Folk Arts - Hmong Contemporary Music

By Robert Bi Heng

 

I am Robert Bi Heng. And, I came from Laos. I came to the United Sates January 11th, 1983. I'm 29. I am still in high school at Highline High School. My song is about Hmong New Year. I sang: The end of the year is the 30th of December. The New Year is the first month and the first day of January. In this country, American and Chinese, they have their own culture, like Christmas and the lights. And, our people, we celebrate New Year and come together, and are happy for New Year.

 

This is my own idea. I just think about and sing what I want to say. This is a song I thought of in the last couple days. Myself, I really don't like to sing old culture songs, because in this country, the young people really don't like old culture songs. So, you have to really sing what you are doing right now. So, I change. In my country, you have to sing what the person told you to sing. But, in this country, I think I should change it. So, if I want to think about what happened today, then just sing what happened today.

 

My mother usually told me that I was singing since I was one (laughs). I know how to sing to my mother when I was very young, but the real think, I begin to sing when I was about 10 years old. In the United States, more people know me, because I’m a very popular singer (laughs).

 

I used to sing in New Year, looking for a girl and the best singer (laughs).

My wife lived 3 or 4 days from my village. She came over to my village and we met each other. Just sing a couple of songs. Song can make a young boy, young girl love each other too.

 

I record some songs for sale. And, I have some very old songs for sale. I just copy as many as I want and I bring to New Year and if somebody is interested, they can buy from me. Only in New Year. The people that like my song, buy. I think New Year in Fresno, they have 4 or 5 men selling their own songs. The girl, I see just 2 or 3. Everyone can do that, if they want to.

 

People are collecting good songs these days. So, all the good singers wil sing and present at the New Year, and people will try to collect that. There aren't many good singers. I think in probably ten, fifteen years, there will be no more good singers for all the people, because the young boy, young girl, they like music more than culture songs. Hmong music, too, but different.

 

I have 2 boys, 2 girls. I usually ask my boy to study from me, a couple of songs, but he say, “I don't want to.” So, I don't think they like to sing a song.

 

In my country we celebrate at home for New Year. In this country some people still do that, but some don't. Because, they have a big celebration on New Year Day, so everybody already goes there and happy and all that.

 

^ - next article: Hmong Music: Talking Instruments by Cliff Sloan