Author: matoulas

Older adults and people who have certain underlying conditions like heart or lung disease or diabetes are at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19 illness.

Know how it spreads

1. There is currently no vaccine to prevent coronavirus disease in COVID-19. It is still being developed and will be available soon.
   
2. The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus.
   
3. The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person.
   
4. Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).
   
5. Respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks.
   
6. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.
   
7. Some recent studies have suggested that COVID-19 may be spread by people who are not showing symptoms.

Everyone Should

1. Wash your hand often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
   
2. It’s especially important to wash:
   ● Before eating or preparing food
   ● Before touching your face
   ● After using the restroom
   ● After leaving a public place
   ● After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
   ● After handling your mask
   ● After changing a diaper
   ● After caring for someone sick
   ● After touching animals or pets
   
3. If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.
   
4. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

Avoid close contact

1. Inside your home: Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
   
2. If possible, maintain 6 feet between the person who is sick and other household members.
   
3. Outside your home: Put 6 feet of distance between yourself and people who don’t live in your household.
   
4. Remember that some people without symptoms may be able to spread the virus.
   
5. Stay at least 6 feet (about 2 arms’ length) from other people.
   
6. Keeping distance from others is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting sick.

Cover your mouth and nose with a mask when around others

1. You could spread COVID-19 to others even if you do not feel sick.
   
2. The mask is meant to protect other people in case you are infected.
   
3. Everyone should wear a mask in public settings and when around people who don’t live in your household, especially when other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.
   
4. Masks should not be placed on young children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.
   
5. Do NOT use a mask meant for a healthcare worker. Currently, surgical masks and N95 respirators are critical supplies that should be reserved for healthcare workers and other first responders.
   
6. Continue to keep about 6 feet between yourself and others. The mask is not a substitute for social distancing.

Cover coughs and sneezes

1. Always cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow and do not spit.
   
2. Throw used tissues in the trash.
   
3. Immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, clean your hands with a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

Clean and disinfect

1. Clean AND disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily. This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks.
   
2. If surfaces are dirty, clean them. Use detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection.
   
3. Then, use a household disinfectant. The most common EPA-registered
   household disinfectants will work.

Monitor Your Health Daily

1. Be alert for symptoms. Watch for fever, cough, shortness of breath, or other symptoms of COVID-19.
   
2. Especially important if you are running essential errands, going into the office or workplace, and in settings where it may be difficult to keep a physical distance of 6 feet.
   
3. Take your temperature if symptoms develop.
   
4. Don’t take your temperature within 30 minutes of exercising or after taking medications that could lower your temperature, like acetaminophen.
   
5. Follow CDC guidance if symptoms develop.

Protect Your Health This Flu Season

1. It’s likely that flu viruses and the virus that causes COVID-19 will both spread this fall and winter. Healthcare systems could be overwhelmed treating both patients with flu and patients with COVID-19. This means getting a flu vaccine during 2020-2021 is more important than ever.
   
   
2. While getting a flu vaccine will not protect against COVID-19 there are many important benefits, such as:
   
   ● Flu vaccines have been shown to reduce the risk of flu illness, hospitalization, and death.
   ● Getting a flu vaccine can also save healthcare resources for the care of patients with COVID-19.

Written By: Dr. Bouaketh Sayarath

The Khmu were the indigenous inhabitants in the northern part of Laos, Thailand, Myanmar (Shan State), Vietnam, and the southern region of China, rich in musical instruments. The musical instruments and forms of this region spring from the same sources: India, the indigenous Mon-Khmer civilizations (Khmu), China, and Indonesia. However from the French colonial period up until the present, some musical instruments gradually disappeared. Khmu musical instruments are mainly made from bamboo, reeds, hardwoods, and simply leaves.

The Khmu (Kamhmu, Kmhmu, Khamhmu) have their own unique traditional instruments that have been taught and passed by elders down to the new generations without written instruction, and no formal documentation about how the types of the instruments, how they are made, used, and played in what occasions. Due to limited regional and personal knowledge, this article will only cover a limited amount of instruments and techniques used in the Khmu culture.

