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Sounds ripped from cassettes & CDs found in immigrant-run mom & pop stores. Deconstructed icons. Field recordings. Sonic mayhem from the far corners of the internet.
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May 3, 2023: Memory Tracks: A Lao Family's Story through Music
Special guest Rattana Bounsouaysana shares a family’s migration story through interview sound clips, music, and commentary, as they make their way from Laos to the United States in the 1970s. Rattana Bounsouaysana is a student in the Master of Arts in Oral History program at Columbia University. Her work explores the Lao diaspora and the intersection of memory, identity, and history.
Listen to this show:
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Big thanks to Peter Doolan of Monrakplengthai for finding several of the tracks played on this episode
Artist | Track | Album | Year | Approx. start time |
---|---|---|---|---|
Music behind DJ: Bodega Pop |
Intro |
Bodega Pop |
2023 |
0:00:00 (Pop-up) |
Voradeth Dittavong | Lycee de Vientiane | Lycee de Vientiane | 0:03:26 (Pop-up) | |
Music behind DJ: Rattana & Gary |
Introduction to Rattana's project |
2023 |
0:07:19 (Pop-up) |
|
Sid, Judy, and Rattana | Sid and Judy remember their early lives in Laos | 2023 | 0:11:47 (Pop-up) | |
Unknown Lao School Kids | Kai Kan (Going to School) | Welcome to June 1st | 0:16:13 (Pop-up) | |
Sid & Rattana | Sid remembers what he listened to as a child | 2023 | 0:18:18 (Pop-up) | |
Suraphon Sombatcharoen สุรพล สมบัติเจริญ | Setthi Ngoen Kip | 0:19:10 (Pop-up) | ||
Judy & Rattana | "Tet": Prayers & chants | 2023 | 0:22:12 (Pop-up) | |
Lao Buddhist Monks | Lao prayer chants | 0:24:21 (Pop-up) | ||
Music behind DJ: Rattana & Gary |
About the chanting |
2023 |
0:26:39 (Pop-up) |
|
Sid & Rattana | Sid reminisces about how he listened to music | 2023 | 0:31:02 (Pop-up) | |
Pimma Pimmasom | Suk San Wan Pbee Mai | 0:32:25 (Pop-up) | ||
Judy & Rattana | Judy moves to Vientiane from Luang Prabang | 2023 | 0:34:55 (Pop-up) | |
Voradeth Dittavong | Kad Hak (Missed Love) | 0:35:52 (Pop-up) | ||
Judy & Rattana | Judy listens to the Dittavong brothers | 2023 | 0:40:10 (Pop-up) | |
William Ditthavong | Muang Luang | 0:41:05 (Pop-up) | ||
Sid & Rattana | Sid talks about listening to records & cassettes | 2023 | 0:44:06 (Pop-up) | |
Kor Keokampha | Pleng Mak Ka Rok | 0:48:20 (Pop-up) | ||
Judy & Rattana | Judy's favorite Beatles songs | 2023 | 0:51:22 (Pop-up) | |
Sarky Mekmorakoth | Yesterday | 0:53:07 (Pop-up) | ||
Music behind DJ: Rattana & Gary |
Reflections on what we just heard and info about other OHMA exhibits |
2023 |
0:55:56 (Pop-up) |
|
Sid & Rattana | Sid remembers playing guitar and drums | 2023 | 1:00:41 (Pop-up) | |
Suraphon Sombatcharon เขมรไล่ควาย | Khamen Lai Khwai | 1:03:07 (Pop-up) | ||
Sid & Rattana | Sid talks about Luk Thung | 2023 | 1:06:19 (Pop-up) | |
Suang Santi | Mao Chon Nuek Mai Ok | 1:08:49 (Pop-up) | ||
Sid & Rattana | Sid talks about the difference between Luk Thung and Molam | 2023 | 1:11:24 (Pop-up) | |
Viangphu Nu Nim ວຽງພູ ໜູນິ້ມ | Chodmai La Hak (A Love Letter) ຈົດໝາຍລາຮັກ | 1:14:36 (Pop-up) | ||
Sid & Rattana | Sid remembers his time in Thailand | 2023 | 1:18:27 (Pop-up) | |
Henry Chuc, Dalena, Phu Man Chu | Boney M Medley (excerpt) | 1:20:29 (Pop-up) | ||
Judy, Sid, and Rattana | Communism in Laos | 2023 | 1:21:55 (Pop-up) | |
Unknown Lao Artists | In the Liberated Zone (Pathet Lao Song) | 1:25:19 (Pop-up) | ||
