The village elder and his passion for Mong "soulful" melodies

Coming to Son Ha village (Ta Ca commune, Ky Son), a village where 100% of Mong people live, asking who plays and dances the Mong flute best and most beautifully, you will immediately receive the answer: Elder of Lau Chong Di village.

Village Elder Lau Chong Di and the dance Mong flute

Born and raised in Tay Son commune (Ky Son), from a young age, the boy Di was taught by his grandfather how to play the khen, play the flute and the khen dance. Since then, every day after working hours on the fields, the khen became his confidant. Even when the Mong people still lived a nomadic life, today this mountain top, tomorrow another forest, the khen and the flute still followed him closely on his back during his journeys across streams and through forests.

In 1987, after a tiring journey of migration, Mr. Lau Chong Di and his wife and children decided to settle in Son Ha village, Ta Ca commune until today. Settling in the new village, he actively participated in mass activities, holding the positions of Secretary of the Youth Union of the village and commune, Deputy Chief of the Commune Police, Secretary of the Party Cell and Head of the Village Front Committee. Now at the age of 60, he is a prestigious village elder among the villagers. Business and social work are very busy, but whenever he has a break, he finds time to play the panpipe. There are nights when the sky has turned late, all the audio-visual equipment has been turned off, people can still hear the sound of his panpipe soaring, gently, and blending with the sound of the stream to create the music of the mountains and forests.

The melody of the Mong flute and the dances of the flute have become a strange attraction for young people. First, the descendants of the family, then the young people in the village and other villages came to Mr. Lau Chong Di's house to be taught how to play and dance the flute. He was enthusiastic and passionate about teaching the young people with all the passion he had for over 40 years, because he always kept in mind that the melody of the Mong flute and the dances of the flute are the "soul" and "rhythm of life" of the Mong people, so he had the responsibility to pass them on to his descendants forever. Sometimes, he left his housework for a whole week to teach the young people how to play and dance the flute and use other musical instruments. Recently, the Institute of Music sponsored the opening of a class to teach music, folk dance and Mong ethnic musical instruments in Son Ha village. Many young men and women in the village came to study. He was very excited and was an active artist in teaching.

To see us off, he did not perform the melody and dance of the Khen but played the solo instrument of the Tra P'lai (reed flute) with the song "Calling a lover" (Lua Gau). The melody was smooth, as if lingering, as if soothing, as if inviting. The sound of the flute gradually resounded further and further to blend with the wind of the mountains and clouds.

Cong Kien