ALL
singers
ICH Elements 59
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Art of Đờn ca tài tử music and song in southern Viet Nam
Đờn ca tài tử is a musical art that has both scholarly and folk roots. It developed in southern Việt Nam in the late nineteenth century. People in southern Việt Nam consider Đờn ca tài tử to be an indispensible spiritual cultural activity and a highly valued part of their cultural heritage. It is performed at numerous events such as festivals, ‘death anniversary' rituals such as the Death Anniversary of the Ancestors held annually on the twelfth day of the eighth lunar month, and celebratory social events like weddings and birthdays. The performers express their feelings by improvising, ornamenting and varying the ‘skeletal melody’ and main rhythmic patterns of these pieces. The audience can join practicing, making comments or creating new song texts. Đờn ca tài tử is played on a variety of different instruments, including the moon-shaped lute, two-stringed fiddle, sixteen-stringed zither, pear-shaped lute, percussion, monochord and bamboo flute. Its repertoire is based on twenty principal songs and seventy-two classical songs.
Viet Nam 2013 -
Small epics
Kyrgyz epics are divided into two groups such as big and small epics. The epic trilogy of Manas. Semetei and Seitek belong to the big epic group. All the rest belong to small epics. There about 30 epics and epic poems in the second group. This group is very diverse in terms of topics, genres, plots and music. Depending on the core idea and plot, small epics can be subdivided into following subgroups: 1.\tHeroic epics describe the struggle of a hero against foreign and local enemies. They include but not limited to such epics as Kurmanbek, Jangyl Myrza, Janysh-Baiysh, Er Tabyldy, Seiitbek, Shyrdakbek, Er Soltonoi and others; 2.\tMythological epic describe a hero’s struggle with mythical creatures and natural forces. E.g. Kojojash, Er Töshtük, Joodarbeshim and others; 3.\tSocial and everyday-life-related epic describe complex social relations and people’s perceptions of just social structure. E.g. Kedeikan, Mendirman and others; 4.\tLyrical and romantic epics describe (often tragic) love relations. For example, Oljobai and Kishimjan, Sarinji-Bököi, Kulmyrza and Aksatkyn, Ak Möör and others). Singers and storytellers called akyn accompany their recitations of small epics with a musical instrument.
Kyrgyzstan -
Arirang folk song in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
Arirang is a lyrical singing genre, which has been handed down orally for centuries and which never has lost its popularity among the Koreans. Arirang was sung by the people in the northwestern part of the Korean peninsula as early as in the late 14th century. Today Arirang is sung in its traditional form by people all over the country, while it is also performed in symphonic arrangements and in dance music. Arirang typically contains a gentle and lyrical melody in five scales, and the refrain: Arirang, arirang, arariyon Over the Arirang hill you go. Arirang songs speak about leaving and reunion, sorrow, joy, and happiness. There are various categories of Arirang songs that can be classified by the lyrics or the melody used, and by place of origin. Currently 36 versions of Arirang are known. Most typical versions are Sodo Arirang, Phyongan Provincial Arirang, Jonchon Arirang, Haeju Arirang, Kangwon Provincial Arirang, Kosong Arirang, Onsong Arirang, Tanchon Arirang, Thongchon Arirang, Musan Arirang, Ku Arirang and Kosan Arirang, Arirang, as living heritage, up till the present day has undergone continuous developments, always reflecting the history of the Korean people. Under Japanese colonial rule, for instance, Arirang was widely sung as it reflected the distress about national ruin and the people’s spirit of resistance. In recent days such modern versions as “Arirang of Reunification” and “Arirang of Great Prosperity” have been produced reflecting the realities of our time.
North Korea 2014 -
Pahlevani and Zoorkhanei rituals
The Ritual of Pahlevani and Zoorkhanei is a collection of rhythmic moving skills, music and dramatic art in a holy place named “Zoorkhane”. In this ritual a group of 10 to 20 men, using tools that symbolically represent the ancient weapons, perform rhythmic and musical, dramatic and ritualistic movements. Zoorkhane, the place for the administration of the Element enjoys a special architecture, a blend of Mithraic temples and Islamic architecture. The major sections of the place include a dome, the arena (Gowd: an octagonal pit, 70cm deep, wherein the rituals are administered and the practitioners stand on specific spots according to age and seniority), the audience seats (overlooking the arena), and “Sardam” wherein the Morshed sits. The Zoorkhane gate is short to encourage bending at the entrance to pay respect toward the holy place. The tools, equipment and sportswear of Zoorkhane are mostly made in the cities of Tehran and Mashhad by skillful craftsmen. In the history of Iran, this Element has been influenced by epical myths and a worldview based on the ancient Iranian ethical trilogy “Good Though, Good Deed, Good Speech”. It roots back to Mithraism in 3000 years ago. This ritual has been and is practiced from the ancient times in most parts of Iran as well as some regions of such neighboring countries as Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Pakistan and India. The element enjoys a masculine nature and its practitioners belong to all social strata. Ethical and chivalrous values are instructed under the supervision of a Pahlavan (""champion"", a master in skills and heroic ethics) within the epical poems recited by a Morshed (""preceptor""), accompanied by music and sport rhythmic movements. “Morshed” is a singer who plays “Zarb”, an Iranian percussion instrument, recites epical and mystical poems, and leads and harmonizes chanson with the music and sport-like dramatic movements. The poems that are recited by the Morshed constitute part of Zoorkhanei literature. In the course of the ritual, dramatic, sport-like, musical and acrobatic movements are performed and, finally, the ceremony is ended with prayers that connote expansion of peace and friendship among nations, and resolving the needy people’s hardships. Golrīzān Ceremony: One of the side programs of the Element is the “Golrīzān” Ceremony that is organized as a homage for pioneers (Pīshkesvat's), champions and preceptors, or for collecting financial contributions for the needy, the sick, or orphans. In this ceremony flowers are put at every corner of Zoorkhane, as a sign for invitation for contribution; the collected contributions are, then, secretly granted to the needy, by a group of trustees. The practitioners in the ritual wear special sportswear, usually, consisting of a pair of trunks - decorated with Arabesque drawings- and a t-shirt. On the clothes and some of the Zoorkhanei tools, motifs of Botee-Jeghghe (an abstraction of a bent cypress symbolizing a humble champion) are observed.