Music behind DJ: Rattana & Gary |
Reflections on Communism then and now |
2023 |
1:26:44 (Pop-up) |
|
Judy & Rattana | "What did you listen to when you were sad?" | 2023 | 1:31:58 (Pop-up) | |
Phone Phoummithone ພອນ ພູ?ມີ?ທອນ | Nam Khong Yarm Laèng | 1:32:41 (Pop-up) | ||
Sid & Rattana | Sid remembers running into Thai artist Sek Loso | 2023 | 1:36:43 (Pop-up) | |
Sek Loso | Be Good จงทำดี | 1:38:06 (Pop-up) | ||
Sid & Rattana | Do Lao and Thai people understand each other? | 2023 | 1:39:34 (Pop-up) | |
Banyen Rakkaen บานเย็นรากแก่น | Lam Phloen Daen Isan (Lam Phloen Of Isan) | 1:43:24 (Pop-up) | ||
Sid & Rattana | Sid on taking taxis now in Thailand | 2023 | 1:47:01 (Pop-up) | |
Hong Thong Daw U-Don | Isan | 1:48:27 (Pop-up) | ||
Music behind DJ: Rattana & Gary |
Nuances between Thai and Lao |
2023 |
1:51:34 (Pop-up) |
|
Sid & Rattana | Sid talks about Laos's historical past | 2023 | 1:58:27 (Pop-up) | |
Khan, kachappi, kong hang, so, sing, recorded in Savannakhet, 2000 | Lao Folkdance "Phuthay" | 2:02:10 (Pop-up) | ||
Music behind DJ: Rattana & Gary |
Rattana reflects on the history of the Southeast Asian region |
2023 |
2:04:16 (Pop-up) |
|
Judy & Rattana | Who would Judy most want to see today in concert? | 2023 | 2:10:35 (Pop-up) | |
Somphong | Khamsap Ying Sao | 2:11:16 (Pop-up) | ||
Sid & Rattana | Wrapping up | 2023 | 2:14:32 (Pop-up) | |
Tha Bunthong & Thao Salilath | Lam of Savannakhet | 2:15:32 (Pop-up) | ||
Music behind DJ: Rattana & Gary |
Final reflections & taking questions |
2023 |
2:23:45 (Pop-up) |
|
Sothy | Tawai ถวย | Chansons Laotiennes | 2017 | 2:31:07 (Pop-up) |
Khui Khmu, Luang Prabang, 1988 | Khmu Epic Folksong | Laos : Instrumental Music In Laos (Selection I) | 2:36:32 (Pop-up) | |
Lam, Khen, Kachappi, Konghang, Sing | Lam Phuthai (Kengkok, 2000) | Traditional Music In Laos (Selection III) | 2:41:01 (Pop-up) | |
Khap, lanat ek, lanat thum lek, kong ping, so-hep, xap, so-u | Khap Salangkhu (Phonpheng, 2001) | Traditional Music In Laos (Selection III) | 2:45:06 (Pop-up) | |
Lam, Khen | Lam Siphandon (Vientiane) | Traditional Songs In Laos (Selection II) | 2:47:43 (Pop-up) | |
Ruangthong Thonglanthom รวงทอง ทองลั่นธม | Sayonara Goodbye ซาโยนาระ ลาก่อน | 2:55:02 (Pop-up) | ||
Music behind DJ: Catrina Paslaru |
Hei La Bodega |
Hei La Bodega - Carnaval! |
2000 |
2:58:01 (Pop-up) |
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Listener comments!
Gary:
WR:
chresti:
Gary:
Gary:
Robert:
Gary:
peter:
Amy Starecheski:
arcadeproject:
Gary:
Ashley Boun:
northguineahills:
Vivian Boun:
Gary:
Rattana:
Singharaja:
Listener Gregory:
chresti:
Gary:
chresti:
Gary:
Rebecca:
Gary:
Zipperhead7:
Listener Gregory:
Singharaja:
Singharaja:
Christina Le:
chresti:
Gary:
Rattana:
Q: And where did you grow up?
Judy: I do grow up in Luang Prabang until 16 years old, until 1969. I have to go to elementary school right? When you become seven years old, first grade start right there. I go first grade in Elementary in Luang Prabang, we call it, until sixth grade.
(rooster crowing)
Q: How long, how long was school? Was it all day and then you come home?
Judy: Yeah, yeah.
Q: And then what did you do when you got home? Did you help Matow [Grandma] Fong cook or did you play with kids?
Judy: Well, you don't help to cook, only come home, study and either cook rice and you know [fetch water for the house], you know because water, we don't have water, we have to get a water bucket from the other neighbor and put in a tank, so that's what I do.
