Description: The naw or hulusheng as its called in Yunnan China in an aerophone classifed as a “free reed instrument”. The naw belongs to a family that include the Japanese sho, the Chinese sheng, the Thai Khean and the Hmong gaeng. It is played by the Yi, Lisu and Lahu peoples in both areas of the golden triangle Yunnan China and North Eastern Myanmar. Traditionally people played the naw during courtship between young men and women.The musician holds the naw with his left and right hands. Then blows into the top end of the gourd that serves as the mouth piece. During performance the air flows the gourd although a finger does have to be placed on any one or a few of the five finger holes to produce a sound. Most of the naw usually have five pipes and a finger hole per pipe and single read carved for each of the bamboo pipes. After the reeds are affixed to each pipe. Then each of the pipes are inserted into the top hole carved in the gourd. Ksoot is a substance that is a mix of pitch and bamboo ashes is inserted around the edges where the pipe meets the gourd. This ensures stability of the pipes inserted into the gourd and also prevents air leakage. The bamboo used to create the pipes is also the same bamboo that is used to hand carve the delicate reeds.

 

Citations: Asza.com / Naw >