| Folk Arts - Hmong Music: Talking InstrumentsBy Cliff Sloan
Hmong music and Hmong language are inseparable. More so than in almost any other culture, Hmong people do not distinguish between the sounds we call “music” and the “musical” way that words can be sung. This is not only true for vocal performances. It includes instrumental music as well. It is widely held that words can be “spoken” by musical instruments, and that the poetry for these “words” played instrumentally is identical to that of songs. One rarely encounters more than one person performing at a time, and nearly never accompanying songs.
There are two ways of categorizing songs. The most common is by kwv txhiaj (pronounced “kew TSEE ya””. Each kwv txhiaj is defined by the nature of the words, such as love songs, orphan songs, education songs, laments of the woman about to marry, etc. The other way songs are defined is by melody, or suab (literally, voice, pronounced “shoowa”). The suab is only an indicator or regional style, and gives no clue as to the meaning. In fact, it is possible to take any song text, and sing it to nearly any melody. It is equally possible to take a given melody, and sing songs of every possible mood to the identical melody.
Words to kwv txhiaj songs are always improvised. This includes the generation of rhymes and rhyming puzzles, where the successful rhyming resolution to a series of intricate word-plays is a vital aspect of the song's aesthetics. Singers are evaluated by their skill with words, not by the sound of their voice. A woman with a clear and beautiful voice might earn many marriage proposals, but her skill with poetry is what people listen for.
There are many types of kwv txhiaj, although some types are considerably more popular. The most common, especially during New Year celebrations, is kwv txhiaj plees, or love songs. When a young man expresses his interest in a young woman, especially during the New Year's ball-tossing game, she would be expected to respond in an appropriate manner. Traditionally, this would have been singing a kwv txhiaj plees to him. A good performance would earn her family a higher bride price.
Within the realm of secular music, one also finds many types of musical instruments. These include the following:
Ncas (pronounced njaa!): a thin strip of brass with a blade cut out from it. This buzzing metal blade is amplified and the sound quality altered by the whole mouth, similar to the jew harp. This is the quintessential instrument of courtship. Its soft sound encourages a sort of secrecy between two young people in love.
Raj is a category of small wind instruments. The word itself refers to any tube of wood, including those used to carry water. Two types are most common: Raj nplaim (pronounced Jahm blai): a long bamboo tube with a brass reed; raj ntxhiam (pronounced Jahn jeeya): a fipple flute, similar to the recorder.
These are all used in a light-hearted, social way. Despite the fact that the instruments are playing words rather than melodies, the texts tend to be restricted to courtship themes.
Nplooj (pronounced mblong) is a leaf. This is a very loud instrument which can be heard for miles. A strong leaf is folded gently, placed in the mouth and blown forcefully. The sound is a high-pitched sound, manipulated by pulling on the leaf.
Nkauj nras ncas (pronounced NGAU nanjaa): This is the Hmong term for an instrument of Lao and Tahi origin called so duang. The Lao expression “si so” entered in Hmong; many people then refer to it as xim xos. It is a two-stringed bowed instrument, with the bow passing between the strings. This is the only instrument that can be used to accompany songs, and only if the player is singing simultaneously. The first performer to do this, the late Sai Yang, first began the practice in the mid-1970’s.
There is another aspect of Hmong musical performance, the vast number of chants associated with religious activity. This includes marriage negotiation songs, spirit callings (called hu plig, songs to summon spirits to bless a house or occasion), healing songs (similar to hu plig, where ancestors are summoned to guide the ill person's soul to proper action) and funeral songs. The funeral ceremonies also call for laments played on the qeej (pronounced “keng”). These are long pieces with extensive memorized texts that give instructions to the dead person's soul on making the transition from the world of the living to the world of the spirits. The qeej and the singer will usually alternate verses in a ritual that may last three days.
Another part of the ritual is an acrobatic dance called dhiam qeej tawj qeej (jumping qeej, spinning qeej). In this, the qeej player dances while playing. The dance is full of meaning; every gesture is part of the message, a metaphorical depiction of the journey to the ancestors from the material world. The dance has worked itself into a secular life, too; competitions are routinely held for the best dancers, especially during New Year.
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