Preserver and teacher of Raglay musical instruments in Ma Noi

Returning to the highland commune of Ma Noi, Ninh Son district, Ninh Thuan province, we visited the house of Meritorious Artisan Chamaléa Au on the poetic and lyrical Do River. He sets a shining example of an elderly person preserving and developing the culture of the Raglay ethnic group, with his great contribution in making and teaching young people to skillfully perform many traditional musical instruments of the Raglay ethnic group.

Meritorious Artisan Chamaléa Âu crafts the Chapi

Visiting Meritorious Artisan Chamaléa Âu one morning in mid-October, we met him diligently making a chapi in front of his house at the beginning of Do village. A visitor came to visit, squinting his eyes to recognize an old acquaintance, he shared his joy: I have just completed a program to teach the performance of the ma la for 50 young people in Ma Noi commune. I am so happy that in just one week, I have taught my children and grandchildren how to play the ma la, with basic lessons to serve clan rituals and community cultural activities. The class is implemented under Project 6 of the National Target Program for Socio-Economic Development of Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas. It is expected that in early November, the Department of Culture of Ninh Son district will invite me to continue teaching a class on making and performing the chapi musical instrument for 30 students who are children of the Raglay people in Ma Noi commune.

Artist Chamaléa Âu skillfully performs many traditional musical instruments of the Raglay people such as: chapi, ma la, gourd horn, trumpet and... But his unique chapi sound leaves a deep impression on the audience. His rough hands glide leisurely over the four keys of the chapi, the listener seems to hear the love story of a couple in love, the sound of a waterfall pouring rain, the sound of birds chirping between the mountains and hills, and the friendly invitation of the village during the new rice harvest season.

Meritorious Artist Chamaléa Au tunes the Chapi

Chapi is an “inseparable object” that has accompanied this senior artisan of Ma Noi village to Hanoi and other provinces and cities many times. Audiences enjoy watching him make and perform chapi, which has a strong influence on the cultural life of the Raglay people.

Implementing Project 6, National Target Program on Socio-Economic Development of Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas for the 2021-2025 Period (National Target Program 1719), Meritorious Artisan Chamaléa Âu continues to be invited to take on the role of "main lecturer" of the training program on making and performing chapi and rattan and bamboo woven items serving the lives of the Raglay people, such as baskets, winnowing baskets, and ca tang for local youth.

Although he is over 70 years old, his steps and posture are still as agile as a deer or a squirrel in the old forest. He travels up the high mountains to find old bamboo trees with golden yellow water, 12-15cm in diameter, with flawless trunks, cuts them down, saws them and leaves them in the kitchen to dry for several months to prepare as "materials" to teach students how to make chapi.

According to artisan Chamaléa Âu, to make the chapi, the artisan uses a sharp spear to carve into the bamboo ribs to create 8 strings, each string is about 2cm apart. Place small bamboo pegs at both ends of the strings higher than the body of the instrument. Sharpen a piece of bamboo ribs as wide as the tip of the thumb, carve out a groove to connect each pair of strings together to form the frets, and drill holes under the frets to create resonance for the chapi sound. At both ends of the body of the instrument, use knotted strings, tightly woven rattan strings, with the task of holding the strings taut. Use a fire awl to carve through two bamboo joints to create resonance for the body of the instrument.

After the instrument has taken shape, the craftsman must know how to adjust it so that the sound of the chapi has soul and spirit. When played, its words will go through the ears and stay forever in the heart.

Mr. Chamalea Au with the Certificate of Meritorious Artisan awarded by the President, November 2015

Mr. Ca Mau Ha, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Ma Noi Commune, said that Artisan Chamaléa Au has made many contributions to the preservation and promotion of traditional cultural identity. He actively participates in making and teaching the performance of traditional musical instruments of the Raglay people. At the same time, he guides his descendants in weaving bamboo and rattan instruments to serve the lives of the villagers. The artist was honored to receive the title of Meritorious Artisan of the folk performing art form from the President. He was also awarded many Certificates of Merit by the Chairman of the People's Committee of Ninh Thuan Province for his outstanding achievements in contributing to the socio-economic development of ethnic minority and mountainous areas; and a typical revolutionary contributor.

“The Raglay people are grateful to the Party and Uncle Ho for taking care of and improving the lives of people in ethnic minority and mountainous areas, and former resistance bases. Recently, I also learned that the National Target Program 1719 is effectively promoting investment capital, improving the material and spiritual lives of people, and the village is increasingly prosperous. Therefore, as long as I am healthy, I will guide the children in the village to make and perform traditional musical instruments of the Raglay people,” said Meritorious Artisan Chamaléa Au.

Ngoc Son (Ethnicity and Development Newspaper)

Source: https://baophutho.vn/nguoi-bao-ton-truyen-day-nhac-cu-raglay-o-ma-noi-222465.htm