Category: Uncategorized

By Ta’ Ge

Mél Mool  ni’  go’ meh gôn ah glé’ ah gaaq lèèv, ah koon kbaar gôn, cmbro’ lôôc. Na tèèq juyo’  pryooq. Na yoh oh ôm, na yoh juun pryooq. Glé’ na yat ko’ na da’ gaaq, ko’ ci mah, am véc `môôy bat. Glé’ na yoh k’eey na, “ Mél Mool eey, Mél Mool, koon ba yaam, tmooy ba root.” “Da’ baav, hnooq ra ti’.” Pjua gay k’eey me.  “Mél Mool eey, Mél Mool, koon ba yaam, tmooy ba root.” “Da’ baav, hnooq ra jwaq.” E, ge sam k’eey na thw thi saam. “Mél Mool eey, Mél Mool, koon ba yaam, tmooy ba root.”

E, na véc lè’, `mat gi, e véc. Yat tèèq `naam ni’ jwm mw, jwm mw. Jwm smbrat nay yoh oh ôm ni’, meh swq yoh laac. Yoh oh ôm ni’, ko’ ci mah na go’ am véc. Si gni’, k’eey dqme’ na go’ am gay. Glé’ na cu’ hrñwam, gay tléq kmoq, tlé’q kmooq ni’ le’ le’ lè’. Ge hi guuñ  lèèv swq na juun pryooq da’ ôm da. Nam ge tlèq kmoq dé le’ le’ lèèv, hôôc yoh k’eey Mél Mool ni’ véc,  “Mél Mool eey, Mél Mool, koon ba yaam, tmooy ba root.” “Da’ baav, hnooq ra ti’.”

Ge gay k’eey me, “Mél Mool eey, Mél Mool, koon ba yaam, tmooy ba root.” “Da’ baav, hnooq ra jwaq.” “Mél Mool eey, Mél Mool, koon ba yaam, tmooy ba root.” K’eey thwa thi saam ni’, véc lè’, na véc lè’. Da’ gaaq, ge moot miit moot vèk  prsoor  lôôc, tè ge hlôq vèk sèk pndriik da’ kluaq khan-maak. Hôôc ge yoh prpèèm da’ yéér qoor. Nam na buh ômdiiq gaay root hni’. Ge dwaq kmoq ni’ smbat ôm diiq na ni’ cét jan; téc hrôk jan hnooq môôy jan. Ge smbat, ge lôt téc pa’ cme’ hntar. Na snthréh  ômdiiq dé pic hni’. Hôôc na dar véc da’ gaaq. Véc sook vèk sook miit da’ gaaq hme’ go’ pe’. Sook yèèq da’ khan-maak pndriik, hnooq guuñ vèk miit sèk pndriik yat hni’. Na rvaac moot vèk miit sèk pndriik ni’ yoh sèk prjèl hmbraq glé’ dé. Hôôc na go’ tér ga bak hmbraq dé ni’ dar sè’ du’. Yoh root kuq gi go’ pwat ôm bu’ dé séh da’ tôq uun koon dé be’. Nam glé’ pa’ koon gaay root, go’ moot hmbraq dé bak  dar sè’ yoh hrac, “Sôôr hmbraq sôôr, sôôr cdèq cdèq, sèq cdôôr cdôôr.” T`nok, t`nok hmbraq ni’ am sèq, ñoon ge téc prjèl  krvèh ni’, ôh.

Gaay root kuq gni’, ge maañ, “Bo go’ guuñ Mél Mool root da’ gi adé?” “Root, wak buuc am da’ jah,mah mah am la’ khaat. Na go’ tooq ôm bu’ uun koon dé be’ khi.” Moot ôm bu’ ni’ keh an koon dé be’. Sru, yèèq meh maam. Ge gay bak hmbraq dé yoh to hmmé’. “Sôôr hmbraq sôôr, sôôr cdèq cdèq, sèq cdôôr cdôôr.” T`nok, t`nok hmbraq ni’ am sèq. Yoh root sluq Vaq Khooq, Vaq Reey hni’ ôh. Root sluq Vaq Khooq, Vaq Reey hni’, na go’ guut dé da’ kluaq ôm hni’ ksu’. Ge go’ oor koon dé yat da’ nook hni’. Ge guut am bwan né da’ kluaq ôm Khrooq ni’. Nam ge yat da’ nook hni’, ge `mook koon dé sah “Ô’ (yôq) ci ga tuut s’ooq  hnaay, ci ôôr tèèq siim Tlôttôt, an sba yat khi k’eey lav yo’ ma’, “Ma’, e ma’,Tlôttôt, Tlooqtooq  pnqo’ a’ hèèm.”

Ma’ trnèèm , go’ hlian moot koon gôn hèèm ni’ pnbu’. Yôq ni’ go’ tér juur grwp na, bwan. Bwan lèèv oor yo’ gaay da’ gaaq. An na bo’ koon ni’ na go’ am bo’, khat an glé’ dé bo’. Am bè na, ge hak bwan dé bo’. An na yoh kaal, na go’ am yoh, na an ge yoh, thiaq yo’ hreq ge am bè na, ge bwan dé yoh kaal. Nam ge vér tklôk yoh, na go’ tôôn `nèèk da’ ôm hô’, laac yoh.  Glé ni’ am bay neeq dqme’ ci tèèq an kmbra’ hlian me. Yoh tèèq siim Tlôttôt, na go’ am bay hlian. `Mat gi ge bay neeq nèèv me’ ci tèèq. Ge dwaq kndo’ ploom tèèq pnwr séh koon gôn taay dé’. Hôôc dwaq rveec qèc pnvan koon gôn hèèm dé’. Nam ge brap pnvan koon dé pa’ baar hôôc lèèv, ge go’ tôôn séh ôm ni’ sook kmbra’ dé gni’. Ge am meh pryooq, am hian yo’ pryooq, am chaay klyooq, hnlwp ôm haan dé hni’.

