Performance of the Hmong flute in Suoi To commune. Photo: Binh Khiem

The craft of playing the bamboo flute is passed down from father to son.

In Yen Chau commune, the craft of making bamboo flutes has been passed down through one family. Mr. Lu Hong Sua made bamboo flutes for many years, then passed the trade on to his son, Mr. Lu Van Thanh. To date, Mr. Thanh has continued this work for nearly 20 years.

The bamboo mouth organ is made by joining bamboo tubes together in pairs, combined with a mouthpiece and brass reeds. It looks simple, but ensuring the tubes produce the correct sound and blend harmoniously when joined together requires skilled craftsmanship.

"Making a bamboo flute may seem simple, but to get the pipes to produce the right sound and to ensure they harmonize when assembled, the maker needs experience. Many steps require visual and manual dexterity, and listening to the sound to make adjustments," Mr. Thanh said.

The craft is passed down directly from father to son, from selecting bamboo and making tubes to tuning the sound. Mr. Sưa passed on his accumulated experience over many years, while Mr. Thanh continues the craft and perfects the techniques during the manufacturing process.

When fully developed, the khen be (a type of bamboo mouth organ) blends with singing, drums, and gongs during festivals, holidays, and cultural activities. In particular, during the xoe dance, the sound of the khen be contributes to creating a rhythm that unites the community.

Also in Yen Chau, Mr. Lo Van Phong, from Bung Mo village, has spent over 30 years making drums and gongs. Having learned the craft from his father, he continued to experiment, perfecting the techniques and has made hundreds of products serving villages both within and outside the locality.

"I was afraid of losing my ethnic identity, so after doing many jobs, I always returned to my village to make drums and gongs, continuing my father's craft," Mr. Phong shared.

For the Thai people in Yen Chau, drums and gongs are associated with many community activities, from festivals to traditional circle dances. The rhythm of the drums and the sound of the gongs both create atmosphere and guide the dancers.

Mr. Doan Xuan Ngoc, Chairman of the Yen Chau Commune People's Committee, said that the locality has determined that preserving traditional musical instruments must be linked to those who directly make and use the instruments, because this is the force that plays a role in passing on the craft and playing techniques to the younger generation and bringing traditional musical instruments into community cultural activities.

Preserving the Hmong flute through traditional crafts.

In the highlands of Son La, the craft of making Hmong flutes has been maintained by many people for many years, closely associated with the cultural life and dances of the Hmong people.

In his wooden house in Bac Be B village, Suoi To commune, Mr. Thao A Vang diligently works with bamboo tubes, pieces of wood, and tools to make Hmong flutes. Having been involved in the craft for over 40 years, he has made more than 300 flutes, many of which have traveled with the Hmong people to distant villages.

According to Mr. Vang, making a khene (a type of bamboo flute) first requires understanding its sound. The craftsman must know each note and the sustain of the sound in order to tune the khene correctly.

"To make a good khaen (a type of bamboo flute), you must first understand its sound. The maker must know each note, each sustain, in order to adjust each brass reed. Just a slight deviation and the sound will no longer be correct," Mr. Vang shared.

Making a complete khaen takes about 3-5 days, from selecting the wood and bamboo to crafting and adjusting the brass reeds. Of these steps, tuning the instrument is the most demanding and requires considerable experience. The craftsman must listen to each note and adjust until the desired sound is achieved.

Vang learned the craft from his father and the other mouth organ players in his village. He learned to play the mouth organ at 16; at 20, he made his first one. Since then, making the mouth organ has become a lifelong passion for him.

In Phat Nam village, Chieng Sung commune, Mr. Ho A Co has also been practicing the craft for over 30 years. Having mastered playing the khaen (a type of bamboo flute) at the age of 13, he began teaching himself how to make them. After nearly three years of experimentation and numerous failed attempts, he finally perfected his first khaen.

The Yen Chau bamboo mouth organ is a traditional musical instrument of the Thai ethnic group. Photo: Truong Son

To date, Mr. Co can make many different sizes of khaen (a type of bamboo flute). Previously, he sold his khaen by motorbike; now, customers in many provinces of Northwest Vietnam and even Hmong people in Laos, Thailand, and China know about his products through social media.

Each month, he can make about 5 flutes if he has enough materials. For him, making flutes not only provides extra income but also helps his children and grandchildren learn to play and continue learning how to craft traditional musical instruments.

From these handcrafted products, the Hmong mouth organ is not only present in celebrations and festivals but also accompanies young men and women in Hmong dances, where the sound of the mouth organ sets the rhythm for the characteristic movements of the people.

The bamboo sound from the monkey gong keeps the rhythm of Au eo.

In Doan Ket village, Yen Chau commune, the Khmu people have a special musical instrument made from bamboo called the monkey gong, or also known as "ro bang hoa".

Initially, bamboo tubes were used to scare away birds and animals in the fields. Later, the Khmu people incorporated them into their cultural activities, creating musical instruments for singing and dancing. The bamboo must be mature enough to produce the appropriate sound when struck; three tubes are selected and processed to create different pitches.

Mr. Lo Van Phong, from Bung Mo village, Yen Chau commune, Son La province, makes traditional drums and gongs. Photo: Truong Son

According to Mr. Me Van Chien, who has been involved with monkey gongs for many years, this type of musical instrument has a clear, pleasant sound and is especially suitable for traditional dances.

In the Au Eo dance, the monkey gongs set the rhythm for the dancers' movements and steps. From a tool associated with farming, the simple bamboo tubes have become an integral part of the Khơ Mú people's cultural life.

From bamboo flutes and Hmong flutes to drums and gongs, each instrument has its own unique crafting method and timbre. Behind these sounds are people who have spent years learning the craft, practicing it, and passing on their experience to the next generation.

Craftsmen like Lu Hong Sua, Lu Van Thanh, Thao A Vang, Ho A Co, and Lo Van Phong are quietly continuing the traditional craft, ensuring that the sounds of the bamboo flute, Mong flute, drums, and monkey gongs remain present in community life.

Amidst the vast forests of Son La, those simple, rustic sounds continue to resonate through each festival, dance, and generation.

Crafting Hmong flutes in Suoi To commune and preserving the flute tradition for generations in the highlands of Son La. Photo: Binh Khiem