m long, and 8 m wide and can accommodate 80 to 100 people. Some hamlets build their community house as high as 18 m to show off their strength and wealth.
A Rong house has a large front corridor and its hammer-shaped, thatched roof rises high in the sky symbolizing man’s power over nature. Several long wood beams are set crosswise to support the heavy roof and anchor the frame against strong winds in the storm season.
A Ba Na Rong house in the Museum of Ethnology in Hanoi |
The house’s floor is 2 m above the ground. The house has a pair of stairs, a 7-step staircase for men on the left side and 9-step staircase for women on the right side. Central staircases are reserved for senior people during community rituals.
The Rong house is where village patriarchs discuss community issues and teach young people about their traditions and culture. It’s also a museum for the group’s ancient, sacred items. Nguyen Hoang Tan is visiting a Rong house: “This is the first time I’ve been in a Ba Na stilt house. It’s interesting to see and touch these unique products. The furniture and decorations create a warm space. I want to learn more about their culture.”
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A Rong house is an artistic work and the pride of the Ba Na. A 1999 survey by the Kon Tum provincial culture sector found that 260 of the 625 ethnic hamlets in the province have Rong houses. The culture sector has paid special attention to preserving Rong houses.
A Rong house of the Ba Na was built at the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology in Hanoi. Luu Hung, Deputy Director of the Museum, said: “Cultural values, including the Rong house of the Ba Na, have fallen into oblivion. If we don’t have preservation policy, this traditional architecture will soon become a thing of the past. As an ethnologist, I would regret if we lost this cultural, architectural heritage.”