Musical Culture of the Hmong in Huay Laeng Village, Tha Kham Sub-District, Wiang Kaen District, Chiang Rai

Abstract

             This qualitative research aims to 1) investigate the general background of the Huay Laeng Village, Tha Kham Sub-District, Wiang Kaen District, Chiang Rai; 2) investigate its musical culture in musical context; and 3) analyze songs of the Hmong in ethnomusicology methods.
             The results conclude that 1) the Huay Laeng Village is situated in Tha Kham sub-district, Wiang Kaen district, Chiang Rai. The village shares borders with the Tha Kham village to the north, Lo village to the east, Chiang Khong district to the west, and Po sub-district to the south. The Hmong of the Huay Laeng village migrated from Chiang Khong District, Chiang Rai during the period of King Rama IX. Nowadays they are mainly agricultural in profession and usually communicate in both Hmong and Thai dialects. Hmong people are Buddhists and Christians, but in practice they have strong beliefs in superstitions as well as the spirits of their ancestors. 2) The Hmong musical culture is an important part of Hmong life and has a long history. The important musical instrument, a free reed mouth organ with long bamboo pipes, is called Qeng. Today, it is performed only in the Hmong annual festival and funeral occasions. 3) There are 8 Hmong songs in total comprising: 1. Su, 2. Nu jue, 3. Plua, 4. Qeng tu sia, 5. Qeng je neng, 6. Qeng jo jia, 7. Qeng ka ke, and 8. Ja tu so. These songs are strophic form with 2 – 3 parts and have a tone-set of notes: F#, G#, B, C#, D#, ranging mostly between F#3 to G#4. The melodic contour is conjunct and disjunct motions. The ornamentation is vibration and grace note. The songs have different meters and tempos.