Khmer youth preserves and breathes life into pentatonic musical instrument

STO - Amidst the bustling sounds of modern life, there is a young Khmer man who still quietly immerses himself in the sounds of tapping, grinding, and carving wood to create traditional musical instruments of his people. That is Lam Minh Tam, often called Kha, affectionately called by the locals as "the person who preserves and breathes life into Khmer pentatonic music".

Passion since childhood

Minh Tam was born and raised in a Khmer farming family, in Can Gio 2 hamlet, Tham Don commune, My Xuyen district ( Soc Trang ). Minh Tam's childhood was closely associated with the fields and festivals at the pagoda. Tam's parents were not artisans or musicians, but since he was a child, the boy loved the five-tone music of the nation. Every time the Chol Chnam Thmay festival, the traditional Sene Don Ta festival or the peace-praying festival often held locally, the boy eagerly went to watch the artisans and musicians perform to serve the people. From then on, when he heard the sound of the skor-thom (big drum), ro-neat-ek, ro-neat-thung, or ro-neat-dek... resounding, it seemed to captivate the boy. Recalling his childhood memories, Minh Tam said: "I was fascinated! Hearing the five-tone music, my hands and feet immediately jumped to it. For me, it was not just a sound but a memory."

Through his skillful hands, Lam Minh Tam has created impressive traditional musical instruments. Photo: THACH PICCH

The love for Khmer pentatonic music grew over the years, and at the age of 10, Tam applied to join the pentatonic music class at Phnor Kanh Cho Thmay Pagoda. Here, he was taught systematic knowledge by Khmer artisans. After 3 months of mastering traditional music, Minh Tam joined the pagoda's pentatonic music team to perform for the people on the occasion of traditional festivals of the Khmer people in and outside the locality. Not only did Tam play fluently, but she also had time to be curious about how people made these musical instruments.

Keep the echo forever

Each musical instrument Minh Tam makes is completely handcrafted, from choosing wood, bamboo, to each piece of iron bar, adjusting the sound. Minh Tam shared: “In 2021, I started making some musical instruments, such as the ro-neat-ék set, ro-neat-thung... During the process, I encountered many difficulties, because there were no books, no main teacher to guide me, I had to disassemble each part to measure, see the structure, how to create sound. My purpose is to satisfy my passion, then share it on social networks, such as: Facebook, Zalo... Unexpectedly, I received a positive response, many people ordered, so I was determined, experimented to make and sell according to individual orders. Each product takes about 1 month to complete".

The Pentatonic is a special musical instrument of the Khmer people, beautifully and delicately designed, each musical instrument is precisely determined to ensure the harmony elements for the whole orchestra. The Pentatonic set has 5 types of materials that create the sound of the music, usually bronze, iron, wood, leather and wind. Each type has its own sound nuances, playing an indispensable role in the traditional ceremonial orchestra. To create a complete set of musical instruments, the craftsman must clearly understand the sound characteristics, materials and manual techniques of each item.

Minh Tam confided: “Unlike modern musical instruments, pentatonic instruments require sophistication in every detail, the resonance must be round, the resonance must be deep and must be in harmony with the pentatonic whole. Up to now, among the pentatonic musical instruments, I have crafted 4 types: ro-neat-ek, ro-neat-thung, ro-neat-dek, skor-thom. Making it more convenient is thanks to my investment in additional equipment such as a grinder, a hand saw, a sound tester, etc. The manufacturing process is also faster, with a selling price of 6 - 7 million VND/type.”

In his free time, Minh Tam also joins the Phnor Kanh Cho Thmay Pagoda's pentatonic band to perform at traditional Khmer festivals in and outside the locality.

At a very young age, the journey of preserving the sounds of heritage of the young man has just begun. But each pentatonic instrument, each drumhead made by Minh Tam seems to carry the passion and pride of a generation of modern Khmer people, both attached to their roots and not afraid to walk on the path of creativity. Although his hands are covered with wood dust and bamboo dust, his eyes always shine when talking about traditional musical instruments.

STONE

Source: https://baosoctrang.org.vn/van-hoa-the-thao-du-lich/202506/chang-thanh-nien-khmer-giu-gin-thoi-hon-cho-nhac-cu-ngu-am-ab73f6d/