According to the census data of 2009, the Thái ethnic minority in Vietnam had a population of about 1.5 million people, making them the third populous group in Vietnam, mostly residing in Sơn La and Điện Biên provinces. Thái people have a rich treasure of folk culture such as myths, poems, hát khắp folk songs, xòe dance, and bamboo pole dance. The tính tẩu is a typical musical instrument of Thái people. The tính tẩu is used to accompany the ritual singing, especially in the Then ceremony of the ethnic minorities like the Thái, Tày, and Nùng. In addition, the tính tẩu is also used to accompany love-exchange songs and the xòe dance of Thái people. The tính tẩu is a plucked stringed instrument made up of a head, neck, resonator, surface, bridge, and strings. The neck and the head are made of a piece of wood with a total length of about eighty to ninety centimeters. There are two tuning pegs. The round and thick resonator is made from the cover of an old gourd. The instrument surface is covered with bamboo. The bridge is a piece of bamboo with grooves for the strings to fall into. The tính tẩu has between two and three strings depending on each region and on musical functions.

This is one of the ten pieces of Thập Thủ Liên Hườn. According to Đờn ca tài tử researcher Nguyễn Tấn, these ten pieces came from the reign of King Quang Trung (the end of eighteenth century) when a diplomatic delegation to the capital of the Thanh dynasty (China) attended the longevity ceremony of Càn Long King. They explored many beautiful places in China and composed ten poems to praise the Chinese scenery after returning to Vietnam. King Quang Trung appointed musical mandarins to set these poems to music for his musical enjoyment. Later, the Đờn ca tài tử circle performed these musical pieces and called them Thập Thủ Liên Hườn. Kim tiền bản musical piece has twenty-six phrases of two bars each. It was played when the diplomatic delegation attended the king’s audience and was rewarded golden coins by the king.

Paglami-lamihan Soundscapes 1: Music by National Living Treasure Uwang Ahadas and the Ahadas Family Ensemble  Performed on the eve of the wedding when the pangantin, either the groom (pangantin lella) or bride (pangantin dende), is fetched from his or her house and brought to the groom or bride’s house where the ceremony will be held. The groom or bride will then leave his/her house and spend the night at a relative’s house. This will be performed again the next morning when it is time to fetch the groom or bride from the relative’s house. Played solo using two agung (lagnaan and laboan).  Performed by Uwang Ahadas on agung (lagnaan and laboan)

This is about the formal presentation of the tabua, whale’s tooth, to Queen Elizabeth II. This track opens with tama, a traditional acclamation reserved only for high chiefs or royalty. Men and women have different acclamations. The presenter welcomes Queen Elizabeth in a qaloqalovi ceremony. Being royalty, the Queen sits above everyone else while talking during the traditional presentation, as is customary.

Paglami-lamihan Soundscapes 1: Music by National Living Treasure Uwang Ahadas and the Ahadas Family Ensemble  Played to accompany the tumahik during weddings. The groom shall initiate the dance to be continued by his male relatives to signal the start of the wedding ceremony.  Performed by Uwang Ahadas (kwintangan tumbaga, agung - lagnaan), Nursima Ahadas (gandang), Sanira Ahadas (agung-laboan), and Halim Ahadas (kwintangan tumbaga)

Paglami-lamihan Soundscapes 1: Music by National Living Treasure Uwang Ahadas and the Ahadas Family Ensemble  Played to accompany the tumahik during weddings. The groom shall initiate the dance to be continued by his male relatives to signal the start of the wedding ceremony.  Performed by Uwang Ahadas (kwintangan tumbaga, agung - lagnaan), Nursima Ahadas (gandang), Sanira Ahadas (agung-laboan), and Halim Ahadas (kwintangan tumbaga)

This chant is from a clan in Nacula village in the Macuata province, located in Vanua Levu, the second largest island in Fiji. This is unique in that women sing during the preparation of the sacred yaqona ceremony, because it is usually the men who are tasked to sing traditional songs.

Marriage to the Nùng ethnic minority is not merely that of a couple but has a greater meaning that is the ritual of community cohesion, keeping the ethnic group’s cultural identity. A wedding ceremony takes place in accordance with certain traditions and customs, such as bride and groom welcoming, ancestor worshiping, groom receiving; asking for a bride welcoming, etc. In the celebration to ask for the bride, the heads of the groom’s family will play music or sing to ask for the bride, and the bride’s family also plays music or sings in response. The instrumental music in Nùng weddings is mainly performed by men. Musical instruments may include the nhị (two-string fiddle), wind instruments, and cymbals.

This chant is from a tribe in Lutu village located in the hinterland of the Naitasiri province on mainland Viti Levu. It is a traditional chant accompanying preparation of a yaqona ceremony reserved only for the titular leading chief of the chiefdom.

This is an ancient chant designed to call an ancestral goddess. The chant predates Christ, with the goddess of harvest summoned to inspect the first fruits of the land. This ceremony was performed by the people of Lutu village, Matailobau district in Naitasiri province.

This is a nalangu song, which is part of the Nalangu ritual performed at weddings in Tamil Nadu. It often combines Sanskrit slokas with Tamil. This ceremony marks the welcoming of the groom’s family by the bride’s family and includes rituals in which the bride and groom get to know one another.

Paglami-lamihan Soundscapes 1: Music by National Living Treasure Uwang Ahadas and the Ahadas Family Ensemble  Played solo before the start of the wedding ceremony.  Performed by Uwang Ahadas