As stated above, most of the traditional Khmu musical instruments are made from bamboo and a few are made from metal, such as bronze or brass. The name of each instrument may be called differently based on the region and the way it is played, based the Khmu regional singing folklores called (Term or Tem). For example, Khmu Xiengkhouang would call (Khène) Swq Kuul where Khmu Luaq Namtha would call it Khène. The following are the Khmu musical instruments that are widely used throughout the Northern Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam: Leaf (Leaf whistling) Puq Hla’, Gong (Rw-baaq), Cymbal (chèèq), Reed Pipe (Pii), Flute (Toot), Khène (sq-kuul), Jaw’s Harp (Hrôôq), and Hand Palm Tapping (Daav-Daav).

LEAF WHISTLING

Leaf whistling, also known as gum leaf instrument, is an ancient musical instrument and it is commonly known and used by many ethnic groups throughout Southeast Asia including the Khmu. It can be picked from of the local trees and played by holding the leaf tightly between the hands and lips, then blowing across the leaf’s surface to create vibrations. Leaf whistling is quick and simple but requires a good technique to produce a sound. It is least known in Western music and not that many Khmu people know how to play it, especially in the newer Khmu generations.

The Khmu often used leaf whistling while they are working in the rice field, hunting, and searching foods in the jungle for communication and/or expression of their happiness feelings.

JAW’S HARP (HRÔÔQ)

Jaw’s Harp is a folk instrument made of bamboo, carved into a long, flat shape with a small sharp tip on one end for lifting and larger angular shape on the opposite end for handheld. It is then cut in the middle, creating a tongue across the hole. There is also a metal variety, which is typically larger and similar to the shape of a leaf. The instrument can be considered either wind or percussion instrument. As a wind instrument, it is placed against the mouth, which acts as a resonator to generate a sound. One may strike the instrument’s tip with the thump by either lifting it or lowering it to allow the instrument’s tongue to vibrate. When the Jaw’s Harp’s tongue is made to vibrate, a buzzing is created, imitating words by musician’s tongue, which can later be translated and understood by the listeners.

This instrument was widely used as a means of communication between dating couples sneaking during the night. Separated by just a bamboo wall, the male will communicate with female in her house, while the male sits outside, both using the Jaw’s Harp. The Jaw’s Harp instrument is no longer used by the newer Khmu generations. Today, only a few elders, living in the rural areas, can play this instrument.

FLUTES – (PII)

The flute is a family of musical instruments in the woodwind group. According to the instrument classification of Hornbostel–Sachs, flutes are categorized as edge-blown aerophones. Unlike typical woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening that controls by fingers to generate different tones.

There are numerous types of bamboo flutes made by the Khmu people, such as mouth flute (Pii) and nose flute. The mouth flute (Pii) comes in two-three variations. One type is made of small bamboo using four or five sections with the bigger and longer section at one end, and becomes smaller and shorter towards the other end and small hole is made at the tip for the musician to blow air through to create the sound. Four holes are drilled into the middle sections for fingers to control and change the tone. And the other type is made from one section of small bamboo with a small strip hole for blowing and three or four holes drilled in mid-section approximately 3 to 4 inches apart for fingers to change the pitch. These types of flutes are played vertically.

Each Khmu region plays the flute slightly different, based on their regional singing folklore called (Term or Tem). Generally it is played by men during small gatherings accompanied by a folklore singer (Term). Occasionally, it can be played alone in the evening or early in the morning to express the musician’s happiness.

NOSE FLUTE – (TOOD or TOD)

The nose flute (Tood Muh) is normally played by women in the remote rural places, where elders still remember their traditional music and singing techniques. The Khmu people living in the cities and the newer Khmu generations that have assimilated with the Lao ways would not have the knowledge to play this instrument.

It is a bamboo tube with three holes, two holes for fingers to change the sound and one hole for blowing. There is also another variation of the nose flute (Tood) that has three equidistant holes, the middle hole is for blowing by either mouth or nose and the other two holes on each end are for fingers to control sound. Thus, this nose flute can play notes in a range of two and a half octaves. Finger holes in the side of the bamboo tube change the operating length, giving various scales. Players plug the other nostril to increase the force of their breath through the flute.

The Khmu people, living in the rural valley, often played the flutes while working in the rice field, coming home from the rice field, or searching for food in the jungle such as mushroom, vegetables, and bamboo shoots. With a jungle abundant in bamboo, this instrument can be easily made on the spot.

