Name: Bawu.
Type: Free-reed > Aerophone.
Region: China > Vietnam > Far East Asia.
Acquisition Date: 2006.12.23 Saturday.
Acquisition Source: Randy Raine Reusch.
Description:
The bawu is a transverse free reed aerophone it has its origins in Yunnan China. Geographically the Yunnan province is located in the “golden triangle area” that borders with Thailand, Laos and Myanmar. The bawu is played amongst the Yi, Miao, Hanis and the Dai who are the Thai people living in Southern China and other neighbouring Minority cultures. There is a beautiful legend with in Southern Chinese mythology concerning the origins of the bawu. "Two young Hanis fell in love with each other and in one day a demon grabbed the girl. Then the demon had cut off her tongue, and threw her into the deep mountains. Following the advice from a bird, that bamboo can talk. The girl made instrument from bamboo pouring out her misfortune through it. On hearing her sad voice the villagers came to kill the demon and relieved the girl". Since then the bawu has became a talking instrument. The distribution of the bawu was limited to the minority cultures in the Yunnan province. Since the 1950s the bawu has grown in popularity outside of the main distribution range in Yunnan to the rest of China proper. Recent genres include do include popular music, film music and other contemporary genres. The popularity of the bawu is growing outside of China.
in Vietnam:
The bawu is almost identical to the Chinese bawu, although their tunings and scales are do differ from each other. The Vietnamese bawu vary in different sizes; the two specimens of my Vietnamese bawu are quite small in length. The Vietnamese bawu has six finger holes and a similar brass read. Although very different scale and tuning for this type of bawu. Also this type of bawu is surprisingly loud for such a small instrument, larger bawu are also found in Vietnam.
Anatomy of the Bawu:
In the construction of a high quality bawu a mouth piece is hand carved
from animal bone and is placed over the mouth hole where a thin brass
reed is placed underneath the bone this creates the mouth piece. The
bawu has 7 different finger holes this includes the thumb hole.
Professional quality Bawu's are often constructed in three pieces which
can be disassembled for ease of transport. The advantage of this also
allows the ease of play for the performer.
