Birdsong: the dying whistled language of the Hmong people in northern Laos

[@thunderthao]

"Kho siab" is an emotional state that is so hard to capture in the English language or western culture. It's a feeling of longing, maybe melancholic and even inspirational at times.

[@stoneaged5064]

Eh I just call it having the blues

[@awnzotheman]

Bro, Emo exist.

[@ohitsmaiii]

Best way to describe it is like a sense of yearning. Just like kho siab sometimes there's a reason and sometimes there's not, it's just a feeling.

[@vangx498]

"If everyone could understand and hear the birds, like I do. We would understand each other more and there would be no conflict or violence. There would be no war." 😢14:45

[@Cook-hb2nf]

I felt that deep in my soul!

[@JohnYang-sk5pj]

Yes if only we can communicate like that!

[@benvang2178]

😅

[@TheNeeyang]

Him talking about his wife responding and wiping his tears made me cry omg 😢

[@zakukasima1865]

I literally busted in tears when he said that

[@vangstr]

😢😢😢 very emotional 😭

[@Kaylynyang24]

As a Hmong American, I don't understand the Leaf Song, but whenever I hear it, it makes me want to cry. Probably because of the hardship my people have been through.

[@MeerkatsusBJJVideos]

Beautiful film. The Hmong appear so connected with nature and there’s sadness that us city dwellers seem to have lost that touch.

[@angelxtasy]

Only the elders of our people knows how to do this now. We younger generations have lost this beautiful work of art and music. My parents have tried to teach us, but we just dont get it the way our older generations do. But, we still can feel the harmony and the pain when we hear these sounds. As soon as we hear, we know right away its our culture and tradition. Thanks for the documentary so we can still remember what our people has created.

[@crasher209]

I get it now that I'm older. And I don't want to lose it.

[@PeanutButterAndJellyBros]

Neng Now has recently stated in a speech that the elders of the hmong have already found a solution to treat their depression and sadness long before our time. It's through birdsongs, leafsongs, and flutesongs. We didn't realize it. The way we tackle such issue is to speak our emotions out openly. The Hmong language is indeed the most musical language there is out there.

[@fongxiong6372]

Perfect language for a poem or a song in my opinion.

[@PeanutButterAndJellyBros]

@ our language is the perfect language for singing and poetry. If not, then it’s definitely one of the best out there.

[@pawithflaws]

Thank you for this very captivating coverage. I am so proud of my Hmong people as we’ve come thus far. Some may see as though our culture, traditions, and practices may be dying, but to me, it’s only because we are resilient and want conform to what needs to be to survive, to procreate, so that the Hmong population does not die out. We may not have our own country, but we have what it takes to make an impact in this world even if that impact may be small. I would not wish to be another other race or ethnicity. I’m proud to be Hmong. 🤍

[@luckycharm1]

My grandpa always used to listen to the whistled language and as a child I always wondered why listen to such a weird sound but never understood that it had meaning and words behind it. This makes me miss him. RIP Gramps.

[@Cook-hb2nf]

I am so sorry for your loss. Many Prayers and blessings to you from the hills of Tennessee, USA

[@Senpai_Moe]

This is shot beautifully, thank you for translating the songs, it has a very powerful meaning.

[@shawmoua4514]

So short a film yet so touching. It delves deep down into my soul. My mom can’t read or write or even understand music notes yet Hmong birdsong is in her blood. I once asked her why can’t I receive any birdsong from you and she just giggled. Some people are just born to be. She passed away a few years ago and the birdsong went with her. I can only imagine that on certain dawn, high in the mountains of Laos, her birthplace, when the fogs are just starting to lift from the valleys she is in symphony with nature. How mesmerize is that?

[@Cook-hb2nf]

Such beautiful and touching memories of your sweet Mother. I am so sorry for your loss. I know that she is dancing in the early morning fog and is at harmony with the birdsong awaiting the day that you will be together again. Many blessings to you from Tennessee, USA

[@TKV55]

This is one of my absolute favorite videos. I come back to watch and listen every now and then. It really does make me kho siab and feel a sense of yearning and nostalgia. Hmong love!