Koon gôn taay ni’ go’ keet klaaq Kléél, twwr khwan da’ lvaaq jôq èèq jôq, broom ôôr lav sah:“Kléél lék lék, kléél looq. Yôq a’ haan da’ kmpôq sluq keet `ya hmbra’, ma’ a’ haan hnta’ sluq keet ka’ twq-ra.” Ge meh hèèm ni’ keet gôn la’ la’, lééq. Lééq, pe’ gaaq , pe’ `moon sih `moon qiim, ñaaq yoh lè’. Môôy mw, ge yoh bwp cmkwn  yoh oh ôm môôy gôn, sqmeh na meh ma’ Liq. Ge hèèt lav, “Sntiik ôm diiq kmpaat ur srô’, ckô’ nam la’ ci mah h’iaar ma’ Liq.” Ma’ Liq ni’ dé’ do’ ômdiiq na thap kdah ge. Ge go’ keet sar, ôôr, “Kuuk, kuuk, kuuk.” Trdoh lwaq Mél ool go’ lôôc `naam `nê’.

Written and shared by:  Thomas Manokoune  

Related Folk Tales/Superstitions

1. (Snta’ rvaay tooc sqkhwaq) String-pulling tiger clan (In English)
2. Story of Mél Mool (In English)
3. Snta’ Rvaay tooc sqkhwaq (tooc hmpiat) (In Khmu)
4. Mél Mool (In Khmu)

Told by:  Ta’ Ge

Yôq gaaq gni’ ah koon cmkwm baar gôn. Hndôk si hnje’ oor koon cmkwn dé yoh gwt cntwr ( meh ñaam hèèl, meh cit raaq phrwa ñaam hqo’ hnooq ñè’ ni’) Yoh gwt cntwr khroon uun.  Root pmgi gay yoh me. Root sqi’ an koon cmkwn ni’ yoh oh ôm, juur oh ôm. Yoh oh ôm bwp koon rvaay go’ yoh oh ôm kaal na lè’; hôôc lèèv ge khwan kvwr lôh sook mah vaak da’ rndôh hrôq kh`nwq côn ôm piik. Na lav yo’ ge sah, “ Gaay mèh, véc mèh, ô’ ci oh ôm , ôm gi piik.” “Da’ baav krviiq val,” ge sah.

Na lav, “Gaay, ô’ ci oh ôm gi, ôm gi piik am le’ wak khi. Ô’ ci véc ci hèèl hré’ dé.”“ Da’ baav krviiq val,” ge lav. Na yat ko’ go’ hreq, cu’ hrñwam, na pak sè khwan pu’ ge, koon rvaay ni’ daq dar véc dé. Na yat ko’ ôm ni’ hèq, daq oh ôm ni’ véc. Root yo’ buaar yôq ma’ ni’ véc da’ gaaq, pic sna taay hèèm ni’ hak dwm dé da’ tuup hré’. Da’ hré’ ah tuup jôq, ah kndruum ni’ lè’. Da’ yéér tmbra’ ah hntu’ ha’ (baq k`eey hntu’ ha’) meh hntu’ yéér tmbra’ hmwan da’ gaaq kmhmu’ dé ni’ lè’.  Taay ni’ dén sbar hmpiat (sqkhwaq) da’ jôq, hèèm ni’ juur da’ hndé’, na guuñ hmeh hiaq lkbwk da’ trdi’ hré’. Na’ k’eey aay dé juur yèèq. “Aay juur yèèq I gnaay meh hmeh da’ trdi’ hré’ maak béq rq’uuq rq’wwq!” Taay na toop hèèm sah: “ Am meh hmeh, ge meh cntwr a’ yôq gwt si hnje.’ ” Pswam, nam lqiñ rywk, yo’ ge taay dén sbar cme’ hmpiat (sqkhwaq) dén pnmèèn hntu’ ha’

gni’. Ah gôn yoh côk moot tooc hmpiat juur kndruum ksu’. Na le lav, “ w , hrôôy ldu’, kmhmu’ lga, tooc tooc lwq sqkhwaq ô’ tèèq hmeh? ( Baq daq k’eey rvaay tooc sqkhwaq) hôôc na `mook hèèm dé yoh hnkwr sqlar prlôq gaaq, nam na reh yoh ci hnkwr prlôq ni’, rvaay go’ tôôn cdwp prlôq ni’, hnkwr gaaq pho-di tiiq thap dap, hèèm ni’ krlwaq yat hni’. Hôôc rvaay go’ guut pôk mah taay ni’

Si gni’ meh mw bah môq. Hèèm ni’ gay ah ju yat da’ kuq, si gni’ ge neeq sah ju dé yoh dwm da’hré’, ge ci yoh la’ yo’ na, ge tlèq kmoq dé prnéék srme’ rooy thrwp côn hlian hriaq nèèc nèèc, ge moot kmoq dé chrwp séh krva’ gook yoh, yoh root da’ yéér tuup ge méc siaq “siat siat duañ duañ” da’ kluaq tuup gni’, méc lwq siaq maam uk sia ria da’ kndruum, “cah gemeh hmeh” ge lav. Ge dé’ kmoq dé ktpat da’ kndruum gaay yèèq da’ bah môq, pathô ge meh maam. Ge daq ga prpèèm da’prnoot ni’, cap kmoq dé `naam ko’ hni’. Rvaay ni’ sam kat blu’, kat plooq, kat ti’, kat jwaq trni’ pan yo’ lôôc lèèv. `maat gi no gaap hlian juur rqdooq. “Gooy yoh, gooy gaay, rqdooq gro’, sqpo’ grôôñ.” Tlôôq ge `mook.Slyuul gaap ti’ juur. Kmoq ge ruay, put khra’ juur khruk hqdooq ni’.

