ALL
threshing
ICH Elements 5
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Traditional art of whistling
The traditional art of whistling calls for human teeth and lips to function as the music instrument and the mouth cavity to function as a sound box. Whistling is classified into the following three types: tooth whistle, lip whistle and palate whistle. The reasons Mongolians whistle is greatly dependant on the season, time, location, and context due to that from ancient times Mongols have considered whistling as a call for wind. Mongols whistle the short and long songs, and melodies in hot days of summer and autumn season while herding livestock and during the labor for relaxing. Before mentioned, Mongols believe that the whistle can bring the deity of wind, therefore they do whistle while harvesting the grain for blowing the skin of grain.
Mongolia -
Lozey: Lyrical Ballad
Lozey (lyrical ballad or witty narratives) is a form of oral expression, appropriately described as one of the ornaments of speech. According to the accounts of elderly citizens in the western districts, the origin of Lozey goes back to the 12th century coinciding with the arrival of Phajo Drugom Zhigpo (1148-1251). Often known as Togden Phajo, he was a Tibetan saint whose life and deeds are closely linked with the initial spread of the Drukpa School of teachings in Bhutan in accordance with the prophesy of Tsangpa Gyare (11611211), the founder of the Drukpa Kagyud Lineage. Phajo Drugom Zhigpo was followed by numerous Tibetan scholars who disseminated the teachings of the Buddha. Amongst these realised beings Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal (1594-1651) was the destined leader. He instituted the traditions based on the Buddhist values of Mi-choe tsangma chudrug (sixteen virtues for mundane practice) and reformed the old traditions, resulting in establishment of the dual system of government in Bhutan, whereby a temporal ruler coexists with the spiritual authority of the nation. Amongst those indigenous traditions, the songs Parshing mindru gyelmo and Zurchen gyi sheypa are the most popular in Bhutan and are sung especially during the construction of typical Bhutanese house made of rammed earth. These age old songs are solely sung by the people of central and western Bhutan. Parshing Mindru Gyelmo is an honorific name given to the wooden tools used for ramming earth, therefore the tools are respected and revered as an embodiment of Khandro Sonam Peldon, consort of Phajo Drugom Zhigpo. The song has many verses inviting the Parshing Mindru Gyelmo to visit from Tibet and concludes with propitious words of seeing her off back to Tibet during the consecration ceremony for the new house. Similarly, Zurchen gi sheypa (song sung during the installation of four phalluses on the four eaves of the house facing the four directions) is also sung on the day of the consecration ceremony. Two groups are formed for the singing of the songs, normally separate groups for males and females. There are often verbal skirmishes between the male and female groups. A quick-witted and verbally eloquent person may compose appropriate verses of response on the spot based on the nature of the opponents’ song. It is said that the verses of these songs are so long, “if sung till the end, it is believed that it could last for almost a day” as told by a few elderly citizens. There have been incidents in the past when the host family had to place a large Palla (bamboo container) of Ara (distilled home brew) down and request the verbally warring songsters to reconcile. However, these songs are actually a type of ballad or narrative poem to which a melody was added later. The recitation of Lozey is still widely practised in the western part of Bhutan and is regarded as an entertainment and enjoyment by one and old alike. There are variants of given names for Lozey, sometimes it is also written as Losel, but, there is no clue why, since both terms have their separate sets of definitions. According to Lopon Kunzang Thinley, chief researcher at KMT Press, Thimphu, Lozey is an art of speech which requires a unique skill in making rapid response. It requires constant flow like the hair on a horse’s neck, thus, the term ‘lo’ means statement and ‘ze’ refers to the neck hair, and in this context to the brilliance of the bantering back and forth. Lozey is defined as brilliant, intelligent, clever and bright. In both Dzongkha and Tibetan dictionaries, Lozey is defined as any prompt statement constructed in verse well decorated with rhetorical qualities of similes and metaphors according to the situation. Such qualities can only be attributed to intelligent, quick-thinking and witty persons. Lozey is of three kinds: popular lozey (which consist various subject and episodes occur depending on the moods and feelings), lojue lozey (a narrative, usually of epic dimension), and finally lozey labja (lozey associated with advice and guidance). Therefore, most often lozey dwells within these episodes; che toed (praising), nyen lu or zalu (romantic), dralu (odium), medlu (disgrace), trolu (joyful), cholu (sad), tse tshol (debating/challenging), trashi/monlu (supplication) and lozey labja (advice/guidance). Lozey labja is sometimes identical to kortam (innuendo or indirect statement). Lozey has no fixed length, but may be long or short, which entirely depends upon the depth of knowledge of a person, but generally the shortest will vary from three lines to fifteen. Short lozey are called lozey do thum while long ones are called lozey jun-ringm. However, loju lozey are historical accounts and regarded as the longest and some lojue lozey are accounts drawn from oral tradition of how the fortresses were constructed by Zhabdrung Nawang Namgyal. Lozey of each district has its own unique characteristics in style, language tone and recitation tune. Sometimes lozey can be used as means of debate or verbal skirmishes between people of different communities or villages, and between male and female. At least two participants are required for a lozey. After one has recited the initial verse, the other responds depending on the gist of the preceding verse. This is called Lozey khaejew (lozey competition) in Dzongkha. While reciting lozey, the rules are very simple. Depending on the type, if the opponent has good knowledge, he/she must respond with the same similes and metaphors that were used by the other. The challenge will continue until a winner or a draw is declared. In both cases, messages will be conveyed through eloquent usage of metaphors and symbols. The responses are never direct. Nevertheless, lozey can be used for both entertainment and wish-making in every aspect of life such as: Parshing gi she pa, Zurchen gi she pa, Dha she (description of Arrow), Gishey (description of Sword), Zo she (description of an Art), Shog da kuelwa (encouraging words while dragging large logs or boulders), Lang key (Praising words to the Oxen while ploughing), Che sho (making wishes while sowing seeds) and Bab she (wish-making while threshing rice) etc. A person who has the knowledge and skills is known as kham khe gyep (King of eloquence or an articulate person) in Dzongkha.
