Chaapei Dang Veng is a musical tradition that is closely linked to the lives, customs, and beliefs of the Cambodian people. It is performed during cultural festivals, often with singing, using a Cambodian two-stringed, long-necked guitar called a chapei. Lyrics involve traditional poems, folktales, and even Buddhist stories as well as social commentary and satire.
The tradition is considered to have multiple functions in Cambodian communities. For example, it safeguards traditional ceremonies, transmits social, cultural, and religious knowledge and values to future generations, provides exposure to the old Khmer language, creates a space for political commentary, and entertains. It also connects generations and builds social cohesion.
Apart from talent, chapei players also need to have wit, the ability to improvise, and good storytelling abilities to accompany poetry, narrated folk stories, vocal duets of an argumentative style and riddle telling. Even though performers are generally male, there are no gender restrictions on who can play the chapei as part of an orchestra. It is transmitted orally within families through informal master-apprentice relationships.
The book, “A Brief Introduction to Khmer Music”, by Buddhist scholar Mrs. Peac Sal, published in 1969, portrays the making of the Chapei Dang Veng. The Chapei Dang Veng was made utilizing carefully chosen wood so that it would make a pleasant sound when played. This sound will draw in listeners and extraordinary creatures (spirits).
Pouthav Dai is a well-known old Chapei vocalist in Cambodia. His legacy is hard to find since he passed away earlier, some believe he was killed during the Khmer Rouge era, which ruled Cambodia during the 1970s. Pouthav Chhuon’s legacy still lives on, but today’s vocal style differs. Many of his stories feature characters who seem exaggerated to the point that they make people laugh.
The Khmer Rouge regime severely impacted the bearer population and disrupted the transmission of the practice, creating long-term implications for communities. The art form has lost a great deal of popularity, and people rarely practice it nowadays, so the government is concerned about its potential disappearance.
References
(https://ich.unesco.org/en/USL/chapei-dang-veng-01165) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chapei_dang_veng) (https://news.un.org/en/audio/2016/12/620192) (https://intocambodia.org/content/chapei-dang-veng) (https://www.cambodiancommunityday.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=265&Itemid=732)