Hmong Folk Clarinet

Though the folk clarinet can be found in many parts of the world, it remains relatively scarce in Southeast Asia, making the Hmong raj lev les (traa lae lae) a rare treasure. The raj lev les is crafted from a slender bamboo segment, freshly cut, which varies in length from thirty to fifty centimeters (12 to 20 inches). What makes it remarkable is that its vibrating reed is actually cut into the bamboo body making it integral to the instrument. The raj lev les is thus considered an idioglottal instrument, in comparison with other Hmong reed instruments—the raj nplaim or qeej, for example—which are fitted with external ‘free’ reeds and are thereby known as heteroglottal instruments. A thread is often slipped under raj lev les reed to keep it slightly lifted so it can vibrate freely.

Five finger holes are pierced along the length of the bamboo pipe at equidistant points. A calabash bottle gourd that has been dried and cut in half may be secured to the end of the bamboo with beeswax to act as a resonator, like the bell of a horn, to increase the raj lev les’ thin, reedy tone.

The raj lev les can be heard in a variety of settings. Because it is a slight instrument that can be readily made, men and women often play it to while away the hours as they harvest their crops. In the village, the raj lev les is most suitable for intimate social settings, as its timbre does not carry far. A musician may play it alone as a means of expressing his feelings; with another musician in antiphonal exchange, for example, during courtship rites; or among family members for pleasure or solace. The raj lev les is not played for festival celebrations or sacred rites.

To those who are conversant, the distinctive tones of the raj lev les reveal verbal exchanges and narratives like those of other Hmong raj instruments that ‘speak’—the side flute, raj ntsaws; the end flute, raj pum liv; and the free-reed pipe, raj nplaim. When performing age-old pieces on the raj lev les, Hmong musicians dip into a wealth of specific styles and genres that address emotions reflecting their inner and outer experiences—love, in all its forms, being the most prevalent.

Recording
Raj Sib Hlub, courting song played on a raj lev les single reed pipe (Hmoob Dawb)

Nyiaj Huas Lis, Ban Samyord, Luang Nam Tha Province, Laos, December 2006

Ethnic Group: Hmoob Dawb (White Hmong)

Local Name: Raj lev les (traa lae lae)

Type: Folk Clarinet

Class: Idioglottal Reed Aerophone

Tuning: Pentatonic scale

Age: 2006

Materials: Young bamboo (xyob qeej)

Dimensions: 31.5 x 1.5 dia. cm / 12.4″ x 0.6″ dia.

Location:
Zos Sasyuaj (Ban Sayua)
Luang Nam Tha, Laos

Owner / Instrument Maker:  Nyiaj Huas Lis (Nyia Hua Lee) (60 years) 

Catalog Number: 5744