The KRUNG are a BRAO sub-group, half of the Brao people live in Cambodia and the other half in Laos. The term KRUNG refers to a certain kind of forest, in early 70s plenty of Brao people migrated from Cambodia to Laos to escape the Khmer rouge madness, the ones who remain in Cambodia called themselves KRUNG, they speak the same language. Here is ceremony (BRATANEUL) taking place at the end of rice harvest, early December, when bamboo tubes are being played to go along drinking new rice wine. The 8 bamboo tubes of various sizes are cut and the flexible part of each bamboo tube is hit on the ground and imitate an ensemble of gongs.

1 BRATANEUL PRAYER for the new rice by YA PAO leader of DONG KRAPEU village december 2003

2 DING BOO bamboo tubes hit and clapped at both extremities by 2 women holding one bamboo section, first you can hear 4 women (2 bamboo tubes) then 2 women using one bamboo tube december 2003

3 MANG BOONG 8 bamboo tubes hit on the ground by 4 men december 2003

4, 5 GAWNG BAW bamboo tubes hit on the ground december 2003

6 GAWNG BOO bamboo section clap playing by 2 women, DOOR (flute) by one man and YEL singing by one oldman :
The past has been really hard
The present is so much better
Now we can do what we want
Even invite a BARANG (foreigner) and enjoy with him
Finally we are allowed to be happy
Let him record our music
Life is still tough, hard to find money and survive from the rice we harvest
The white guy is good and handsome
Now we can drink together, sing and talk
Compared to the past when we could not enjoy ourselves
We did not like the war
Cambodia turned poor
We can now eat chicken, pigs and drink alcohol
We did not like carrying guns and being bombed by planes
december 2003

7 GAWB BAW bamboo tubes orkestra directed by PON DAO from DONG GAMAL village, involving 8 men, a DOOR (flute) player and a woman singing. march 2005

8, 9, 10 SONGS about the KHMER ROUGE time december 2003

11 GAWB BAW bamboo tubes orkestra directed by PON DAO from DONG GAMAL village, involving 8 men, a DOOR (flute) player. march 2005

12 a large hollowed piece of wood being hit by 2 women with long poles
december 2003

RECORDED BY LAURENT JEANNEAU