Iu Mien Mouth Harp 2

Iu Mien men and women play two styles of mouth harps made with distinct designs and materials, historically of bamboo and, more recently, of brass. The bamboo kheu chin is a study in skilled engineering honed by craftsmen over the ages, demonstrating streamlined simplicity and efficiency. The instrument is made from a bamboo tranche that has first been smoked, a process that removes moisture, giving it greater durability.

This mouth harp is assembled with four distinct parts—one length of bamboo serves as the frame, into which a vibrating, resonating reed is incised; two ‘doors,’ bamboo strips running lengthwise, are set into the frame, forming a space between it and the reed; and a bamboo support is affixed to the lower half of the instrument body, under which the doors are anchored.

As the harmonics that a musician produces come from the space between the reed and frame, the distance between the ‘doors’ affects the timbre. The ideal tone comes when the doors are as close together as possible without touching the reed.

Note: The charming case of this hundred-year-old mouth harp is engraved naively in alternating bands of diamond-shaped motifs and ground birds, reflecting the close connection the Iu Mien have with the natural world. Consider that the traditional Iu Mien bamboo kheu chin is significantly longer and wider than its present-day form, forged in brass.

Unlike other groups in Southeast Asia, the Iu Mien have no tradition of strings or reed pipes. Thus, affection is expressed between a courting couple through the lyrical tones of mouth harps and flutes.

Indeed, due to the subdued timbre of the kheu chin requiring intimate call-and-response verses tête-à-tête between two players, the otherworldly soundscape created by ethereal overtones and harmonics, and its ability to imitate to an undeniable degree the tones, cadence, and nuances of Iu Mien language, the mouth harp is an ideal instrument for a suitor and his fiancée to court and spark.

Iu Mien musicians treasure their mouth harps and, as they are small enough to slip into a bag or pocket, carry them everywhere, should spontaneous courtship arise.

Ethnic Group: Iu Mien

Local Name: Kheu chin

Type: Mouth Harp / Decorative Case

Class: Plucked Idiophone (Lamellophone)

Tuning: Free-tuning – based on a fundamental tone on which harmonic overtones extend to several octaves

Age: Early 20th c.

Materials:
Mouth Harp: Bamboo
Case: Bamboo

Dimensions:
Mouth Harp: 18.5 x 0.13 x 0.65 cm / 7.25” x 0.5” x 0.25”
Case: 22 x 2.5 dia. cm / 8.5” x 1” dia.

Location: Laos

Owner / Instrument Maker:

Catalog Number: 5782