[@djjaewon]

Such musical poetry. Suddenly brought out memories that I’d forgotten of my dad in our backyard choosing a blade of grass, a particularly beautiful leaf and making music out of it while I watched and listened in awe. Or taking his qeej from the living room wall and creating a choreographic movements to match the music he made.

[@daoyang8373]

What an amazingly respectful presentation of my people and the heritage we stand to lose. Thank you for preserving this.

[@pnksng]

i dont know why but i am tearing up watching this

[@Cook-hb2nf]

Such a beautiful and pleasant film! I feel that if all of humanity had this connection and harmony with nature the world would not have the problems it has today!

[@buffystyles1632]

Filmed so beautifully - thank you to the crew. This moved me. It helped give me a better appreciation for my people’s art form and craft.

[@MonaLisa-de4cp]

This was beautiful storytelling. In only a short time you get to know and feel the different emotions of each individual and their individual instruments. I started to get emotional even. Bravo, to all teams: writing, producing, editing, filming and music. 👏 I salute you! 🫡

[@maisoui62]

Exquisite. What a lovely documentary. I feel privileged to see it. I hope that the whistling language doesn’t fade away

[@MAYCEMAYCE]

How beautiful crafted this documentary was. Thank you.

[@anthonyhoffman4296]

This is fascinating! My city has the largest Hmong community in the US, I am going to have to visit the culture center to learn more!

[@peace4myheart]

Fascinating. Each culture is unique and should be valued and treasured.

[@yuutan7936]

Thankyou. I cried just listening to the familiar sounds of the whistle. My father used to play it to me on days I could not sleep as a child. It brought back memories I had forgotten.

[@A-ns2us]

I'm Lao and another small ethnic group from Laos, but this documentary is so beautiful and raw it's making me cry. I'm lucky enough to only know the city though I'm scared of urbanization. I don't want our culture to become lost.

[@sjleelee2088]

Zoo heev os. Ua cas peb cov suab qeej suab hmoob hu tau kho siab ua luaj os cov phooj ywg sawv daws. This was a nice video and i will share it with my parents.

[@tomntej2316]

Zoo npaum ntawm los Hmoob tsawm tsis kam kawm tej txuj ci no tseg

[@avang07]

Love it. Thank you for this segment on us Hmong. Starting to get back this root of us Hmong

[@CovenantersfriendRTB]

I hope the next generation of Hmong can reconnnect with the forest and listen to its calls.

[@Cook-hb2nf]

I Pray that future generations of the Hmong people can reconnect with the forest and can teach the rest of the world peace and harmony! Many blessings to you from Tennessee, USA

[@dipaleedaroz9309]

Sounds and visuals of nature is captivating..

[@1PinkPanda]

Thank you for this beautiful little documentary. Sadly, this language 'birdsong" will disappear with my parent's generation. I will show this it to my children and grandchildren. This brings me happiness and sadness at the same time.

[@WeatherGirlWares]

Beautiful film. Thank you for sharing.

[@dexteroux]

Nicely done! I love the story behind it.

[@samthao3612]

Very well documented for our Hmong people.. thank you

[@geedad]

thank you for this well made documentary. I was not aware of the Hmong people until recent KZbin recommendations. I wish you all well and may you be able to keep your culture, continue to be in tune with nature and overcome your challenges.

[@yiavang4206]

Beautifully shot and well done. Transmitted the deep emotions of the love and lost of a language and culture.

[@toujours405]

Kho siab is a longing, usually felt between relationships of people when time/distance/situations has caused a drift in that relationship. It can be used to describe the yearning for another, and sometimes feelings of unease/erraticness resulting from the yearning.

[@trolllo9729]

As a Hmong dude this has always been soothing to hear...but for the ladies it's rizz time 😜

[@paddy654]

Admirable way of living, we lost that ability😢😢😢

[@hnodchuip]

the eng sub team that worked on this documentary lacked a lot of research. it was kinda of distracting hearing the speaker say one thing, but the eng subtitle totally missed an entire sentence/ words or simplified a concept for localization and it differs too far from the original speaker

[@qute1811]

Being connected to nature and spirits has always been embedded in Hmong blood. We are highly spiritual people. I inherited shamanic powers through my ancestors. I could feel energies and nature. I feel more alive and more at home when I'm alone in nature. Im able to recharge my energy level out in nature. I could feel everything, listening to birds, grass, and leaves rustling from the trees. Sometimes its like i could hear natures thoughts or (voices) like they're talking to me.