“Ey ô’ lav, gooy yoh gooy gaay, rqdooq gro’, sqpo’ grôôñ.” Pjua slyuul tô gnaay gay gaap blu’ juur, kmoq ge ruaay, put téc kkhra’ khruk. “Ey ô’ lav, gooy yoh gooy gaay, rqdooq gro’, sqpo’ grôôñ.” Pa’ lôôc ah hrôk tô, Slyuul tô ge hô’ gay gaap ok juur, kmoq ge ruay, téc khruk ksu’. Hnooq tlôôq gni’, “ Ey ô’ lav, gooy yoh gooy gaay, rqdooq gro’, sqpo’ grôôñ.” Ge gaap kmpôq ni’, hnooq ah kaaq srooy, juur. Ge qo’ ci am téc ni’, rè’ khuq rèèq, kmoq `nèèk, put téc tuar  rvaay, tqkham ma’ rqdooq, hvaak kmoq ni’ hni’.  Hmñèq bay méc me’ lè’ ge k`eey maañ, “Hnooq me’, hnooq me’ da’ kluaq gaaq?  Bay ah me’ haan lôôc ah? Hèèm cmkwn yo’ ge yat da’ kndruum hnkwr gaaq ni’ daq yèh  sah,  “Ee  hnooq ô’ taay.” Ge daq moot hèèm ni’ véc,. An na dé’ knhni’ na go’qo’, an na dé’ kaal na go’ qo’, ge daq moot na skèp véc. Root da’ kuq da’ gaaq , ge nat am an na lav me’ dé’. “Ba da’ lav meh ô’ em, lav meh ba hak véc em.”

Véc root da’ gaaq , plooy na da’ rqdooq gaaq ni’ lè’, na daq k’eey yôq ma’ dé paaq gaaq, hôôc  phwwn sah rvaay pôk taay dé gni’ an yôq ma’ hmñèq lôôc. Reh yo’ sruat, yôq ma’ yoh yèèq, “ pa-thô!” Rvaay krgul haan twq hrôk tô. Gay yèèq rqdooq, guuñ hrna’ kmoq faak kham yat hni’. Yôq ni’ pôq dwaq hrna’ kmoq gni’ argaay da’ gaaq. Hôôc ge paav-pa’-kaat lav, “Meh me’ phaan rvaay? An meh me’ phaan rvaay gni’ ci an dé’ koon cmkwn (gôn hèèm) ni’, ci an dé’ ploh.” Tè tooq dwaq kmoq faak yoh dèèk an grop  hrna’ ô’ ah gi.  Meh me’ go’ sah meh dé, thap kmoq dé pnfaak, moot kmoq yoh dèèk go’ am thwwk. Gôn gnaay go’ sah meh dé, pèq kmoq dé pnfaak yoh dèèk go’ am thwwk. Lôôc pa’ kuq ni’ am ah

kmoq me’ thwwk, hnooq slah lwq ge gni’ môôy gôn. Yôq na ni’ daq yoh maañ ge:

“Meh koon adé, gôn yoh phaan rvaay?”  Ge luh knsah gla’, luh knsah muum. Ge toop:

“Ô’ am bwan yoh hmeh, srma’ jmmw jmmw, yat da’ gaaq, ôm go’ am bwan dé mum, ruk rèñ.”

“Ni’ ham kmoq mé èh?” “Ci neeq ge, koon ñè’ pic ar `méc eh? Yoh sook yèèq hro kndruum jrap thrni’ khô’.” Yôq yoh côk sook kndruum jrap ni’, bwp kmoq, ge moot plian, tôh hlian krva’ yèèq, meh kmoq faak, pa-thô! Ah maam ctgaat , hnooq meh lwq khuul rvaay kiñ hni’. Ge moot hna’ ni’ dèèk thwwk grop! Ge leey moot koon cmkwn dé pndé’ an meh kmbra’.  Sna daq dwaq rvaay tooc sqkhwaq (hmpiat) ni’ meh snta’. Daq dé sri’ rvaay han k`ni’.

Written and shared by:  Thomas Manokoune

Related Folk Tales/Superstitions

1. (Snta’ rvaay tooc sqkhwaq) String-pulling tiger clan (In English)
2. Story of Mél Mool (In English)
3. Snta’ Rvaay tooc sqkhwaq (tooc hmpiat) (In Khmu)
4. Mél Mool (In Khmu)

Told by Ta’ Ge

This Mél Mool was a person who had a husband already, she had two children, all boys. She went flirting with the dragon, at the time her husband  went to call her, “Mél Mool eey Mél Mool, your child is crying, your people have arrived.” She replied, “Don’t rush me, I’m still washing my hands.” Later he went to call her again, “Mél Mool eey Mél Mool, your child is crying, your people have arrived”  She replied, “Don’t rush me , I’m still washing my feet.” Finally the third time, “Mél Mool eey Mél Mool, your child is crying, your people have arrived” Yes, this time she came out.