(sound of water coming from a hose)
Q: You had to get water from the neighbor's house?
Judy: Yeah, because we don't have water ourselves you know like [tap water]. We have to get water from the neighbor. And you know, [we paid them for it].
Q: Did they have a well?
Judy: No, water from city. We don't have water from city. We have to get from them.
Q: So when you got water from the neighbor's, you just open, like from the sink? You would fill it up from..
Judy: No no no. We have to get the bucket from there from the tube. What do you call it? [Like from the] back yard.
Q: From the water hose, the water hose.
Judy: I had to carry and get in my house. Probably, how far? (sound of walking on gravel) Probably like 50 yard? Yeah, yeah, 50 yard from my house to the neighbor and I have to get the bucket and put it in my water tank. Because we don't have water to me like [we didn't have any money to turn on the tap].
Q: So that, that was your one of your chores?
Judy: Yeah, then [we wake up in the morning and we steam the rice]. I have to cook the rice, probably not every morning, maybe on weekend. I have to cook the rice for everybody, [steam rice]. Then that's it and the time evening, I have a garden along the Mekong River, like right there by my house, you know my kitchen and go down the land and I grow vegetables.
Christina Le:
Telia:
Gary:
Vivian Boun:
Gary:
northguineahills:
Carolyn:
Threemoons 🌛🌕🌜:
Gary:
Rebecca:
sarahdz:
Rattana:
arcadeproject:
Gary:
Florencia:
Rattana:
Gary:
Florencia:
Florencia:
Listener Gregory:
Rattana:
Rattana:
Judy: When I'm a kid, I don't think I listen to any music. Because back home, we don't have a radio. We don't have a TV. So like that.. I'm not listening to that.
Q. Did you hear any music in school?
Judy: Not in Luang Prabang
Q: Do you remember other kinds of sounds like when you went to temple, you know lots of prayers and Buddhist, Buddhist songs? Do you remember any prayers and chants? Did you go to temple a lot when you were younger?
Judy: I know, but I still don't know what.. thet you know, they call music thet.
Q: Is music thet like prayers?
Judy: Yeah, the prayers. But I go, but some people know how to say and pray (from) memory but I don't.
Q: How many kinds of prayers are there?
Judy: They have all prayers, like you pray to have good luck, yeah... good luck and you have good sleep some like that, but that kind of prayer. Well you go in there for thak bat (alms giving) or boon (celebrations, festivals). Then the monks have to pray and you pray as well, when they give you.. when you give your food you know, to the monk on the bowl and they give you a prayer back to you, give you healthy, something like that so that's all I know.
Robert Carrillo:
Solby Lim:
Rattana:
Gary:
Amy Starecheski:
Lauren:
Chunming:
Noki:
rochelle kwan:
Gary:
Vy:
Gary:
Solby Lim:
Listener Gregory:
Gary:
Noki:
Rattana:
Chunming:
Christina Le:
Solby Lim:
Zipperhead7:
Rattana:
sarah dziedzic:
Lauren:
Ariel:
Gary:
northguineahills:
Rattana:
Rattana:
Rattana:
Judy: How? Well I, I okay, I'll say I had my boyfriend. He tried to sell CDs for, for their brother, for his brother. So that's why I knew and I knew from, I go to a party at school, a party.. probably I'm in the ninth grade. Yeah, then I know that music. And the other music that I know besides Lao music is (the) Beatle(s). I know that.
Q: So you got into the Beatles around that time?
Judy: Yeah.
Q: How did, when did you first hear the Beatles?
Judy: Oh.. what it is, my brother play guitar too. Brother played guitar and I went to a party.
Q: Were they playing on the radio or the TV or what do you remember?
Judy: Well back then we don't have TV. Like I said, I know from the school or when I went to parties. And plus I have a friend, we go picnic, you know? And they play guitar and that music.
Q: And they played a lot of Beatles?
Judy: Yeah.
Q: Do you know what kind of songs?
