Music of the Daile

Of no form it is possible to consider that the Daile should be a stagnant society. As in many other societies of long history, and with an important population, between the Daile they give themselves a good variety of tastes, passions and interests. This way, as for the music, in spite of the tremendous influence that both the western music, and the Chinese music and more recently the Thai music has had on them, his vernacular music is supported with vigor. Since we have already mentioned on having spoken about the songs, the music is present in numerous aspects of his existence. From the religious celebrations in the temple, generally accompanied on the repetitive sound of his drums, to that of more ritual character of civil ceremonies, which exaltation we will find in the most important holidays, in which the singing and the dance will have big importance. During these several musical, most common instruments touch principally there are the following ones:

They have two types of flute to those who call "pi". Perhaps be the most popular instrument. There are numerous the persons who can touch it, sometimes expressing his feelings in solitude, and others accompanying the changha or singers, in his songs. In fact, it is strange that these sing without the accompaniment of the "pi". Two types of flutes "pi" differ for his size. The biggest, of approximately sixty cm long are done by dry bamboo and have 7 holes. They can touch alone. The kidlings only have approximately thirty centimeters, although they support equal number of holes. It are considered that they are only to touch accompanying, especially the changha in his songs.

They have three types of stringed instruments:

Ding: a curved instrument of two ropes and very thin box. It usually do with half of the rind of a coconut covered with sheets of tender bamboo, and two ropes done generally with hair of the tail of horse,

Bing: It has three ropes, with wooden box.

Sheng: similar to the sixiang (instrument of four ropes). With the made wooden box. It was touching often alone, but now one sees very rarely.

Drums, cymbals and gongs, all of bronze, they are frequent in every village. Generally Buddhists keep in the temples, since his use is frequent in the religious ceremonies.

But perhaps the most important considered musical instruments, be the drums. In fact, the Daile use six types of drums.

The drum most typical of the Daile is called commonly drum of paw of elephant. In his language it is called guangtuo. It usually has approximately 90 centimeters, touching only for a face covered with skin of cow. It has cylindrical form, thinner for the center. Sometimes it touches hanging him of the shoulder. It is used especially in the festive celebrations and popular holidays, dancing sometimes with him in one of the most interesting dances of the Daile. The young people sometimes does drums competitions.

According to his legends they discovered it by chance, setting to dry the skin of a monstrous snake on the trunk of a tree. It is named him by the resemblance with the paw of this animal.

Those of major size, which do not take to the shoulder, they are named guangkie.
The called guangpili, is done by a trunk of tree and skin of cow. It usually has more of meter and a half of length, and touches from two ends. Only it usually touches in religious holidays or very solemn occasions, like the death of some big monk. Then there is a person who beats it directing the ceremony, and the rest of the persons who take part in the ceremony, they approach dancing to another end, one or two times beat him, and they move away dancing.

The called guangbing. Of the same size as the previous one but with the body done with a trunk of hollow tree. The faces also with cow skin. It is used very much in the ceremonies Buddhists, in whom generally only one presents herself beats him from his two sides.

The guangzong. A team of twelve drums touches simultaneously, each of size and different characteristics. There are round drums, as each one has a sound, very original compositions are reached. Earlier little was used, but now they are common in festive celebrations.

The smallest of his drums is the called guangduo. Round, with two faces, of only 30 to 50 cm constructed with trunks of tree hollows and skin of cow. They hang by the man and generally they are used in holidays, many people beating their own drum.

But the musicians Daile do not remain only in his traditional instruments. There is a good number of groups and singers who try to harmonize his culture, with a few forms of expression come from Occident. Between them, the described instruments are little used, melodies composed the battery or the organ were interpreted accompanied by the electrical guitar, under, they go so far as to upset the same way the feelings of those who listen to them.

More information:
Zheng Peng, Yang Shengneng. - Folk peculiar The natural Customs and wonders in Xishuangbanna (Xishuangbanna fengqing jiqu lu). Publishing house of the Minorities of Yunnan. Kunming. 1986

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