Katey Blumenthal and Andrea Clearfield: The Folk Music of Lo Monthang: Offering Songs, Festive Songs, Processional Songs mGar-gLu, Khro-Glu, Phebsnga
The World Oral Literature Project is pleased to host the collection by Katey Blumenthal and Andrea Clearfield. Karma Wangyal (from Lo Monthang) was a colleague on the fieldwork project. Details of the full collection can be browsed on DSpace@Cambridge by clicking here.
Primarily a collection of folk and religious offering songs sung by a specialised class of folk singers (Emeda) in Lo. Most of these songs are sung by Tashi Tsering, the last remaining Emeda singer in Lo. In many of these songs, he accompanies himself with the nha, a pair of large kettledrums played with wooden mallets. Other 'khro glu are sung by women in Lo Monthang, Yandol, Pema Dolkar, and Khang Lhamo.
Collection Details:
Collection: The Folk Music of Lo Monthang: Offering Songs, Festive Songs, Processional Songs mGar-gLu, Khro-Glu, Phebsnga
Collector: Katey Blumenthal
Date(s): 2008-2009
Language(s): Logay
Abstract
This document is an abstract for the collection.
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'khro glu TB3
This document is a transcript of the recordings in this collection.
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1. Chang tang yang tse, 'Trading in Chang Tang'
An old trading song, about the salt trade with Tibet.
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2. Da lo ga gar shar la, 'Travelling to the east'
A song about travelling, business, and trade.
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3. Da la la'i nai trong re
A song about Lo Monthang that was set to a new melody 15 years ago, when the walls to Lo Monthang were being rebuilt.
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4. Drakar da tsu yea chok nay
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5. Gala Yarshea Trangmo
This song is for celebrations of a new house and blesses a house for weddings.
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6. Gong nai sherai nyima, 'A good occasion'
A song that reminds us of the good occasions in all the seasons.
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7. Kam la nga chung chung nai rta chig nyu, 'Good success is coming'
This is a couples song.
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8. Khang sgang ma'i dang gro
A song sung from wife to husband about sending a letter to her son.
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9. Li phur ma laten pa’i, 'The belt on the boots'
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10. Lingar Ta Lu Gi Je Jung, 'The picnic with beautiful colours'
Picnic song.
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11. Nangsa Nangdar
Nangsa wanted to be a nun but the head of the government [Pen Drawa Tsan dup], a King in Uzang, forced her to marry him. She came back as an incarnation to Gyangtse, her birth place, as an incarnation of Tara.
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12. Pangri Tsa'i Na Tsoba
A song about the beauty of the landscape of home.
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13. Parso Karpo Ri La, 'The hill is white like elephants' tusks'
A song about the beauty of the landscape of home.
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14. Pha yul shal ki pha yul, 'Grass like home'
A song about the pastoral surroundings.
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15. Ri de tse me ri la, 'Hills'
A song about the beauty of the landscape of home.
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16. Ri di ngak me ri la, 'The belt on the boots'
A song about festive dress and customs.
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17. Ri Gya ri mendal bulsa re, 'The hill of the king is filled with offerings'
Song created from Tseng Tangye's pilgrimage.
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18. Ser Ri Trangmo, 'The Cold Golden Mountain'
A song about the beauty of Lo.
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19. Shar dorje tra ki gyal gyo nay, 'The good blessings from the east'
Agricultural song.
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20. Shar ki ri la madok, 'The flower in the eastern mountain'
A song used for dance, or just sung, about where to pray to Guru Rinpoche.
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21. Songsen Gyalpo, 'King Songsen'
Song about a king, Songsen Gyalpo.
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22. Yangma palla del wai onto chum gooteek, 'The bird talks to the shepherd'
Pastoral song.
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Tashi Tsering's Music
23. Chang Glu, 'Beer Song'
The farmer prepares chang (beer) before working and when preparing offerings for the gods. The song is mostly sung during parties and weddings, to select women to prepare the chang.
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24. Chang ma, 'Beer mother'
For the drinker of chang and offerer of chang. This is a song from Tibet, and Lobas don't always sing it. The changma (or mother of chang) offers chang will sing this in the evening to make sure that all the men get drunk -- and drink the whole jug of chang.
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25. Chu mo chu lui dukpai, 'How is the water level?'
Song about the traveller.
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26. Chung Chung Ada Rogpa
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27. Chunyi Angmo
A lady composed this song when she left Lo for Baragoan. She should've married within Lo, but because of lack of karma she went down to marry in Baragoan (south of Lo). In this song, she laments leaving Lo.