[@CovenantersfriendRTB]

Amazing film that brought a tear to my eye. I feel that mourning feeling as if as humans we have all lost that connection to nature that all humans once had. The understanding between humans and nature that lasted for thousands of years has been killed in the matter of hundreds of years. Me must all find away to reconnect and maybe our lives will be that little better for it.

[@msvaj]

This was a beautifully made document film. The footage was professionally captured and film quality was graded. I wish I could KZbin would allowed for two thumbs up but I could only gave one thumb as indicated. A big thanks to the producer of this film.

[@mckue]

Thank you for sharing this. As a first generation Hmong American, it saddens me that our culture is disappearing. I only have my grandpa left, and I wish they taught me these types of things.

[@Thatdude_888]

What’s crazy is that not a single word was spoke and I started crying

[@kavang6716]

I am so blessed to have an opportunity to watch this. Thank you for sharing.

[@ManypossibilitiesGaoLY]

I love this, my mom was telling me about this and I couldn’t understand it until watching this. Thank you for making this video. I wish I have the opportunity to listen to this in the jungle of Laos where the birds chirp.

[@cnxiong007]

Thank you for sharing such a beautiful video of one small part of the Hmong culture. There is no class or blueprint on learning and making these kind of traditional musical instruments and how to use it but more importantly, understanding it. It's something that is passed on from generation to generation (usually from parent to children or family to family).

[@437livin]

Tears for my people.

[@BabyFish4Music]

Beautiful documentary of the Hmong.

[@angelofgod7386]

My mom used to play this when i was little, truly soothing to sleep to for me.

[@SongHawj53]

Kho siab kawg…mloog neb piav lub hmoob tas es mam lis pes lus mikas ua rau kuv kua muag poob…kuv loj hlob tebchaws Amelika kuv tsis tau hnob me kab me noog quaj Tij toj siab…

[@Wiw395]

Thank you for this inspiring documentary

[@sunlee6984]

Beautifully done! Love it

[@michaelsmusicinstruments9980]

great video, very intense and soulful, qeej is one of the most beautiful instruments of mankind, thank you for creating it. 🧡

[@welcome2stp]

beautiful video! thank you!

[@dannapoleon5887]

So Beautiful.

[@vanphongsavan3119]

😂😂😂, I miss so much history being changed since 1975. Thank you for best video film....

[@Jams90.]

Beautiful. Wow.

[@DUDEfreestyle]

This was beautiful 😢

[@pang-ngiavang1956]

Beautifully made!

[@jenniferlee1355]

Thank you for this beautiful documentary

[@WeiJian393]

we've lost the art of Birdsong, silver craftsmith, and so much more.

[@fongxiong6372]

Great film. Thanks.

[@bemlar]

Thank you 🙏

[@trungly598]

Ua tsaug os, kuv nyiam thia os

[@lykaojalao2733]

Very educational video Thank you

[@HmoobTroll]

My people are beautiful.

[@azizzorba5930]

something similar is to be found in the black sea region of türkiye. they call it "kus dili" (birds language).

[@misscuterthanyouable]

That’s was a beautiful documentary. It’s kinda of dark but it represents my people. Thank you

[@Xa-Xiong]

I love this. Thank you for sharing.

[@cmxvirunit9468]

Does the flute player have more videos of him playing?

[@KayLy-yd4pc]

Beautiful job.😊😊😊😊🎉🎉🎉🎉❤

[@vangstr]

Superbly well made.

[@bvbxiong5791]

beautiful and poignant. thank you Guardian!

[@thaoxiong1]

Can listen to the secret serenade all day.

[@chaz32]

Wade Davis wrote about this stuff in the Light at the Edge of the World, very poignant.

[@Yung_Guac1]

Btw for any hmong who just ran into this video.. the qeej guy at the end. The song he is playing should not be listened inside! You're welcome.

