(Baonghean.vn) - The Thai people in western Nghe An province have many musical instruments such as the pi, tung, tinh, xi xo lo, leaf horn, etc., but there is one instrument that is difficult to play and even more difficult to craft: the khen be (bamboo mouth organ).
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| Mr. Vi Thanh Hai, from Chan village, Thach Giam commune (Tuong Duong district), is one of the few people in the mountainous district of Tuong Duong who can make and play this musical instrument. He said, "Making a khaen (a type of mouth organ) requires many steps, and every craftsman demands that the maker be very careful and meticulous." (Photo: Dinh Tuan) |
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| For making the khene (a type of bamboo flute), one must choose straight, even, thin bamboo with evenly spaced nodes and a diameter of 1.5 cm or less. Select bamboo that is 2-3 years old or older. After being harvested from the forest, it must be sun-dried for 4-5 days, then dried on a kitchen rack for 6 days before being used to make the khene. (Photo: Dinh Tuan) |
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| Because the bamboo tubes are thin and fragile, extremely sharp knives must be used to cut and shape them. The length of the bamboo tube used depends on the size of the mouth organ (typically, the base length of the shortest bamboo tube in a mouth organ is 40 cm. This is the standard for a traditional mouth organ of the Thai ethnic group). When cutting, one must cut from top to bottom (the longest tube is cut first, followed by the shorter tubes). Photo: Dinh Tuan |
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| As the resonating part of the khaen (a type of bamboo mouth organ), the mouth organ's reed must be made of soft, durable wood that is resistant to decay and has no splinters. Photo: Dinh Tuan |
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| The bamboo tubes, with the holes already drilled, must be tested before assembly to check the accuracy of each note and tone. Photo: Dinh Tuan |
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| After testing the notes, the maker must arrange the pipes in order from longest to shortest; when assembling, the largest and longest pipes must be installed first, followed by the smallest and shortest ones. Photo: Dinh Tuan |
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| To make the reeds of the khaen (a type of bamboo flute), artisans must meticulously hammer the copper metal by hand. The copper used for the reeds is pure, malleable, and durable to ensure that it does not crack or break when hammered thinly. Photo: Dinh Tuan |
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| In the process of making a bamboo mouth organ, the most difficult and important step is attaching the brass reeds, as it determines whether the instrument will produce accurate pitch when played. Photo: Dinh Tuan |
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| Applying beeswax is the final step to prevent air from escaping when playing the mouth organ. Photo: Dinh Tuan |
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| The distinctive sound of the bamboo mouth organ is poignant and profound, expressing the feelings of countless lovers. For a long time, the sound of the bamboo mouth organ has been familiar during Tet (Lunar New Year) and other joyful festivals of the people in the western part of Nghe An province. Photo: Dinh Tuan |
Dinh Tuan
