I rang the gong with the youngest of my original 5 kids.
I just rang the gong and there were all bar one of my original villagers there to witness it. Only Papaya, who was the oldest of the two who fell down the waterfall, had died about four (Isola) years earlier aged just 66. She'd been a hard worker, and it was a shame she missed it. She was the first to become an Elder in the village.

The most recent Elder, Miki, was the gong-ringer. He was a master in Science and Building, and the gong granted wisdom, making him a master Parent, so I also got to see his totem appear as he struck the gong!
