What is Known About Some Music Features and Song Lyrics of the Khmer Living in the South of Vietnam?

Abstract

In this article, the author will present some research issues as follows: Musical expressions of love for the homeland, Love among men and women, family affection, and attachment to work. The Khmer inhabiting South Vietnam practice all these expressions. In another short section, common characteristics with the music of other ethnic groups in Vietnam include similar instrumental music, scales used and rhythmic structures applied. Thereby, the author reviews categorizations undertaken in the past demonstrating that Khmer music strictly belongs to one ethnic group in the country. Also, musical instruments have been categorized in similar ways, using the Hornbostel-Sachs descriptive tools: Chordophone, Arephones, Idiophones, Membraphones, which are using a variety of scales and modes. It is also said that the inheritance and promotion of the typical values of Khmer music into social life, was a very pragmatic fact, which needs more attention. The use of the term “Folk Music” is only reflecting on a certain approach supported by cultural policies toward minorities from the 1970s to 2010.