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28. Da lulo chig dag pa nai ki nai glu yakshung
Related to farmers and grains for the protection of crops and fertility.
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29. Dramyan Tsering Wangmo, 'For the long life of the Dramyan'
About the Tibetan lute, the dramyan.
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30. Drul pa’I sang shas la
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31. Dug cher tang dro
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32. Dui Keepo, 'When we assemble'
Played during the Yardung festival (horse racing festival in the autumn) when many people are assembled – any happy ceremony time. Sung during weddings when the families are all assembled The girls and parents sit on the left. Boys and the man’s family sits on the right.
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33. Gho la sha mo go gyi, 'The head and the hat wed each other'
A song about a beautiful hat.
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34. Lha de tse tsan la
Sung for the Yardung horse racing festival, as well as other festivals.
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35. Gung nang ngon poi awok nai, 'Under the blue sky'
Song about the beauty of the natural world surrounding Lo.
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36. Gyal Sang drug la Ten pa'i, 'Song for a good occasion'
A song about the tension between a couple at a festival.
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37. Gyalmo Kusum, 'Queen Kusum'
A song about a historical Princess of Lo who intermarries with a Ladakhi Prince, who brought an entourage of the original Emeda musicians to Lo. The thanga used during festivals in the town square is from Ladakh, brought by the Ladakhi Prince in this intermarriage.
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38. Ja yong sam tsa ma jong, 'I did not hope that we would meet'
About the meeting of old friends.
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39. Ka wa ma gyur, 'The unchanging pillar'
This song is about the life and vitality of Lo remaining ever constant. No dance accompanies this song. It is sung especially among the Emeda/Kali Gandaki Group.
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40. Kha tserka ma gyap, 'Minds may change'
This is a love song, about the potential for distance or time to cause minds to change. A metaphor about putting a saddle on a horse is used.
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41. Lama’I drobkang
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42. Lingar jaglu ki je jung, 'Picnic Song'
Song sung during picnics, Yardung, and other festivities.
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43. Me tang sabe lama, 'My root lama'
A processional song for monks.
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44. Ngari Nga rang gi song, 'Appreciation for the town'
This song is figuratively about “rangma so tang”, a golden fly. It expresses appreciation for the town “ngari dzonkhar”, and about outsiders trying to enter such a place.
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45. Nyinda Angmo (Name of a princess)
Song about a king giving a dowry to his daughter.
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46. Peekit Pinda Tsebul, 'The season when the ploughing begins'
Sung from house to house for blessing the crops during the harvest.
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47. Purudi Kangri Chockpa Da, 'From the innermost valley to the snow capped mountains'
Song about being estranged from one’s homeland, and about meeting relatives from afar.
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48. Rabsong Shar, 'The Eastern Room of the Palace'
Welcome song for the king and the queen.
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49. Re chung tso, 'Playing Party'
Members of the Tibetan Opera (Lhamo Tsokpo) used to show the dance to people and king. This song was usually played with the piwang which gave it more sound. In this song, the dancers ask for donations.
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50. Ringzin Serpu, 'Golden thrones'
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51. Sayarbey Lingar, 'In the beautiful picnic place'
A song about picnicing.
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52. Ser Lun Pumba, 'Ser Lun Pumba'
Most commonly sung offering song after a series of mgar-glu songs.
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53. Shar ri mukuh tang shing tu shi ru, 'The fields of grass'
About the nomadic fields and animals.
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54. Shenai Sheri Nyima, 'Sun is rising in the east'
Hopeful song about the rising of the sun and good things to come.
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55. Shuktar ki mgar glu
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56. Ta po sam ten gyam pa, 'Dream about Tibet'
Song from a dream from Tibet (also called Milam Ki Ta -- dream of a horse). This is a love song about traveling, literally about a lovelorn couple.
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57. Tashi glu, 'Song for good luck'
This song is sung at the end of each session of mGar glu and ‘khro glu for good wishes.
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58. Tosam Shey, 'For Happiness'
For relaxed festivities, the king’s picnic song.
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59. Lha de tse tsan la
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60. Trama tsongay, 'The happy and lucky life of a nomad'
About the life of a nomad.
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61. Tray dug yon nay trong chig dug
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62. Tse go la, 'In the start of life'
This song is about the start of life (about birth).
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63. Tserka Luga
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64. Tsey Chum Niskey, 'The great Lama inside the prayer room'
A song of respect for Lamas, and their compassion to help others. Sung outside the Lama’s house or monastery.
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65. Photographs
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