Iran 2010 -
Mongolian art of singing, Khoomei
Mongolian Khoomei (also known as “Hooliin Chor” or “Chor”) refers to the art of singing in which the singer produces, at the same time, a chorus of dual or heterophony purely with his or her own vocal organs, namely, a diversified harmony of two or more voice parts produced by one singer with the overtone based on his continued bass part from his throat in harmony with his continued bass part. It is the only form of singing technique in the history of human singing, a unique creation and outstanding contribution of the Mongolian people.
China 2009 -
Mongolian art of singing Khoomei
Khöömei is a wonder of culture created by nomadic Mongols, a unique phenomenon of Mongolian traditional music, an ancient art, the highest form of independent art of speaking organs and artistic discovery contributed by the Mongols to the music art of the world. Mongol khöömei lies in producing two or more pitches simultaneously, of which one is a fundamental pitch from the chest and the other is a higher pitch resonating to the hard palate or whistling khöömei. The melodies of khöömei are the music that only Mongol khöömei can describe as well as the sound of nature, mountain, water, wind, animal calls, correlation between nature and human and the inner world of human soul. khöömei is divided into two basic categories of “Kharkhiraa” or bass, fundamental pitch and “Isgeree or shingen” or “whistling or high pitch”.
Mongolia 2010 -
Traditional music of the Morin khuur
Mongols have traditionally shown a great respect for the horse, honoring it in their national standards and symbols (flags and emblems) and in their folk songs. Morin khuur clearly belongs to this symbolic tradition. Morin khuur, so named for the ornamental horse-head carving at the top of its neck, is a unique two-stringed musical instrument developed by the nomadic Mongols. The strings of both the bow and fiddle are made from the hair of a horse’s tail. Most significantly, there is a tradition of playing the morin khuur at all ritual and ceremonial events. No discussion of the morin khuur would be complete without having considered the folk ‘long song’, for which it provides the principal accompaniment. Besides Bii Biylgee and folk long song, many other folk artistic forms such as Ülger (tales), Tuuli (epic), Yörööl (benediction), Magtaal (ode) and others can always be performed with morin khuur.
Mongolia 2008 -
Ca trù singing
Ca Trù singing has other names such as: A Dao singing, Dao nuong ca, Co Tou singing, Nha tro singing, communal house singing, Nha To singing..., derived from folk songs, folk music plus a number of performances and games. folk dance. From the way of worshiping at the communal house door, singing the congee, singing the crowd... Ca trù has gradually been professionalized. Belonging to a folk performance art form, the uniqueness of Ca Trù is that it is an art that combines poetry, music and sometimes dance and performance. The performance space of Ca Trù is diverse, each with its own singing style and performance method. Ca Trù singing has 5 main performance spaces: hát cửa đình (hát thờ), hát cửa quyền (hat cung đình hay hát chúc hỗ), singing at home (hát nhà tơ), singing Thi, and singing ca quan (hát chơi). The performance form of ca trù is a chanting consisting of three main components: a female vocalist (called "dao" or "ca Nuong") using a percussion set to take the beat; a male musician (referred to as "kép") plays the bass lute to accompany the singing, sometimes singing and dancing in both hat su and hat giai singing styles; people who enjoy ca trù (called "quan vien", connoisseurs of sound law, vocal music, and dance) beat drums to punctuate sentences and express their satisfaction with drum sounds. Both the singer, the man, the listener participate in the singing. Ca Trù's greatest contribution to Vietnamese culture is the birth of spoken poetry. In terms of music, the characteristic of Ca Trù is that there are three types of musical instruments: bottom lute, beat and drum, which have contributed to making Ca Trù become a special musical genre of Vietnam.
