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Story
& Picture : Sok Lyna.
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Leuk Ta Prach Choun, an expert
Cha Pei Dong Veng musician well respected by Cambodians
throughout the nation.
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| Holding
a Cha Pei Dong Veng on his left hand and strumming
away with a piece of white bone with his right,
45 year old Neth Phe seems to have transcended to
a world of his own as he chants enthusiastically
about gossip and every comical event that had happened
in his commune. Positioned comfortably on the same
armchair that he has used, for as long as he can
remember, a happy face constantly portraying a different
expression as he chants. Is it truly the sweet music
of the Cha Pei Dong Veng that people come to listen
to with its the jokes and legendary stories that
are main-stream entertainers. Sometimes more serious
issues become topics of interest and the musician
is obligated to chant to the audience's fancy. The
Cha Pei Dong Veng musician has to be a rather knowledgeable
person all in all. One has to have good general
knowledge and be informed of developments in day-to-day
affairs to truly satisfy the audience. Inside the
small wooden house where Neth Phe lives, two Cha
Pei Dong Veng instruments hang snugly on the wall.
"This is not a good season for me," said
the calmly 45 year old. "I am very free for
the moment, but come November through to April next
year, I will |
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have many invitations
to perform because there are many ceremonies during that
period. "A Cha Pei Dong Veng is a long guitar-like
instrument with only two strings. The player usually plays
the Cha Pei and chants text from famous literature, jokes
or stories as he strums.
Although modern pop music may have contributed to a lesser
the demand of the Cha Pei musician, many people still
find them to be very entertaining as can be verified by
the laughter and obvious enjoyment displayed by the audience
at some public ceremonies. In the past, poetry is recited
in the accompaniment of the Cha Pei Dong Veng and amongst
these musicians, they sometimes get together to pitch
their wits one against the other as they strum the Cha
Pei. This is what people find to be most entertaining
and perhaps what keeps the tradition alive. Maybe not
in urban Phnom Penh, but in some provinces, Lieng Areak
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Mr. Neth Phe strumming on his
Cha Pei Dong Veng
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ceremonies
are rather common. At such ceremonies, the Cha Pei
Dong Veng is usually played with other traditional
Khmer instruments like the Skor, the Koung and Chhing
to invite spirits from beyond to come and take possession
of a medium's body for consultations.
Although, there is no account of how the Cha Pei
Dong Veng came about or why people even invented
it, according to Professor of the Music Faculty,
Mr. Mao Phoung, the Cha Pei Dong Veng was invented
during the time of the Buddha. "There is no
specific documentation about the Cha Pei Dong Veng,"
said Mr. Mao.
"Cha Pei Dong Veng may have been invented to
lull children to sleep. Whatever it is, the Cha
Pei Dong Veng 'Chanters' or musicians have contributed
well to society in that they often teach good morals
and help educate young people to do the right thing,"
he said.
In a National competition held in Phnom Penh in
1991, Neth Phe won a gold medal when he chanted
Khmer Proverbs with his Cha Pei Dong Veng. |
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| He recalled the
days before he became famous and lamented his past, complaining
about having to study literature and poetry, strumming
simultaneously as he chants. Neth Phe was a Khmer traditional
musician who performed at wedding ceremonies until one
day when his fellow villagers asked him to perform the
Cha Pei Dong Veng at one of the villager's wedding. "Since
then I started to take it up seriously, hoping that with
the Cha Pei Dong Veng, I would be able to make more money,"
Neth Phe said. "I never thought I could become a
successful "he has to tune his voice to the rhythm
as he strums," he complained. However, he was fortunate
to have studied under a well-known Chanter in his village
for three months and from hints he gathered, he quickly
became the skillful musician he now is. According to Neth
Phe, the Cha Pei Dong Veng was no ordinary invention;
legend has it that the Cha Pei was brought to earth from
heaven when the Buddha was ill. The Cha Pei Dong Veng
is said to represent the dragon. "The angels came
from heaven with the Cha Pei to perform for the Buddha,"
he said. |
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Neth Phe performing with his
wife who enjoys appearing with him during performances.
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Today, many
people invite him to perform at ceremonies such
as weddings, the inauguration of a pagoda or at
other religion festivities. He performs according
to the request and suggestion from the people who
invite him but there is always a lesson to be had
through all his performances, he said.
"I always chant text from Khmer literature
and poetry to educate the people; teach children
to love their parents and urge husbands to love
their wives," said Neth Phe.
"Each performance usually lasts for about an
hour and a half and I get paid $150," he said.
"I can support my family this way and this
is only because many people like my work."
"I want to start a training class for students
who want to learn to play the Cha Pei Dong Veng,"
he said. "I want the government to offer food
to the students and I will teach for free because
I am afraid that we may lose this tradition to time."
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Royal University
of Fine Art has set up a five year course; a first
ever for two subjects -- Cha Pei Dong Veng and Ayai
for academic year 2002-2003. Vice Rector of the
University, Mr. Proeung Chhieng said that the idea
to set up the course came about because some of
the Cha Pei Dong Veng and Ayai chanters today have
abused the tradition and often use sexually connoted
phrases just to make people laugh and this is corrupting
the tradition.
Dean of faculty of Music, Mr. Veng Phat said that
the University will select 20 new students for the
first academic year. The selected students will
be trained on Khmer Literature and popular poetry
so they can chant properly and keep the traditions
alive and pure, he said. "We train people to
sing politely and avoid the use of immoral and abusive
language," said Veng Phath. "I never used
sexually connoted phrases in any of my performances;
I always avoid those kind of lines," said Neth
Phe. "I never used sexually connoted phrases
in any of my performances; |
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| I always avoid
those kind of lines," said Neth Phe. For the moment,
Neth Phe is constantly looking out in the provinces for
students who are genuinely interested to learn his skills
and hope that the traditions can be passed on so that
the sweet sounds of the Cha Pei Dong Veng can continue
to be appreciated for many more decades to come. |
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Suite
B8, Regency Square, InterContinental Hotel, 294 Mao Tse Toung
Boulevard,
Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia.
Tel: (855) 23 213 133 Fax: (855) 23 213 033
E-mail:
editor@leisurecambodia.com |
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