- Title: VIETNAM: WELSH AND VIETNAMESE NATIONAL CULTURES MIX IN NEW BLEND OF FOLK MUSIC
- Date: 27th June 2000
- Summary: SAPA VIETNAM (RECENT - JUNE 17, 2000) (REUTERS) 1. GV'S SAPA VALLEY (2 SHOTS) 0.11 2. VARIOUS OF SAPA TOWN/ H'MONG ETHNIC MINORITY (4 SHOTS) 0.36 3. WIDE SHOT OF MEMBER OF "RAG FOUNDATION" WALKING AROUND SAPA MARKET 0.45 4. MV NEIL WOOLLARD, MEMBER OF RAG FOUNDATION BUYING A SMALL GONG (4 SHOTS) 1.08 5. MV H'MONG GIRLS ENTERING ROOM FOR MUSIC REHEARSAL 1.14 6. MV H'MONG ARTIST AND WOOLLARD PRACTICE SINGING A H'MONG SONG 1.23 7. VARIOUS OF H'MONG AND WELSH ARTISTS PRACTICE A H'MONG SONG (3 SHOTS) 1.45 8. SV (SOUNDBITE) (Vietnamese) SEO GA, H'MONG MUSICIAN SAYING: "We realised that Welsh musicians liked our song and music such as..da da da da da...They like the tune very much and they learned very quickly. We enjoy performing together." 2.03 9. SLV SIGN OF "MUSICAL TALES FROM LANDS OF DRAGONS" ON THE STAGE 2.07 10. LV THE STAGE AT SAPA THEATRE 2.14 11. VARIOUS H'MONG GIRLS/WELSH ARTISTS PRACTISING ON THE STAGE (4 SHOTS) 2.31 12. SV (SOUNDBITE) (English) CERI RHYS MATTHEWS SAYING: "The similarities are all there because we are all human beings doing it and play similar instruments like flutes and fiddle and so on. And there are differences as well because we come from different areas, different cultures. So at one time we come very close and understand each other". 2.51 13. SLV AUDIENCES COMING 3.01 14. MV H'MONG ARTIST AND MATTHEWS PLAYING TRADITIONAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS 3.18 15. MV A H'MONG ARTIST PERFORMING KHEN 3.22 16. CA AUDIENCES 3.28 17. VARIOUS OF WELSH ARTISTS SINGING A WELSH FOLK SONG (3 SHOTS) 3.48 18. MV DAO ETHNIC MINORITY WATCHING THE JOINT PERFORMANCE 3.50 19. SLV H'MONG GIRLS SINGING 3.57 20. VARIOUS OF WELSH ARTISTS PERFORMING (2 SHOTS) 4.06 21. SLV TWO SHOT OF WELSH ARTISTS (FLUTE) PERFORMING A H'MONG SONG 4.10 22. MV H'MONG ARTISTS PLAYING TRADITIONAL MUSIC INSTRUMENTS 4.14 23. SV A H'MONG ARTIST PLAYING BAMBOO FLUTE 4.18 24. WIDE OF WELSH AND H'MONG ARTISTS PERFORMING TOGETHER 4.22 25. MV FLOWER PRESENTATION (2 SHOTS) 4.27 26. SV (SOUNDBITE) (English) JULIE MURPHY SAYING: "...And this with the music of the H'mong and the sound, it's very pure music still. So it's a real privilege and pleasure to meet and play with the musicians who still so close to their music and the other thing is that it's very gentle music, very delicate, it's not pushy" 4.50 27. VARIOUS OF SAPA (4 SHOTS) 5.09 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 12th July 2000 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: SAPA, VIETNAM
- Country: Vietnam
- Reuters ID: LVA6CIOXBEK1WN3ZAJPY9SVBG9E1
- Story Text: For the first time ever, Welsh musicians have performed
with Vietnam's H'mong ethnic minority - creating an exciting
new blend of folk music that explores the richness of both
Vietnamese and Welsh national culture.
The remote hills of northern Vietnam are rarely visited
by artists from the outside world. But a group of Welsh folk
musicians have changed all that.
The Welsh group recently headed to the hills of Sapa, a
picturesque resort high in the hills of northern Vietnam to
bring their music to the local ethnic tribespeople - and
create a cross-cultural exchange.
The Welsh contingent is made up of Wales' two most
famous folk music groups - the Fernhill and Rag Foundation -
and they decided to take their "Musical Tales from the Land of
Dragons" to Sapa to mark the Lunar Year of the Dragon.
The group is running workshops with ethnic musicians
living in the area, including people from the spectacularly
garbed H'mong tribe.
H'mong musician Seo Ga said there was an immediate
rapport between the two groups.
"We realised that the Welsh musicians liked our song and
music, such as "da da da da da...". They like the tune very
much and they learned very quickly. We enjoy performing
together."
While the H'mong and the Welsh come from radically
different backgrounds and cultures, they have one thing in
common - a passion for music.
"The similarities are all there because we are all human
beings doing it and play similar instruments like flutes and
fiddles and so on. And there are differences as well, because
we come from different areas, different cultures. So at one
time we come very close and understand each other," said Welsh
guitarist cum flautist, Ceri Rhys Matthews.
On performance night, locals turned out in large numbers
to watch the groups play their music, with the audience made
up of six different ethnic minorities living around Sapa.
For Welsh singer Julie Murphy, it was a magical
experience.
"This music of the H'mong and the sound -- it's very
pure music still. So it's a real privilege and pleasure to
meet and play with musicians who are still so close to their
music. And the other thing is that it's very gentle music,
very delicate, it's not pushy."
The peoples of northern Vietnam and Wales may live on
opposites sides of the earth, but a shared passion for music
can break down the divide unlike anything else.
- Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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