Watch Mong people pick leaves to make musical instruments

(Baonghean.vn) - Among the many musical instruments serving the spiritual life of the Mong people, the leaf trumpet is still highly regarded by the Mong people because it expresses their feelings in the mountains and forests.

According to Mr. Va Xenh Lu in Tham Hin village, Nam Can commune (Ky Son), he was taught how to play the leaf flute since he was a child. Since then, the leaf flute has always accompanied him throughout his life. In his free time, he often goes behind the house to pick leaves to play to express his joy and sadness.

In their free time, Mong people often go behind their houses to pick leaves to make trumpets. Photo: Dao Tho

Mr. Va Xenh Lu said that the leaves used to make the trumpet must have a wide, smooth surface, without serrations, so that when blown, the sound will be good. There are many ways to blow the leaf trumpet, but two are usually used. One is to hold the leaf horizontally between the two lips, use the lips to hold it and combine the use of the tongue and the air to push it out through the gap between the lips. The other is to use the index finger and thumb of both hands to hold the two ends of the leaf after holding it between the lips, using the tongue in combination with the lips to push the air to create sound.

Watch Mr. Va Xenh Lu play the leaf trumpet:

The leaves are torn into small pieces to fit in the mouth so that they can be blown easily. Photo: Dao Tho

The sound of the leaf trumpet simulates the folk songs of the Mong people and is used to express people's feelings and emotions towards nature, towards people and towards love between men and women.

Nowadays, in Mong villages, the leaf flute is still an indispensable musical instrument. After a day of work, they feel more relaxed by the melodious, seductive sound of the leaf flute. Thus, they send their thoughts and feelings to their loved ones through the sound of the flute.

Holding the breath and holding the instrument are important techniques when performing the leaf flute. Photo: Dao Tho

A Hmong man in Muong Long commune (Ky Son) smiled shyly and said: “I love the sound of the leaf flute because it expresses the feelings in my heart. Thanks to that flute, on the first day of spring, when I went to throw pao, I got this beautiful wife.”

Watch the Mong people play leaf trumpets:

The leaf flute is a musical instrument that expresses the joy and sadness of the Mong people in the mountains and forests of Nghe An. Photo: Dao Tho

In modern life with so many imported musical instruments, the Mong people of Nghe An still preserve their ethnic cultural identity through the simple sound of the leaf trumpet.

Dao Tho