Every day and at every morning whenever she went to fetch water for the family she would just disappeared. One day when the wife went to fetch water, the husband waited to eat together when she gets back,  but she never returned. She was gone for the whole day and he very upset because he was hungry while waiting for her to return.  He called her to eat again and again and while when was calling, he was also sharpening his sword. He knew and had already seen her flirted with the dragon in the river.  Once his sword was very well sharpened he  called,  “Mél Mool eey Mél Mool, your child is crying, your people have arrived.” She replied, “Don’t rush me , I’m  washing my feet.” He kept calling her, “Mél Mool eey Mél Mool, your child is crying, your people have arrived.”

He ordered for the third time and she finally returned. As she returned he was hiding alongside the trail. He had hidden all the knives at the house, but he forgot one knife, the betel knife in the lime bowl. He used that sword to cut through her seven canteens, all torn. He cut through six layers and one layer remained. She dropped the canteens there, let them fall. He cut the carrying-sling, and the canteen rope, everything was torn completely then. She then ran away home. Once she got home she searched for a knife, but there were none. She searched and saw the lime bowl that still had the betel knife. She grabbed the betel knife and cut the Achilles tendon of her husband’s horse. She grabbed one of her children, climbed onto her own horse, and took off, running away from her husband.

When she arrived at one village, she rested, and she squeezed milk from her breast into a bottle to give her child to drink.The husband grabbed the second child and rode off on his horse chasing after her. “Run horse run, run cdèq cdèq, go cdôôr cdôôr.” The horse hobbled on t`nok t`nok; his achilles tendon was cut. When he arrived at that village, he asked, “Have you seen Mél Mool arrive here?” They answered, “She arrived and drank strong wine, she ate but didn’t finish. She squeezed out milk to give her child to drink here.” He picked up the milk to give to his child to eat. When he poured it, it turned into blood.

He then rode the horse after her again.“Run horse run, run cdèq cdèq, go cdôôr cdôôr.”  T`nok t`nokhe hobbled on, and arrived at another village. He asked them, “Have you seen Mél Mool arrive here or not?”

They answered, “She arrived and drank strong wine, she ate but didn’t finish. She just left right now, she then squeezed her milk to give her child to eat here.” He picked up the milk to give to his child to eat, but it turned into blood! He continued on, riding his horse in search of his run-away wife. “Run horse run, run cdèq cdèq, go cdôôr cdôôr.”  T`nok t`nok.

The wife arrived at the large pool, the Mékong , at Vaq Khooq Vaq Reey pool,  and she entered into the deep water. He couldn’t enter the Mékong River and so he and the 2 children waited outside the pool. While waiting outside for the wife to come out, he told his children, “ I will climb up the tree pretending to be a tlôt tôt bird there.  You two stay down here and call for your mother.  Make sure you say, “ Mother, mother, the tlôt tôt tlooq toq bird is scaring my brother and me. ”Make sure you should say like that,” the father told his two children. Then he climbed up to the top of the tree there and made the bird sound, “ Tôt tlôt tôt, tôt tlôt tôt.”

The children called, “Mother, mother, the tlôt tôt tlooq toq bird is scaring my brother and me.”  The mother came out, picked up the younger brother, and fed him with her breast milk.  The father then jumped and grabbed her. He caught her and told her to go home. When they’re about to leave home, he wanted her to carry the children, but she wouldn’t.  She wanted him to carry them. Finally, he couldn’t convince his wife and carried the children himself.  He wanted to have her go first but she refused.  She wanted him go first, but he too refused. They argued for a long time and he gave up. He decided to head home first. As soon as he turned his back to go, she jumped into the water again and disappeared.  He didn’t know what to do to get her to come out again.  He pretended to be the tlôt tôt again, but she never came out. He and the two boys waited by the pool for a long time, but the mother never came out.  He brought a raincoat and covered the older son. He brought a brightly striped towel and covered the younger son. After the man covered his children with raincoats, he jumped into the water there, to go down and look for his wife there. Because he was not a dragon and does not have the skills to swim and survive like a dragon.  He drowned and died in the deep water.

The older son became an eagle and flew high in the sky saying, “Kléél lék lék looq looq, Kooq our father died at the head of the pool and became dried tobacco, our mother died at the tail of the pool and became the tqra fish.” The younger brother became a wanderer.  He had traveled everywhere and had no place to stay or place to sleep. One day this younger brother met a young lady who was known as Liq’s mom and she was fetching water at a nearby stream. He screamed at her, “Put down the canteen, scrape the taro stew. When the night comes, I will eat all your chickens.” Liq’s mother got angry and used the bottom of the canteen to strike his forehead, “kuuk kuuk kuuk” and he became a civet.  This is the story of  Mél Mool.

