Jai Na Ling (Shan festival music)

“Songs for showing respect to the Chedi” (Kun Haeng village, Shan State, Burma)
Sung by Jai Na Ling

These melodies are from Southern Shan state. This kind of performance is usually done at a ceremony on the grounds of a temple. Jai Na Ling sings descriptive songs about the environment of Kun Haeng village. The lyrics touch topics of Shan culture, young lovers, the river, and the history of the Kun Haeng Chedi. In this style of singing the lyrics are improvised, often in conversation with other singers ‘passing’ topics and themes back and forth. The lyrics often use metaphor and allusion. The instrument played is called a Sai Traw, which is a violin amplified with a brass horn.