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

Exploring the whistling traditions of the Hmong people of northern Laos, whose language straddles the boundary between music and speech, this film witnesses a collision of ancient tradition with modern urban life.
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With urbanisation and the advent of modern technology rapidly replacing this culture, Hmong whistling is dying out. Following the stories of three individuals from Long Lan village, they reflect on their experience as practitioners of a vanishing musical language.
0:00 Birdsong
1:37 Who are the Hmong people?
6:03 Where nature and language meet
8:06 A secret serenade
11:00 Crafting the qeej
12:23 The threat of urbanisation
14:43 A shared language
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#Documentary #Birdsong #Climate #Nature #Wildlife #Languages

[@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

[@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.

[@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!

[@MeerkatsusBJJVideos]

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

[@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

[@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.

[@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.

[@TheNeeyang]

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

[@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.

[@pnksng]

i dont know why but i am tearing up watching this

[@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.

[@MAYCEMAYCE]

How beautiful crafted this documentary was. Thank you.

[@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

[@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!

[@maisoui62]

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

[@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!

[@peace4myheart]

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

[@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! 🫡

[@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. 🤍

[@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.

[@dipaleedaroz9309]

Sounds and visuals of nature is captivating..

[@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

[@samthao3612]

Very well documented for our Hmong people.. thank you

[@dexteroux]

Nicely done! I love the story behind it.

[@WeatherGirlWares]

Beautiful film. Thank you for sharing.

[@avang07]

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

[@MDrfc1872]

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

[@trolllo9729]

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

[@yiavang4206]

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

[@paddy654]

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

[@kavang6716]

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

[@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.

[@sunlee6984]

Beautifully done! Love it

[@welcome2stp]

beautiful video! thank you!

[@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.

[@MDrfc1872]

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.

[@jenniferlee1355]

Thank you for this beautiful documentary

[@michaelsmusicinstruments9980]

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

[@pang-ngiavang1956]

Beautifully made!

[@angelofgod7386]

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

[@DUDEfreestyle]

This was beautiful 😢

[@Jams90.]

Beautiful. Wow.

[@maivtub9915]

thuab tau zoo kho siab kawg os

[@pumpkinheadzj-o437]

Tears for my people.

[@lykaojalao2733]

Very educational video Thank you

[@dannapoleon5887]

So Beautiful.

[@bemlar]

Thank you 🙏

[@nl007]

Spectacular!~

[@yourlocalbot8270]

Mloog mam kho siab heev.

[@misscuterthanyouable]

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

[@DJsaintpaulstudios]

Great documentary

[@dekompose]

Amazing

[@dianey9225]

Well done. ❤

[@Thatdude_888]

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

[@azizzorba5930]

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

[@mariyamwaniki]

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

[@HmoobTroll]

My people are beautiful.

[@cmxvirunit9468]

Does the flute player have more videos of him playing?

[@bvbxiong5791]

beautiful and poignant. thank you Guardian!

[@vanphongsavan3119]

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

[@chaz32]

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

[@wigwagstudios2474]

it sounds electric

[@crasher209]

The leaf song i see in 90s hmong movies

[@MrsKervang]

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

[@eyeswideopen7777]

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

[@kalayawang4171]

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

[@watchyoutubeaccount1]

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

[@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.

[@AltairZielite]

I'm sick of 'progress'

[@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.

[@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 🤣

[@importantname]

have they heard of mobile phones?

[@jackieohface]

Yes, you saw one in the video, though I find that the mobile phone doesn't measure up as a musical instrument & a poetic language. Your mileage may vary

[@trolllo9729]

You have to understand this method of communication has been practiced since the bronze age

[@HmoobTroll]

You see how kids now day don’t have talent or skills because all they can do is look into their phones. My people have come a long way from the yellow river of China to the mountains of Laos to the Americas without losing our culture and our history.