Written and shared by: Thomas Manokoune

Related Folk Tales/Superstitions

1. (Snta’ rvaay tooc sqkhwaq) String-pulling tiger clan (In English)
2. Story of Mél Mool (In English)
3. Snta’ Rvaay tooc sqkhwaq (tooc hmpiat) (In Khmu)
4. Mél Mool (In Khmu)

String-pulling tiger clan

Told by:  Ta’ Ge  
                            

There was this man that has two daughters, and on that very day and the day before, he took his two daughters out to help cut the over-grown brush in the family’s field. They cut the brush and piled it up. The next day they went again. One day, around midday, one of the daughters went to fetch water at a nearby stream. As she strolls down to fetch water, she met a tiger cub. The tiger cub was there to get a drink too and was there first.   When the tiger was done drinking, he walked up-stream, muddying the water searching for food.  The cub was looking for worms to eat which can be found at the head water of the creek, above the spout. She arrived and waited for him to be done so she can get the water. The tiger muddied the water so much. She said,

“Go away,  go home, I want to fetch the water here. The water here is so muddy.”

“Don’t rush me, I am scooping up tadpoles.” the tiger cub said.

“Go away, I want to fetch water. This water is muddy and not good to drink. I must return and clear the brush.” “Don’t rush me, I am scooping up tadpoles.”  said the tiger cub.

She waited a long time and became angry. She broke a stick, went up and hit the cub. That tiger cub ran home very quick. Eventually the water was clear and she finally was able to fetch some water and returned back to her family. When night time came, the parents returned home, but the two sisters decided to stay back and sleep in the field.

They built a high field hut to sleep in and inside the hut, they left enough space so they can burn woods for fire. She burned a hole below the fireplace there, our Khmu houses often had the hole like that. The girl sat twisting twine, and the younger sister went down to the ground, and looked. “Ooh, dear, what is there? Look at the middle of the field over there, so many red things.” She told her younger sister, “ It’s nothing, it’s the brush that father and I cut yesterday,” so she said. At that time, the young sister told her sister to return home, but it was evening and is already dark. So, they both decided to stay. She sat to wind the twine in the corner where the burned hole was. All of the sudden, something came through the burned hole and pulled the twine (know as “thread”). “Shoosh, if it is spirit go away, if it’s a person then come up,” she said.“Why are you pulling on my thread?” she said. (That’s why it is called “Thread –Pulling Tiger.”)

Then she ordered her young sister to close the door. The tigers then attacked the hut by ramming their heads on the door and clawing their way in. The door fell and covered the young sister. The tigers stormed in and bit the older sister. When the tiger bit her the moon turned brighter which is a signal to her lover in the village that she’s in trouble. The lover arrived from the village, to where she was sleeping at the field. When he arrived at the scene, he heard something “siat, siat, siat, siat, duañ, duañ’ inside the house there. He heard the blood dripping “pia ria,” underneath. “Cah! What is that?” He swung his sword across underneath where the blood was dripping. He examined it under the moonlight, and it was clotting blood.

The lover hid himself under the railing and held his sword aloft. Those tigers already bit her(older sister’s) upper leg, her calf, her arm, her foot, divided up all the pieces already. During this very moment, one of the tigers clenched a piece of the sister’s body part in his mouth and slowly walking down the hut. “Go slowly, return slowly,” said the leader of the tigers, “the ladder is rotten, the floor is worn out.” He clenched the arm hanging from the mouth as he went down. The sword came down, and beheaded the tiger; down he fell from that ladder. “Yi!  I said to go slowly, returned slowly, the ladder is rotten, the floor is worn out.”

In a moment came another one clenching the upper leg hanging from his mouth. He descended the sword came down, it sliced and he fell down. “Yi! I said to go slowly, returned slowly, the ladder is rotten, the floor is worn out.” Another one also had something hanging from his mouth… by this time there were six of them already.  He descended clenching the chest in his mouth.

The sword came down; down he fell. Still the leader said, “Yi !  I said to go slowly, returned slowly, the ladder is rotten, the floor is worn out.” He clenched the head in his mouth, it still had a necklace pendant on it and he slowly descended. The man worried that he couldn’t cut through, he had used of all his strength with the sword. He swung at the tiger, went through the tiger to the ladder, and clipped that sword.  He listened but couldn’t hear anything and said, “Who’s still there?” “Who’s still inside the house?” “Nobody should be there, you’re all dead already?”

The young sister said, “Hey, I am still here, brother.”

Young sister arose from underneath the fallen door, he picked her up and returned home. If she walked behind him she was afraid, and if she walked in front she was afraid, so he just tucked her under his arm and went home.  When they reached the village, the house, he told her, “Don’t  tell anyone that it was me, say that you came home by yourself.” When he arrived at that house then, he released her at the house ladder, then she called her parents. Her parents awoke and open the door, and she told about the tiger eating her older sister.

In the morning the parents went to see and wow! There six tigers piled up and dead. They saw that the ladder had a piece of the sword left there. They dug out the sword chip, the sword tooth from there, and returned home. The father announced to the villagers, “Who killed the tigers?  Whoever killed the tigers, I will give him the younger sister with bride-price.” Then everybody claimed that it was them, and broke their sword and brought the sword chip to match the one found at the fight scene, but none of them matched. Many more people broke their swords to match, but they didn’t fit. The father went and asked the older sister’s lover, “Is it you, son, who kill the tigers?” Tod hide his identity so that no one knows that it was him who killed the tigers, the older sister’s lover had blackened his face with charcoal, blackened his body, and said, “I didn’t go anywhere, I am sick every day, I stay home and didn’t even have water to wash myself. I’m greasy and scaly.”

The father asked him, “Where is your sword then?” He replied, “I don’t know where the children left it. Go look around underneath the bed there, ok?”

