The Grand Song of the Dong people, or “Gal Laox” in the Dong language, is an indispensable part of their culture.
Dong songs have been used as a means to tell stories and express emotions for more than 2,500 years.
The Grand Song is made up of multiple people singing different harmonies and require no conductor or musical accompaniment.
Performing the song require at least three singers, and the more singers, the better the effect.
Gasuo, or the Sound Kam Grand Choir, features elegant sounds and short lyrics.
The melodies imitate natural sounds, such as the tweets of birds and the flow of water. Classic Gasuo melodies are always named after insects, animals or seasons, such as the Song of March.
Gaxiang, or the Ethnics Kam Grand Choir, featuring a gentle melody, and is sung as a plea for social morality.
The song is usually performed in an educational style to communicate the moral principles valued by the Dong people.
Gaji, or the Narrative Kam Grand Choir, is usually composed of multiple story lines and fun dialogues.
Often dubbed as the Dong version of operas, it is usually extremely long, requiring singers to have good memories and rich facial expressions.
