Tribal Music Asia:
The Music of the Golden Triangle

Songs of Memory Project

Traditional Music of the Golden Triangle

Preserving Tribal Music and Ceremonies

Victoria Vorreiter began archiving the age-old music of the highlands of Southeast Asia, in 2005, following the success of her first documentary film, The Music of Morocco and the Cycles of Life. All that follows is a result of her years of research and devotion.

Music and Culture of the Golden Triangle

High in the mountains, which sweep Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, and China, resides a multiplicity of indigenous people, numbering over 130 groups and subgroups, who have migrated for centuries from their source in Mongolia, Siberia, and the Tibetan Plateau. Many of these groups continue to live close to the earth, practice animism, and observe oral tradition. Culturally and sonically, this is one of the most extraordinary places on the planet.

The Songs of Memory project set out to capture the soundscape and spiritual practices of some of these hilltribe groups, with the aim of demonstrating the vital importance of vocal and instrumental music, as it marks their daily, seasonal, life, and generational cycles. The role of music in pre-literate societies cannot be underestimated, for the oral arts have functioned throughout the millennia as the primary channel for sustaining history, myths, customs, laws, knowledge, and beliefs, thereby linking the first ancestor with all who follow. This is so beautifully illustrated by the Akha saying: "If a village has no music, how can it be called a village?”

Origins of the Songs of Memory Project

During my many travels trekking to remote mountain enclaves throughout the Golden Triangle, I invariably found myself the only visitor in the villages. This compelled me to document all that I witnessed, in as many forms as possible. So it came to pass that, after four non-stop years, I had amassed a wealth of film footage, images, recordings, journals, musical instruments, and textiles.

The years following this fieldwork were spent assimilating and integrating these materials. It was rewarding to watch a complementary range of media emerge—photo exhibitions; a series of educational films; illustrated presentations; and the Songs of Memory book and compact disc.

With time, the project culminated in the Songs of Memory museum exhibition, a multi-media display that presents comprehensive collections of musical instruments, tribal textiles and jewelry, films, and photographs of the six major tribal groups living in the Golden Triangle—the Hmong, Mien, Lahu, Akha, Lisu, and Karen.

It is hoped that these independent media, when woven together, form an interdisciplinary whole, providing a deeper, truer, more meaningful experience into the traditional highland culture of Southeast Asia.

Tribal Music Asia Site

This site offers a glimpse at the varied components of the Songs of Memory project, in a multi-media format. You will be able to experience the above trailer, slide shows of exhibits and photographs, and recordings of traditional music.

The site provides information about the materials I have created, which offer a deeper understanding about these hilltribe peoples and their music: the Songs of Memory Book, CD, Photographs, Educational Film Series, Multi-media Museum Exhibition, and Photos Exhibits.

With gratitude for your interest in the Songs of Memory archives,
Victoria.

Intangible Legacy
The oral traditions found in the Golden Triangle, which were once so vital a century ago, are in jeopardy of vanishing with the wind. We must bear witness to the majesty and diversity of cultures on our planet by making a commitment to swift action, preserving those arts that are in decline and safeguarding those that continue to live and evolve in this new age. Should we lose any of these, we will surely lose a part of the soul of our humanity.

Appreciation

What began as a three-year initiative documenting through film the ancestral culture of the mountain peoples of Southeast Asia has now expanded and transformed into a much bigger venture spanning sixteen years. Combining films with books, articles, recordings, photographs, and exhibitions, I trust, creates a more fulsome archive providing the indigenous peoples a record of their culture before it changes or disappears, and those who are interested a more holistic understanding. Yet, with every step there still seems to be new paths to follow. As the initiative grows, so does my resolve in preserving indigenous traditions and ensuring they are sustained for new generations. More is yet to come, to be revealed on an ‘auspicious moon.’

All to say, I am so very grateful to those who have believed in the Songs of Memory archives over the years. The trajectory of this independent researcher, through the joys and challenges, has been the honor of a lifetime. While I cannot list here all of the many friends, colleagues, and organizations who have supported this initiative, please know you all are appreciated for having helped make this a reality. And in kind, I trust that this body of work lives up to your belief as it celebrates the rich cultural tapestry of humankind in the Golden Triangle.

Founding Patrons
Marsha and Philip Dowd
Frankel Family Foundation
Leslie and David Bosch
The Golden Triangle Gallery
Jim Thompson Foundation

2020 Donors
Frankel Family Foundation
Dorée Huneven
Wayne Madsen
Mary Averill
Diane and Shev Ciral

If the Songs of Memory project has a resonance for you, please do consider supporting the documentation. This project receives not-for-profit status under the auspices of the International Documentary Association in the United States. You can receive their letter of recognition – IDA Letter, and a link to my project on their site – Sponsorship through IDA.