The you girl’s father looked around the house, stuck his hand underneath the bed, encountered something and picked it up. Wow! There were blood stains all over the sword, and it’s still full of tiger hairs. The metal chip dug up from the scene matched and fit perfectly on the sword. As promised, the father gave him his daughter as a token for his bravery for slaughtering the tigers that killed his oldest daughter.

That is the tiger clan, the string-pulling tiger until now. From then on, the members of this clan believes it as being a taboo and not eat tiger meat, touch it and cannot marry a member of the same clan.

Written and shared by:  Thomas Manokoune   

Related Folk Tales/Superstitions

1. (Snta’ rvaay tooc sqkhwaq) String-pulling tiger clan (In English)
2. Story of Mél Mool (In English)
3. Snta’ Rvaay tooc sqkhwaq (tooc hmpiat) (In Khmu)
4. Mél Mool (In Khmu)

Every culture, whether it’s advance or primitive, has some sort of folklore or stories that were told and passed down throughout generations.  Khmu is no exception to this cultural practice and yes, we have stories and tales that were shared by our ancestors and then passed down to our young generation. Khmu folklore is a beautiful legend and contains important cultural narratives that we value and would like to preserve for our future generations.   Khmu folklore is a form of linguistic, cultural tradition, and the beliefs of the of the Khmu ethnic group.  The stories have a special meaning that reflect the lives and common interest of Khmu.  It also serves as a bridge for intercultural communication so other groups will understand, respect, and share our core value of the Khmu culture and language.  The most important of all about our folklore is to connect and share to the Khmu people living abroad and to those living in their country of origin that we both have the same cultural roots.

Khmu have many folklore stories that were passed down through generations.  Some will be about true love like Snta’ Tmooq (Raccoon) and others will be about historic adventure, like the story about Snta’ Rvaay (Tiger).  Snta’ is technically a Khmu word meaning, lastname or family’s lineage to a particular animal or nature, just like how the America Indians have their last names associated to nature.  Two beautiful folklore stories are shared here both in English and Latin Khmu’.  Feel free to click on the link and enjoy the reading.

1. (Snta’ rvaay tooc sqkhwaq) String-pulling tiger clan (In English)
2. Story of Mél Mool (In English)
3. Snta’ Rvaay tooc sqkhwaq (tooc hmpiat) (In Khmu)
4. Mél Mool (In Khmu)

Written By: Mark Lasamay

The country of Laos in general, has a long tradition of cultural dances. The Khmu people, who form the ethnic minority, have a strong folkloric tradition that involves a variety of dances, such as sword dance (Foon Kmoq), bamboo sticks dance (Foon Swn-tiiq Ôm-diiq), and the Nangkeo dance etc…  Nangkeo dance is usually accompanied by the traditional Khmu music, gong, high hatch and swq-kool; it is not normally performed in regular gathering/events but instead this dance is being reserved for occasions including rituals and during the Greh (Khmu New Year) celebration.

Base from the history told verbally by our ancestors and elders those came before us, Nangkeo dance is the Khmu ethnic traditional dance and it’s performing at the annual Greh ceremony right after the sword dance has concluded. It is known within our Khmu tribes that the Greh location has been purified by the sword dancer and the location is readily for the Greh ceremony. At this point the dance is being performed to call the great ancestor’s spirits (Ta’ Cwaq/Ya’ Cwaq) to come and bless the Greh ceremony, embrace the gathering, and welcome the Khmu Greh ceremony. Nangkeo dancers are comprised together with group of ladies and gentlemen or just a group of ladies only; all dancers are wearing the tradition Khmu attires while dancing in circle around the Greh ceremony centerpiece.  

Normally, this dance is known to be performed in the following events:

• During the Greh (Khmu New Year) celebration.
• During the opening ceremonial of the new Shaman gathering house (Sala), Sala is the main Shaman and villager gathering house for special events.
• The special ceremony party hosting by the leader of the village to welcome out of town distinguish guests and leaders.  

Furthermore, this dance is accompanied by the opening of the rice-wine jars, yams, taros, pumpkins, banana etc. as shown on the centerpiece picture above to offer to the respected elders, leaders and guests. The group of people are chanting and clapping hands while some of them are playing Khmu instruments/music such as hitting the gong, high hatch, and swq-kool while Nangkeo dancers are dancing around the Rice-wine centerpiece.  In the state, we are continuing to preserve many of our traditions and one of them is Nangkeo dance by teaching our Khmu youth this dance and has been performed at our annual Khmu New Year (Greh).

Written By: Judy Khoutsavanh
Source:
1. www.khmuoc.org
2. Steve B. Sengaroun

The Khmu people have, for centuries, maintained their traditional culture, they have their own language, customs, beliefs and their own identity which make them different from other ethnic groups. The Khmu also have a rich language filled with fascinating legends and beautiful music. The following are the five major cultural aspects of the Khmu people:

1. The Khmu kindship and family organization.
2. The religion.
3. The health.
4. The language.
5. The New Year

1. Khmu kinship and family organization

The Khmu people are made up of clans called “ Snta,” each of which identifies itself with a totemic ancestral being. They are then classified into three groups or lineages, those of which are quadruped, birds and plants.

1. Quadruped Lineage – May include clans such as: The Tiger, Pangolin, Badger and so on.

2. Bird Lineages – May include clans such as: Eagle, Toucans, Woodpecker, Wagtails and so on.

3. Plant Lineages – Do not have as many clans as the other Lineages. One example would be a Black fern.

Clans are often used as family names in many Khmu areas. No one may marry a member of his/her own clan.