Judy: Um let's see. (chuckles) "Get back," okay, just put the name there. (Sings softly to recall) ... "get back, get back"....what else. "Yesterday" that's the name of the music.. (sings softly).. "Yesterday," "Get Back." Yeah, that's what the music I listened (to) when I'm teenager.
northguineahills:
Gary:
Listener Gregory:
Listener Gregory:
Gary:
Jill B.:
Amy Starecheski:
Jill B.:
Gary:
Rattana:
Revolution Rabbit Nov63:
Gary:
Rattana:
Gary:
?:
?=Dean:
Gary:
WR:
Rattana:
Sid: Cha Cha Cha is pretty much Luk Thung Laos and Thai. And Lam Vong, also Luk Thung Lao and Thai. Luk Thung, Luk Thung is just like country. So back in Laos and Thai, the majority people, they were farmers, but those people that were merchants, business owners, things like that, and they, that's when they get into the pop music. So but why Luk Thung so popular? Because there are more farmers than merchants and business owners, technology, things like that. That's why Luk Thung is more popular even probably now. Just like in Thailand, Luk Thung, Thailand is 30 million people in Thailand, the people that enjoy Luk Thung. They even have modern Luk Thung. They mix it up. They still come out from Luk Thung and Luk Thung, it's pretty much from the farm. But most the farmers, they are in Isan. On the other side of the Mekong river, they call Laos and they also listen to the same kind of songs. They enjoy, both countries enjoy the same Luk Thung. Molam, back then, people blow the khan instrument. That's how people, one man stand or one woman stand, sing Molam with one person phow [blow] khan, but now, now they mix it up with a whole band, with the khan, mix it up and you know make it look like Luk Thung pop. [Laughter]
Listener Gregory:
Dean:
Rattana:
Gary:
Dean:
chresti:
Gary:
Juli:
Rattana:
Sid: Luk Thung is just the beat. Luk Thung is just the beat, which is Cha Cha Cha, Rumba, Tango, things like that. Not tango, pretty much cha cha cha and molam and lam vong, luk thung. But molam is, each part of Laos, they have their own style. Each part, from north to south, and they kind of transfer from generation to generation. And first it was just one man and one woman with someone blowing the khan, they call khan, it's a Lao music instrument. After that they transfer, they mix it up, make it from molam into cha cha cha, mix it up into lamvong with a khan instrument. So each part, they have their own, their own kind, their own song, their own molam. Just like the southern, they call it Lam Si Pan Don. And little bit above (Lam) Si Pan Don which is a little bit farther north, they call Lam Salavan, and then a little bit above (Lam) Salavan, they call Lam Khon Sa Van which originated from Savannakhet. And then in Savannakhet, there are two to three molam (styles) that they call Lam Ban Sot, Lam Thang Vai, and then when you go a little bit farther to Vientiane, that's when it becomes, they call it Lam Kap Ghieun, and then when you go a bit farther to Luang Prabang, that's when you get to Khuys Tum. But now lately, they mix everything. Molam is not, is not one person singing anymore. It's a group now with a full band. There's still some left of people who want to do one man and one khan, but not that popular.
Q: Can you tell the difference between, if you listen to all the styles, can you tell?
Sid: Oh yeah.
Q: How can you tell the difference?
Sid: The beat. The beats and the words and the way, when when you blow the Lao instrument which is called khan, you can tell right there if this one is Si Pan Don, or this one is Khon Sa Van, or this one is Khuys Tum.
Dean:
Gary:
Vivian Boun:
chresti:
peter:
Gary:
WR:
peter:
Juli:
!@
peter:
Gary:
doctorjazz:
Gary:
Revolution Rabbit Nov63:
Telia:
northguineahills:
/i full-heartily agree w/ your assessment
Rattana:
Judy: The musician is a woman, Phone, Phone Phoummitone, Phoummitone, "Nam Kong Yahm Lang." You know, that example, <nam kong> you know <nam kong> like a Mekong? Mekong, <nam yahm lang> it means evening. So, music is very, you know, what do you call it? <Mhan mouang> (it's enjoyable).
Q: So when you were sad, you would listen to Phone Phoummitone and the song was?
Judy: "Nam Kong," "Nam Kong" like Mekong (river).
Dean:
chresti:
Jill B.:
Jill B.:
Lilith Rogers:
Gary:
northguineahills:
Lilith Rogers:
Rattana:
Sid: Thai
Q: He's Thai. Whenever Lao people listen to Thai songs, do they understand the language?
Sid: Oh yeah. Lao... my opinion and I think that it's true too, my opinion, Lao language... speaking is pretty much the same, except the accent. Just the same thing in in America. When you go talk to people in New York, people talking in Alaska, talking to Minnesota or Louisiana. They speak the same English but different... accent, so that's what I see. But some words are different. Lao and Thai, some words are different. But that's why they always say that between Lao and Thai, when they have some kind of meeting, some kind of a summit, or some kind of.. between those two, these people, no need for translation, no need for an interpreter. They speak Thai, Laos speak Lao, and they still communicate. So that's why, the way I'm seeing, just like northern Laos speak different, southern Laos speak different. But but when you sit in front of each other, talk to each other, they understand each other. So that's how I see it in my opinion, Lao and Thai just like, it's almost, almost the same except some words are different but they are still able to figure out what it is. Lao and Thai is almost the same except the accent. Just like why I speak Thai? I speak Thai when I respect the person that is in front of me, then I speak, when I respect the Thai person in front of me. But if normal people, a lot of the time I just speak Lao and they understand me. So I don't have to, I don't have to change me, to make them like me, pretty much. But if I speak to the Thai people, the older people (elders) that I respect, then I always speak in a Thai accent or speak Thai. And I still can read and I can write some even though I don't go to Thai school.
