Tou Ger performs at schools around the country and does a variety of other professional cultural training programs. For more information about Tou Ger and his work, please e-mail him at: alm_xiongt@carleton.edu
With "TAPE'S ROLLING" as your guide, travel deep into an unseen side of the Hmong culture as we visit the funeral of May Lo Vang. Welcomed by May Lo's family and the Hmong Community, you will have an intimate experience of a Hmong funeral, part family reunion and part ancient rituals.
This is a clip of the opening credits from the Hmong television program Kev Koom Siab produced at the studies of Saint Paul Neighborhood Network and airs on St. Paul Cable Channel 35 weekdays at 11am and 5pm. It is run on TPT Channel 17 Sunday nights at 7pm. For more information, contact Steve Thao at 651-298-8905.
Viewers Comments
Teenagers express their emotions through poetry sung during courtship ball games at New Year festivals in Laos and America. A widow sings to explain her husband's death, and to find a new husband. Another sings laments at her husband's funeral, joined by relatives.
The video shows how melodic instruments function to convey words in "thought songs" which replicate the relative pitch fluctuations of the tonal Hmong language. The jew's harp is further able to replicate many vowels and consonants of Hmong speech, and like the other melody instruments, conveys "though songs" especially during courtship. The mouth organ replicates liturgical texts during funerals, guiding the soul to the afterworld.
The video shows the gendered Hmong approach to music and instruments. Hmong children do not sing until courtship begins, showing the close relationships between sexuality, courtship, gender, song, and music. By returning after an eleven year hiatus to the grandchildren of the elder musicians featured initially in the video, generational depth is established. The descendents express their regret at the weakening of Hmong traditional music in America, and hope that it will become strengthened in the future.
This video is currently available from Apsara Media for Intercultural Education, 13659 Victory Boulevard, Valley Glen, CA 91401 Fax (818) 785-1495 There are two editions: General Documentary Edition is $80 + $5 p/h Hmong Home Edition is $40 + $5 p/h