PALM TAPPING – (Daav Daav)

The palm tapping called (daav daav) in Khmu is a musical instrument that made from a fresh bamboo tube about 2 to 3 inches in diameter and 2 to 3 feet in length. It is then cut open on both sides of the tube, leaving two strips about 1-1/2 in width and 12-14 inches in length for tapping. When tapping at the mid-section of the tube on the palm of the hand, the strips vibrate and generate echoing sound from the bottom of the hollow tube.

Originally, this instrument (dao-dao) was used as entertainment by the women while the men are clearing a field in the jungle, to be used for plantation. Additionally, this instrument also used as entertainment during the Khmu New Year celebration.

Khène – (Sq-kuul or Swq Kuul)

This musical instrument called Khène or Khaen (Sq-kuul) is the Laotian national instrument and the oldest musical instrument used in Laos, originating from the Lanxang period.

Khène (Sq-kuul) is typically an eighty-ninety centimeter (roughly 31.5 to 35.4 inch) long mouth organ constructed of seven or eight pairs of bamboo with reed, connected with a small, hollowed-out hardwood reservoir into which the air is blown. Its sound is similar to that of a violin, and it may be played as a solo instrument or to accompany singers and instrumental ensembles. The khène can also be made in a two meter (approximately six and a half foot) version. Very few musicians have powerful enough lungs to master this variation.

The khène (sq-kuul) is widely used and played by many regions in Laos, Thailand, and Cambodia. The Khmu also played the khène (Sq-kuul) as entertainment in weddings, ritual ceremonies (tèèq môn), social gatherings, and (Greh) New Year celebrations. Additionally, it can also be played for just personal entertainment, for fun.

The Khmu men usually play this instrument alongside singer(s), which can either be a man or woman, or both take turn singing (tem or term) to each other. These practices can be seen at the Khmu New Year celebrations, weddings, and annual ritual ceremonies (tèèq môn). At these events, a jar of rice wine is often provided for drinking and honoring guests.

Nipple or Knobbed Gong – (Rw Baaq)

A gong is an East and Southeast Asian musical percussion instrument that takes the form of a flat, circular metal disc which is hit with a mallet. The origin of gong is believed to be from China. Gong comes in various designs, such as flat surface without nipples and with nipples. A nipple gong has a center raised boss or nipple. Nipple gongs are known for a pure resonant tone with less shimmer than other gongs. They can produce many distinct sounds due to their shape when struck by a mallet which is a wooden stick wrapped with pads and cloths.

The Khmu usually used the gongs for New Year celebrations, ritual ceremonies (tèèq môn), new rice festivals, and agricultural rituals. Additionally, the nipple gongs are used for the Khmu New Year celebration parade and Phon Nang Keo dance performance. Cymbals and bamboo sticks are typically used to maintain a constant rhythm during the performance. The gong is also used as a signaling instrument to accompany dances and performances at the New Year celebration. Khmu people in some regions believed that gongs and cymbals have a magic power of dispelling evil or bad spirits, therefore, they often used these instruments for their ritual ceremony and funeral services.

Cymbals – (Chèèq)

Cymbals are indigenous to Asia and are made from copper and nickel alloys. They have a unique form, concave, funnel-shaped on one side and convex bowl-out on the opposite side like woman nipple with a long string serving as handles. Cymbals were the only permanent idiophones of the Temple orchestra. When the two cymbals crashed into each other, they produce a bright, crisp, and explosive tone. The origin of cymbals is believed to be from China as well as the gong, and it is widely used throughout Asia.

Typically, the Khmu people used cymbals to accompany gongs for the New Year parades, Greh celebrations, annual ritual ceremonies (tèèq môn), new rice festivals, and agricultural rituals. Furthermore, in some parts of Southeast Asia their ancient belief of dispelling evil spirits. Therefore, the Khmu used gongs and cymbals for ritual blessings or calling upon good spirits for a sick individual (pua hm-maal rw kw-eey hm-maal) and funeral services. During a funeral service, the cymbals will be used along with gong when the dead body is carried out of the house to ensure the evil spirits do not linger behind.

Written By: Steve Sengaroun

Reference sources:
www.britannica.com/art/Southeast-Asian-arts
www.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Khmu_musical_instruments
www.kinkgong.bandcamp.com/album/gongs

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