Viet Nam 2009 -
Khorazm dance, Lazgi
Lazgi is the most popular Khoresm dance, which is energetic and full of passion. It is performed equally by both male and female dancers. "Lazgi" dance was usually accompanied by instrumental and dancy melodies. Although song versions of "lazgi" (which use various poetic texts) became widespread later on, the nature and character of melody remained the same. There are several versions of "lazgi" dance. These are: dance on a tray, dance on a brick, solo as well as group dance. In these, refined dance movements are replaced consequently by passionate and accelerated dance. The dance starts from steady movements of fingers of one hand and then another. Then simultaneously and slowly includes entire torso. The tempo gets accelerated and dancers snap fingers in time with dance with the help of stone castanets. In a group dance each participant dances in his or her own style.
Uzbekistan 2019 -
Practices related to the Việt beliefs in the Mother Goddesses of Three Realms
Beliefs in the Mother Goddesses focus on the worship of mother spirits of three realms, which are heavenly realm, realm of water and realm of mountains and forests. Since the 16th century, Beliefs in the Goddesses have developed into a spiritual and cultural activity that has had a profound influence on social life and consciousness of the people. Followers worship Mother Goddess Liễu Hạnh as well as other spirits who are historical or legendary heroes. According to legends, Liễu Hạnh was a nymph who descended to earth, lived as a human being and became a Buddhist nun. She is worshiped as “The Mother of the World” and as one of the four immortals of the Việt. At temples, daily worship is organized by temple guardians. Main practices of the Beliefs include spirit possession rituals and traditional festivals among which the most notable is Phủ Dầy festival in Kim Thái commune, Nam Định province. The festival lasts from the third day to the tenth day of the third lunar month and includes rituals, folk performances, a procession of the Buddhist scripture and a “word arrangement”. Through folk cultural expressions including costumes, chầu văn songs, and dance in spirit possession rituals and folk performance in festivals, the Việt express their views on history, cultural heritage, gender roles and ethnic cultural identities. The power and meaning of the Beliefs resides in their ability to meet spiritual demands and everyday desires and to help them achieve good fortune in health, work and business.
Viet Nam 2016 -
Traditional technique of making Airag in Khokhuur and its associated customs
Airag is the fermented beverage from mare’s milk. This element includes a traditional method of making airag, its related equipment and objects such as khokhuur (cowhide vessel), buluur (paddle) and khovoo (kibble), and associated therewith social customs and rituals. The milking season for horses runs from mid June to early October. Daily milk yield of mares varies from 3 to 6 liters. The basic technique of making airag consists of milking mares and cooling fresh milked milk, and repeatedly churning milk in a khokhuur with starter left inside to assist its fermentation. The liquid must be churned 5000 and more times to make good fermented blend of airag. Mare’s milk undergoes fermentation by lactobacilli and lactic acid streptococci, producing ethanol, lactic acids and carbon dioxide. The airag - mildly alcoholic white beverage emits a delicious smell and its pleasant taste can make your mouth watery. For making the khokhuur, first, the cowhide is soaked and hide’s filament is removed, then it is dehydrated in the wind and fumigated. In such process, the cowhide turns to a white flexible leather. The khokhuur is made from this white leather and consists of mouth neck, corner, body and cords. The buluur is long-handled wooden paddle which is used for churning airag in khokhuur and furnished with bored blade of board at the end. Khokhuur can hold 40 to 100 liters of airag. Airag is used and served as a main and holy drink during various fests and in making offerings and ritual blessings.
Mongolia 2019 -
Spring celebration, Hıdrellez
“Hıdrellez” is a compound name derived from “Hıdır” and “İlyas”. They are believed to be sacred figures who meet each other once in a year on May 6th and are considered to be the protectors of earth and water as well as helpers of individuals, families and communities in need of them. May 6th is accepted and celebrated as Spring Day, awakening of nature. According to the beliefs of some communities a year is divided into two seasons in accordance with the visibility and invisibility of the star Pleiades that cannot be observed from May 6th until November. The element is maintained today, various ceremonies and rituals connected to the nature are performed providing well-being, fertility and prosperity of family and community, protecting livestock and crops for the upcoming year. On the evening of May 5th, young people gather in a house and prepare one storage pot made of clay in which there are some herbs and water, where each participant put different small personal object called “nishan” inside with some wish for the following year. Covered with red cloth the pot is left under a rose bush, and left during the night. Before sunrise on May 6th, the courtyard of a house is cleaned and in the middle a bonfire is lit. It is believed that as higher the fire goes, the more productive the upcoming year will be. Young people jump over the fire and go in the nearest green field or forest where they collect different herbs and green plants. They put swings up on a fertile tree and while swinging sing Hıdrellez songs. After that the young people go to the garden, where they have put the pot and proceed to the ritual called “Martufal”: A young girl, whose parents are alive, mixes the nishans inside the pot and picks them out one by one. The picked nishan is shown to the people around, while giving it to its owner they sing a quatrain called “Mani”. Each nishan is considered to be magical and each mani should bring luck and good health to its owner. After the Martufal the participants have family lunch, the celebration continues all day with wrestling games called “Pelivan” and dancing festivities organized by the local communities.
Macedonia,Turkey 2017