[@mariyamwaniki]

I'm sorry he has lost his wife. I wish him peace.

[@yourlocalbot8270]

Mloog mam kho siab heev.

[@dlubtxhib785]

Someone finally picked a sacred language to report. As a Vietnam War survivor born on the hills of Xiengkhouang (Muang Khoun) in 1961 I was forced to flee my homes every year due to the war zone expansion in Laos until arrival in the US in 1976. Looking into this documentary film, with a lenses of a professional engineer, trying investigate the true meaning and original of the Hmong musical art deeply rooted in nature as foundation for life and into the spiritual realm. I think you had fail to present a full understanding of the mystery, purpose and applicability of the dying art direct linked to the rapidly disappearing nature by greedy foreign exploitations.

[@eyeswideopen7777]

The native Americans have a song they sing to trees, birds and etc.

[@paulavang2987]

Is this. Channels is belon g to Hmong peoples or other peoples or American peoples I can see that your channel is very successful channel because it had been having so many customers follow this channel el this channel is the first channel of Hmong pees that had reached to 2 millions subscribers so very nices I am so happy for the owner of this Han els congratulations to you thank you for sharings.

[@maivtub9915]

thuab tau zoo kho siab kawg os

[@monglor6978]

The ending hits different.

[@DJsaintpaulstudios]

Great documentary

[@kuvxwb9466]

My mom knows how to use to play flute and leaves to make music. She tried to teach me a few times but I just couldn’t do it. It saddens me that it’s slowly disappearing.

[@nl007]

Spectacular!~

[@JeanClaudeVan]

A dying language. A dying culture. Appreciate that is hmong people explaining their thoughts and feelings. No narrator.

[@dianey9225]

Well done. ❤

[@watchyoutubeaccount1]

I wish the translation was better! They missed so many key moment...

[@JohnYang-sk5pj]

Nice!

[@MrsKervang]

I thought the elders caution people from leaf whistling because it attracted wandering spirits 🤔 I might be wrong.

[@dekompose]

Amazing

[@kalayawang4171]

ชีวิตบ้านป่าไม่มีหนี้สินพะรุงพะรัน ไม่มีความวุ่นวาย ก็ kho siab ซิ ได้อย่างเสียอย่าง ชีวิตอย่างนี้ล่าหลังเกือบ 200 ปี century 21 แล้วไม่เอาความล่าหลังแล้ว มีแต่ก้าวต่อไป ไปให้ไกล ไปให้ดวงดาว ตามความฝันให้ถึง ก่อนชีวิตจะหาไม่… ไกลเกินจะหันหลังให้แล้วพี่น้องม้งเอย เขาไม่ดวงจันทร์ ดาวอังคารกันแล้ว ยังมานั่งเป่าอยู่หรือ?

[@wigwagstudios2474]

it sounds electric

[@AltairZielite]

I'm sick of 'progress'

[@crasher209]

The leaf song i see in 90s hmong movies

[@unalienablejustice7137]

Leaf song (blade of grass or a tree leaf) = tshuab nplooj Bird song? Never heard of such a thing throughout Hmong history, culture, or customs. The documentary needs to either clarify or do a better job of explaining it because it clearly misinterpreted it with other Hmong music - raj/qeej (bamboo flute/wind pipe), ncas (brass jaw harp), and tshoob nplooj (grass/leaf). Nowadays Western Hmong do not know how to play the jaw harp, leaf, or bamboo flute anymore. The only instrument they still practice is the qeej (bamboo windpipe) mainly because it is still actively used and required in traditional funeral ceremonies. But even this has been limited or not as widely taught and learned.

[@kingkazuma2239]

Specifically a Hmong-Lao tradition. Hmong-Americans wouldn't know

[@charizard2014]

I use to pay this growing up, my parents would teach me

[@omightylegend2521]

W

[@VivoLaos-dx5nt]

ເ

[@skincrx]

It’s dying because many Hmong people when it comes to musical instruments the mass seems to think it’s just noisy ruckus or pointless. If it don’t bring high income they look down on the arts and music. Qeej don’t count because that’s used for religious purposes. 😂 Plus these days people have phone and apps to find love or post their feelings on social media 🤣