2. The Religion

The Khmu were animist, and believed in many different spirits, that could affect their lives. In the 1940’s, while in Southeast Asia, fighting against the Japanese, the French introduced Christianity to the Khmu people. After World War II, the British and later the Americans, continued the missionary work started by the French. As a result of these influences, the Khmu in the Unites States are about 65% Catholic, 25% Christian (Protestant), and 10% other.

Khmu families are usually large, having an average of five children per household. The Khmu are taught to be friendly, honest, respectful and peaceful. Problems or feelings of sadness are to be kept inside, not to be shown to the others.

3. The Health

The Khmu people believe illness is caused by natural or supernatural phenomena. Treatment for illness include ingestion or application of herbal remedies, abdominal massage, herbal body massage, rituals and incantations. The shaman or spiritual healer performed ceremonies to invoke help from the spirit world in curing the ill.

4. Language

Khmu words are written in the emergent standard Roman-based Khmu orthography, derived from initial efforts of Catholic missionaries in 1950. The alphabetic inventory of Khmu are 29 consonant sounds and 30 vowels.

5. New year

In Laos, the Khmu New Year occurs at the end of the harvest season and is a celebration of the bounty that the Khmu farmers are able to win from the soil.

We hope that these brief overview of the Khmu cultural aspect will provide you with a better understanding of who the Khmu are and its traditional culture.

Written By: Thomas K. Manokoune (KNF Senior Advisor)

The sword is a symbolic object that spans across countries, people, cultural groups and language. Every ethnic group may have similarities or comprehend the meaning and use of a sword totally different from one another.

Sword dance is part of the Greh ceremony, it represents the bravery of our ancestral warrior slashing and whirling his weapon to chase and scare the enemies. In addition, Sword dancer in the old day as known as Shaman whom has a power spirit to overpower of all bad spirits; performs his dance with sword to eliminate all bad spirits out of the ceremony’s location prior to the start of the Greh ceremony.

The Khmu people however, value the sword as a tool for protection; and during New Year celebrations or as referred to as ‘Mun Greh, the stature and magnitude of the sword is elevated. The person or persons partaking in the sword dance (phorn Kmoq) have been called and appointed by the respected elders of the village. The sword will be used as a tool of protection defending the rice crops from invaders that may take and steal from their new planting of rice in the fields.

The ‘Mun Greh is the celebration between the intense activity of the harvest and the hard work of establishing new fields and building new (Sala) houses (the house where village people gather to celebrate Greh). The sword dancer is the warrior that represents strength and toughness that transitions into making sure all the negative energies are guarded from entering the rice crops. The sword dancer is dressed in traditional Khmu attire; sometimes wearing a bandana and commanding a presence of bravery.

As the sword dancer prepares for the stage, he is guided by the sound of a gong. The participants in the celebration would constantly strike the gong and the crowds in observance begin to rally and cheer the sword dancer on. The beat of the gong, the cheery noise from the crowd, combined with the ambience of the ceremonious event, gives the sword dancer a fearless combatant demeanor and a heightened sense of power. This power can be felt through observers looking on and anticipating the beginning of the sword dance. In most cases, sword dancers would perform the sword dance solo or at times, they would dance in pairs going the opposite direction of each other. Once the sword dancer feels the rhythm and adrenalin from the crowd noise and the beating of the gong, he will then grab his sword from the ground and display his own style of spinning his sword in an array of movements.

Sometimes, sword dancers would dance with two swords rather than one. The purpose of having two swords not only optimizes the power of the warrior but it allows the sword dancer to clash both swords together in making a sound that establishes his presence in the fight to protect his people and their rice crop. In addition to that, the sword dancer’s job is to dance and spin his sword(s) in motion around the centerpiece of the ‘Mun Greh ceremony.

Nowadays, along with practicing the sword dance based on the ritual of the ancestors and tradition, some modern sword dancers in the United States observe sword dances as a work of art, style and competition. Some Khmu families would host New Year Celebrations (‘Mun Greh) at their homes and often would invite respected elders, who have been appointed by the community for sword dancing, to perform sword dances in these homes. As much as five or even ten sword dancers would go up one at a time, to showcase their sword dancing skills and be judged by the crowd at hand. These types of events highlight the ‘Mun Greh Ceremony and also provides the event a great form of entertainment.

Written By: David Daraseng
References:
1. www.richmondmuseum.org
2. www.herworks.la
3. www.khmuoc.org
4. www.phouiu-ecotourism-laos.com

Khmu’ is one of the three main ethnic groups in Laos which consists of the Lao Theung (Khmu’), Lao-Loum, and Lao Soung (Hmong). The Khmu’ ethnic group is the original indigenous inhabitants of Laos.  Khmu’ has their own language, written alphabets that was taught to them during the colonial era.  They preserve and protect their culture, beliefs, and traditional costumes which makes them unique from the many ethnic groups in Laos. The Greh Ritual ceremony is the most important New Year celebration for Khmu’ people.

The ritual processes observed during the Greh are what we believe and respect to be very important to our culture, a tradition that was passed down from our forefathers, Khoune Cheung (Ta’ Cwaq). No matter where Khmu people live, we always celebrate `Mun Greh, either as an individual family gathering or as a community social event. Every family, every clan, and in every city, Greh is celebrated in the month of December through January (‘Nwan Ciaq-‘Nwan Ñi)     

The Greh celebration represents many great aspects of life, such as preparing and serving food, raising all kinds of animals, planting crops in the fields, harvesting rice and storing the seeds for the next year’s farming season. The Greh ceremony consists of banana trees, sugar cane, flowers called Raaq Roon, two jars of rice wine as a centerpiece. The centerpiece’s decoration is surrounded with many different kinds of root and vining crops, such as yam, pumpkins and taro etc., and variety of farming tools such as shovels, sickles and knives.     

