Thai ethnic people’s most renowned singer

      An old Thai woman in the central province of Nghe An has made important contributions to preserving the Thai’s ancient art of folk singing.
Many Thai people in the mountainous districts of Quy Chau in the central province of Nghe An may not know world famous divas like Mariah Carey and Celine Dion. But they all know about the 61-year old woman singer, Sam Thi Tuyen, who is very popular with the fans in the Thai community.
Tuyen is famous for collecting and recording old Thai folk songs, known as nhuon and xuoi, and her ability to sing complicated melodies.
“My love for these folk songs is still as fresh as when I was an 18 year old girl,” she says.
When Tuyen was 14 years old, she began to learn old folk songs from her farther, teacher Sam Van Lan.
“For me, nhuon and xuoi are an indispensable part of Thai life,” she says.
Tuyen recalls that over the past few years, when attending local weddings and festivals, she has felt sad as not many Thai people can sing these ancient songs any more. “Old people may forget the songs or not be fit and healthy enough to sing, while the young people has a passionate interest in gooey songs of lost loves.”
Feeling afraid that the old folk songs will fade into oblivion, she has managed to save them by collecting the ancient lyrics, and composing new lyrics for ancient melodies.
Moreover, Tuyen does not miss a chance to bring these folk songs to the people.
She sings passionately at traditional festivals in the district and the province, and more often than not at local ceremonies in her village.
Everyday, working beside the loom in her old wooden house, she raises her voice to sing out the sweet ancient melodies.
Tuyen is one of the founders of the local Chieng Ngam Folk Singing Club, along with other local singers like Sam Van Dan and Sam Thi Phong.
Sam Van Dan says that these talented singers must understand the old customs, legends and historical stories, so they can relay them via their songs.
“We sing in a call-and-respond way. The songs are about ancient stories that tell of our ancestors who established and built the first villages, as well as the people’s constant struggle against nature,” he says.
She is not only a folk singer, but also a sorcerer. During local housewarmings, betrothal ceremonies and weddings, she is invited to carry out sacred rituals.
“I always take the chance to sing ancient Thai folk songs. Some types of folk songs require a low tone, while others requires a high tone. Other melodies including huon chuong and long mung also requires the singer to be very skilful,” she says.
With the ancient songs, compositions of old melodies and new lyrics that she has written, Tuyen sings passionately to bring to her community songs and melodies that have almost been forgotten.
The songs that she has written new lyrics for include “Our Gratitude to the Party”, “Praising Our Village” and “Advice for a Daughter on Going to Her Husband’s Home."
“I especially like that song as I wrote it for my daughter when she got married and I sang the song during her wedding," she says.
“... Being a daughter-in-law you must not be selfish
You must show your respect, so your parents-in-law will be pleased
If your baby cries you must not scold him... "
The song also mentions traditional customs, such as:
"You must not sit on the stairs
When you put your baby to the breast, you must not be seated directly opposite your father-in-law
When you are wearing a skirt, don’t roll it up... "
Traditionally, in ethnic minority inhabited areas, the title “sorcerer” is held by men only. The case of Tuyen is quite exceptional- she is even regarded as “the chief-sorcerer” of the village. She is ready to walk up hill and down dale to visit families anytime they need her to organise a ritual for them. She is one of a few Thai ethnics in the community who still remember quite a few ancient prayers.
“I often feel sad about young people who are ignorant of prayers. That’s why I have encouraged my children to learn about prayers.” she says.
By now, her fame has spread far beyond the district. Many young people from other areas visit Tuyen time and again to take note of the lyrics and learn how to sing the ancient folk songs.
“Some ancient songs performed with pan-pipes are very hard, and I still have to practise a lot to sing them fluently,” she says.