Hanihaba
01 · Historical Records
The Hani Habā, in the Hani language meaning the ancient songs of the Hani, are folk ballads widely current and deeply influential in Hani social life, a grave and elegant ancient form of singing distinct from Hani mountain songs, love songs and children's songs. Arising with the Hani terraced-field agricultural civilisation, they are sung by folk singers at the banquets of solemn occasions such as sacrifices, festivals, weddings and funerals and the raising of a house, handed down by word of mouth from generation to generation.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
The Hani Habā means in the Hani language the ancient songs of the Hani; they are folk ballads widely current and deeply influential in Hani social life and a grave and elegant ancient form of singing distinct from Hani mountain songs, love songs and children's songs. They circulate mainly in the Hani-concentrated counties between the Red river and the Lancang river in southern Yunnan. Their content touches the production and labour, primitive religious sacrifices, human norms, ethics, marriage and burial, food, clothing, housing and literature and art of ancient Hani society, an encyclopaedia by which the Hani, whose life centres on terraced-field farming, have for generations educated custom and regulated life. They are sung mainly by folk singers at the banquets of solemn occasions such as sacrifices, festivals, weddings and funerals and the raising of a house, expressing festival greetings and the wish for good fortune. Their scale is grand and their structure rigorous, singers able to sing for days and nights on end. The ways of singing include one leading with the crowd accompanying, or question and answer, two singing antiphonally with the crowd joining in.
Woguoceniguo
One of the representative works of the Hani Habā.
Hani Apei Congpopo
One of the representative works of the Hani Habā.
Twelve Nuju
One of the representative works of the Hani Habā.
One Leading with the Crowd Accompanying
One of the main ways of singing the Hani Habā.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
The Hani Habā circulate mainly in the Hani-concentrated counties of Yuanyang, Mojiang, Lüchun, Jinping and Jiangcheng between the Red river and the Lancang river in southern Yunnan, and also in Simao, Xishuangbanna and Lancang; the singing tradition of the Yuanyang area is fairly well preserved.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
Judging from the Hani Habā materials so far collected, the ancient Hani songs Woguoceniguo, Hani Apei Congpopo, Twelve Nuju and Mudi Midi are representative works of the Hani Habā. The Hani Habā embody the national culture of the Hani and have a certain value for the study of history, cultural studies and folklore. At present the singers able to sing the Hani Habā in full are fewer day by day, and this ancient form of poetry singing lacks successors and urgently needs protection.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Ma Jianchang 05-2006
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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