The main purpose of the Greh ceremony is for us Khmu people to remember and give thanks to our ancestor “Ta’ Cwaq, Ya’ Cwaq’.  We want to thank them for the year’s bountiful harvest from the farm, a healthy life, and peace for all Khmu’ people. During the ceremony we ask them to continue to give us abundant crop, healthy life, peace and prosperity in the up-coming year.

The steps or processes of the Greh Celebration

A group of people, young and old parade towards to the Greh’s centerpiece to announce the New Year celebration by dancing, singing and hitting gongs.

Sword dance is part of the Greh ceremony, it represents the bravery of our ancestral warrior slashing and whirling his weapon to chase and scare the enemies. In addition, Sword dancer in the old day as known as Shaman whom has a power spirit to overpower of all bad spirits; performs his dance with sword to eliminate all bad spirits out of the ceremony’s location prior to the start of the Greh ceremony.

Nang Keo Dance (Fone Nang-Keo) is performed right after the Sword Dance is completed. It’s a traditional dance for Khmu Greh ceremony. This dance is performed to call the great ancestor’s spirits to come and bless the Greh ceremony, embrace the gathering, and welcome the Khmu Greh ceremony.

Next step is to show respect to the community elders, leaders, and important guests by having them seated in front of the Greh’s centerpiece before the Shaman start the event.

The first segment is the ritual performance ceremony that honors the current year by the Greh Shaman. Originally, Khmu in Laos performed Greh ceremony by having the Shaman take the hen, cut the beak, and smear blood down onto the knees of the family members and the respect elders. Currently in United States of America, Canada, and European countries, due to International Animal Rights Law, we use a of bundle of flowers dipped in the ceremony’s holy water instead. At this point the Shaman will swipe on the family/respected elder’s hands above their knees from top-down to the bottom while he is chanting and wishing for all the bad lucks such as sickness, diseases, economic sufferings, and starvation due to bad harvest to be gone. Once the first round of the ritual is completed, the first sacred rice-wine, which represents the previous year is opened for the respected members to drink. During this time there’s no singing of Khmu song called, “Term.”

The second segment proceeds by the Greh’s Shaman to welcome the New Year. Again, traditionally, the Greh’s Shaman would take the rooster, cut the beak, and smear blood upward onto the knees of the family members and the respect elders. Currently, we once again use a bundle of flowers dipped in the ceremony’s holy water to smear the hands/knees of the family members and respect elders. At this point the Shaman will swipe on the family/respected elder’s hands above their knees from the bottom up. During this round all hands are   opened, facing up to receive the New Year’s prayers from the Greh’s Shaman.  The Greh’s Shaman will be chanting the Greh’s special verses to wish for a good life, good luck, good health, prosperity, peace and happiness for the up-coming new year. The second rice-wine jar is opened and all the respected members are invited to drink and welcome the New Year. During this time there will be selected folklore singers to sing “Term Khmu” while respected elders drink the rice-wine.  In addition, all the Khmu instruments such as swq-kool, pi, gong, and high hatch are being played at this segment. You can hear the sound of the gong and high hatch in a rhythmic tune of celebration, welcoming the Khmu New Year.

Lao-Khmu Traditional (Baci) ceremony

The Baci (Wrist-ties) ceremony is known to be the most important Ceremony in Laos and it’s performed by many ethnic groups in Laos. It’s believed to bring good luck and invites the good spirits to come back into the body and soul. Again, the Baci ceremony is being performed by the Master Ceremony by chanting the Baci language in wishing for a good life, good luck, good health, prosperity, peace and happiness for the up-coming year while all family members, respected elders, and important guests are seated around the centerpiece (Pha-Kwan).  After the Master ceremony finished chanting, then he ties the wrists of the elders and the most important guests first with the white strings from the center piece.

Thereafter, all people that gathered tie each other’s’ wrists with the white strings and wish one another a good luck and prosperity for the Khmu Greh New Year.

Happy Khmu New Year (Sm ‘maay le’ Nwm Hmmé’)

The main purpose of the “Greh” celebration is to preserve and protect our culture and heritage, to share our tradition with others, and most importantly, to pass it on to our future generations.

Written By: Tony Khoutsavanh
Resources:
1. www.khmuoc.org
2. The book of Khmu’ livelihood by Mr. Suksavang Simana and Elizabeth Preisig.

Historically, our Khmu leaders and board members have comprised of majority men, seniors, and tribal elders. These great leaders have laid the foundation and build a structure for us. We will use the structure and continue their work to build a future for our Khmu people.

For this new year and the start of a new decade of 2020, it is an opportunity for us to grow with time. Our focus will be the following strategies

1. Identify young men and women from different Khmu communities that may have interests and aptitude to work in their communities-to create the next generation of Khmu leaders.
   
2. Create a cultural appropriate leadership curriculum, one which include young people from all of the Khmu communities.
   
3. Build a team in which each group will have one topic to focus on including Higher Education, Fundraising, Community Outreach & Training, Elderly care, and Cultural Preservation.

Written By: Tracie Chulaparn Friedman (KNF President)