Hmong Side Flute

The Hmong raj ntsaws (traa njer) side-blown flute is fabricated from a segment of sturdy bamboo used to make qeej reed pipes, xyob qeej (shiong kheng), to a length of about thirty-five centimeters (14 inches). Equidistant points for the six finger holes are measured and marked with precision along the instrument’s side. Holes are then pierced at these points at an angle using a hot poker fresh from the fire.

The mouth hole is carved at the end of the raj ntsaws where a natural node blocks air flow. If no node exists, a wooden block, wedged to seal the end, can serve the same purpose. The side flute’s other end remains open, allowing a musician to direct the flow and speed of air through the length of the flute when he blows across the embouchure.

Both men and women perform raj ntsaws strains rooted in a pentatonic scale, a five-note pitch range found in a single octave. The four primary pitches—transcribed in Western notation as E-F#-G#-B—are supplemented with an auxiliary low note, C, a major third below E. A series of high-pitched overtones can be added to these fundamentals by blowing with different strengths, thereby increasing the melodic range.

By varying pitch, rhythm, breathing patterns, and ornamentation, musicians of the raj ntsaws are able to create familiar tonal phrases that correspond to Hmong speech, recognized by the listener as ancestral poetry or parables. For this reason, the raj repertoire comprises a wealth of pieces that fall into distinct genres based on specific themes. This allows a Hmong raj ntsaws musician to express the full gamut of human emotions inspired by life cycles and life changes.

The greatest number of raj songs, called raj sib hlub (traa shi hlou), is devoted to love in all its manifestations, from flirting, unrequited love, to breaking up; loneliness, leave-taking, to loss.  Once obligatory for courtship, the lyrical romantic poetry expressed on the raj ntsaws played an essential role in inspiring affection between a Hmong bachelor and his fiancée as they exchanged music in antiphonal refrains over many hours and many days.

Ethnic Group: Hmoob Ntsuab (Hmong Der) – White Hmong

Local Name: Raj ntsaws (traa njer)

Type: Side Flute

Class: Aerophone

Tuning: Pentatonic scale

Age:.2006

Materials: Bamboo (xyob qeej)

Dimensions: 37.5 x 1.5 dia. cm / 14.75″ x 0.6″ dia.

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

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

Catalog Number: 5752