Bhutan -
Tebe/Tebe-tebe
In Tetum, "Tebe" literally means "to kick with the feet". Tebe is a traditional Timorese dance known as Tebe-Tebe. It’s practiced in all municipalities of Timor-Leste, including Indonesian Timor (the western part of the island). This dance involves people holding hands, forming a circle or line, while dancing to the rhythm of traditional musical instruments or to the sound of traditional songs. Tebe is called by different names among various ethnolinguistic groups. It includes several forms, each designed to fulfill a specific purpose within the community, as passed down by the ancestors. Depending on its functions, tebe can be classify into three categories: •\tTebe in Cultural ceremonies. Tebe in cultural ceremonies performed as a way of connecting and communicating with God or nature. The songs that accompany them often mention the sun, the moon, and high mountains, symbolizing requests for help and expressing gratitude. Tebe in this category include: tebe-beirana, from the municipality of Ermera; tebe-sosé and esalelo, from the municipality of Bobonaro; and tebe-Leoleo, from the municipality of Ainaro. These dances are widely performed in traditional ceremonies, such as sau-batar (corn harvesting), bolu-udan (invoking rain), hapara-udan (stopping rain), kuru bee lulik (fetching sacred water), and the inauguration ceremony of uma-lulik (sacred house), among others. •\tTebe for festive entertainment. Tebe in entertainment is often performed during activities such as the construction of sacred houses, the harvesting of corn, the threshing of rice, the dragging of wood, and the celebration of national days. Festive dances include: tebe-sandole from the municipality of Liquiça; tebe-ohelelele and tebe-odi from the municipality of Baucau; tebe-herlelek and tali-bole from the municipality of Viqueque; tebe-cheilaho uma anakenu and tebe-oleleleo from the municipality of Lautem; and tebe-lesuhere and tebe-goulolo from the municipality of Bobonaro. •\tTebe (dance) to welcome guests. It is performed to welcome the official government visitors or other special guests. Communities organize a warm welcome to express joy and show hospitality. Reception dances include: tebe-foder, from Ermera; tebe-kurikai and semanese, from Ainaro; and tebe-sai-rain, from Viqueque. The tebe sai-rain dance, in particular, is performed on a special occasion to welcome a newborn, during a ceremony known as "fase-matan" washing of the baby's eyes.
Timor -
The Dance Art of the Tày in Tà Chải
From the folk dance art of the Tày people, in order to serve the entertainment demands of the upper classes in society, the Tày tribes have established The (Xòe dance) teams, consisting of beautiful, charming women with good figures and talent in dancing and singing. Then, during the process of interacting with French mandarins and intellectuals, the Xòe dance art of the Tay people in Tả Chải added elements of French aristocratic dance art - waltzes, at the end of the 19th century, early 20th century. This has become a unique feature, bringing its own breath of Xòe dance of theTày people here. Xòe Dance Art is performed at festivals such as going to the fields, worshiping the forest, new rice, Lunar New Year, Lantern Festival, etc. The places where Xòe dancing is performed are large, flat yards or beaches. Currently, Xòe dancing of the Tày in Tả Chải has 12 melodies, including 6 Xòe melodies accompanied by drums and gongs and 6 Xòe melodies accompanied by trumpets and drums. Xòe dances accompanied by drums and gongs are a combination of stepping, shoulder tilting, back-slapping, stepping, floor stomping, and rice threshing. Xòe dances with musical accompaniment of trumpets and drums are a combination of two-person dance, four-person dance, fish-finding dance, scarf dance, hat dance, and flag dance. Xòe Then is a unique creation when you sing Then with the Tính instrument. On the full moon day of February, this ceremony is held. Lady Then sat in the front to sing, while the troupe danced in the back. Rhythms such as greeting guests, spreading towels (the scarf), spreading fish (pi à), spreading flags (the cờ), spreading gongs (pa nhăm pa), spreading doubles, spreading fours, dancing around, spreading threshing rice (Phặt khẩu), etc. On the basis of traditional Xòe dancing, nowadays, artisans have created new Xòe dances such as Xòe planting beans, Xòe knitting stars, Xòe picking tea, Xoe serving wine, etc. The birth of new Xòe dances makes the Xòe treasure of art is becoming increasingly richer.
Viet Nam -
KHIRMAN-KUBI, khirmankubon, galagov, huppi
Traditional skills of threshing - one of the main agricultural operations. Branch chaff from the grain or seeds and fruits of the ears, cobs or panicles. Before the advent of harvesters threshing was carried out manually with flails in special fields or barnyard.
Tajikistan