Rattana:
Sid: It's a long history. To me, my opinion, in my opinion, Thai can understand Lao if they wanted to. They understand, they can understand Lao if they wanted to. But a lot of people, they.... what you call it, stubborn? They think "oh, I'm better than you," you know, things like that. Sometimes even though I understand but I'm pretending I don't understand you, pretty much like that. And Thai, this is the facts, Thai always looks.... way back, they always look at Lao as stupid, poor, no education or low education they always look at that. Even when they're mad at each other, they always said "you do like Laos." So pretty much Lao means stupid. But now lately things kind of change. I see even people, the movie stars, even trying to speak Lao too. Lao, talking about Lao Isan, it's the same Lao. Same language, same speaking language. But different accent. They call Lao Isan. There's Lao Isan. There's a lot of Lao Isan too, different parts, because there's 30 million people so there's a lot (who are) part of the country.
Listener Gregory:
Lilith Rogers:
northguineahills:
Listener Gregory:
Zipperhead7:
wendy del formaggio:
Gary:
wendy del formaggio:
chresti:
northguineahills:
Dean:
headcleaner:
poodlecannon:
wendy del formaggio:
northguineahills:
Dean:
Christina Le:
Dean:
Rattana:
Sid: You know, this one.. to get the facts straight, you have to look at the year. If you, if you said, oh Lao Isan used to be Laos? Well you have to ask, what year? And.. because different years are different, but the last one, if you count the last one, that's when France divided. It used to be, that's why the old people, they always keep the song, the.. what do you call it.. the (in) book(s), they always described Laos as Mekong river flow through in the center of Laos, in the middle. They always say "in the middle," "in the middle" but it's not in the middle anymore. They always.. there's a book, I think there are still some few left. I know when I was young, in elementary school, I used to read that. It said, <Pha thet khoi kung see muang Lao> my country is the name Laos. <Luang khon gyao sou tha lia hungh> there's a long, big, big land, that you can't even describe. And then the meaning word that means so much is <Nam kong phan ligh pah tankang> so the Mekong river flows through right in the middle of Laos. But when you talk about, Isan used to be Lao, well, you can say that too and why (there are) more people over there, it's because of Thai, you know during their war, way back and the people that they're doing the war (with), if you win the battle, if you win the battle to your town, your city, and the first thing they take, they always take slavery. And also some of (them) probably volunteer move because of, the other part of Laos is better, you know more rain, less rain, more dry, drought, things like that. That's why, when you talk about Isan and Lao, it depends on who you ask. It depends on what book you read, because writing history, when you're a winner, you have more right to write the history everywhere around the world. Everywhere. If you, if you win the war, if you win the battle, and your story, you have a right to write your your history and your history SOUNDS better, so it depends on who you ask. As Thai, different. As Lao, different.
poodlecannon:
charmcityelephant.com
Lucy March:
WR:
Rattana:
Gary:
Gary:
Gary:
sarah dziedzic:
Franco Twinkie:
Dean:
northguineahills:
Dean:
northguineahills:
Rattana:
Gary:
Rattana:
sarah dziedzic:
Gary:
WR:
Rattana:
northguineahills:
northguineahills:
Rattana:
Jill B.:
Rebecca Kiil:
Dean:
Thank you. Go for it at your convenience.
poodlecannon:
Franco Twinkie:
Florencia:
Terrence:
Dean:
northguineahills:
Christina Le:
Chunming:
Vivian Boun:
Zipperhead7:
Rattana:
Listener Gregory:
Gary:
Florencia:
Amy Starecheski:
Listener Gregory:
Terrence:
Gary:
Amy Starecheski:
Rattana:
Terrence:
Franco Twinkie:
Rattana:
Franco Twinkie:
Telia:
Robert Carrillo:
Rattana:
Terrence:
Gary:
northguineahills:
Rattana:
WR:
peter:
Rattana:
Gary:
Listener Gregory:
Franco Twinkie:
Revolution Rabbit Nov63:
~ TY Always DJ Gary ~
WR:
Christina Le:
Gary:
WR:
Gary:
WR:
chresti:
Wenzo:
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️