We invite you to listen to Mai Le Vang discuss and demonstrate her music (real audio).
Mai Le Vang was born in 1964 in a village not far from Luang Prabang. Her grand mother and mother were both respected in the village as singers of Hmong traditional kwv txhiaj (pronounced ku chia). But of all their students, including Mai Le Vang and her four sisters, only Mai Le proved to have both the excellent voice and aptitude for creating poetry necessary to be a good singer. Mai Le Vang grew up in the agricultural life of her village and continued to sing after both her grandmother and mother passed away .
In 1975, war forced Mai Le Vang to a Thai refugee camp where she married Ger Hue. There, her reputation as a good singer spread wider because of cassette recordings she made that were broadcast to the camps from a radio station in Chiengmai.
She and Ger arrived in the USA less than ten years ago, where her reputation in Hmong communities as a good singer continues throughout the state, across the USA and internationally. Many people call her to request her to create songs and make recordings for them to ease their pain of homesickness, to celebrate New Year, to send messages to relatives far away, for courtship, to cure marital problems, and comfort those who have undergone traumas of life's challenges. Mai Le Vang and Ger describe Hmong kwv txhiaj as a sung poetry that heals the spirit. Many people call Mai Le Vang requesting her to create songs and record them on cassette because the music seems to ease their pain of homesickness, helps them to celebrate New Year, or sends messages to relatives far away. Kwx tchaij also is a messenger for couples in love and can cure marital problems, and comfort those who have undergone traumas of life's challenges.
By Terry Liu, PhD
See also 2001 Apprenticeship Grantee
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