Epics in Raglai people’s cultural life

Like other ethnic groups in the Central Highlands and southwestern region, the Raglai have a treasury of epics. In To Hap valley, Khanh Son district, many people know the epics by heart. Mau Quoc Tien, a researcher of Raglai culture, is a leader in collecting and preserving Raglai epics. 

He says Raglai epics are long narrative poems recounting the deeds of heroes like Udai Ujac, stories of men turned-beasts like Ama Chisa – Ama Cuvau Vongcoi, and brave women like Awoi nai Tilor fighting the genies of the forest and sea to protect people. The stories contain imaginary figures or real people capable of doing extraordinary things. 

Tien noted, “An epic is very long. The Raglai don’t have a system of writing. They spread epics to the younger generation by word of mouth.”
Tien highlighted that the Raglai epics are works of art that reflect real life. For example, the Ama Chi Maja epic features a brave, young man, Chi Maja, who chases away wild beasts to protect the villagers and teaches them to fight invaders.

When epic storytellers immerse themselves in an epic, they change their tone of voice to match the content, from a monotone to a very high tone, to a deep bass, to a mysterious whisper that echoes the voices of their ancestors.

In a trance, they act out events such as a fight in the village or forest. Every epic storytelling is a fresh creation which is never the same.

Storytellers use folk singing genres such as the Siri and Majeng melodies with which Raglai mothers lull their children and tell them stories. The lively, joyous Adoh melody is used at community get-togethers and festivals.

An elderly woman named Kato Thi Sinh recounts the Udai epic, one of the two longest Raglai epics about war and love. At the age of 60, she knows by heart the epic which takes her a day and a night to tell. Sinh says she learned epics when she was 7 or 8 from her mother.

Children learn Raglai epics (photo: khanhhoa.gov.vn)

“I listened to my mother telling epics and I loved them. The more I heard them, the more beautiful I found them. I stayed at home with my parents. I didn’t go to school. We often recounted epics so I became absorbed in storytelling.” Sinh shared.

In Son Binh commune, Khanh Son district, 90-year-old Mau Thi Dien is famous for knowing many epics and being the oldest Raglai storyteller. She can tell several epics in one week

Researcher Mau Quoc Tien says people like Kato Thi Sinh and Mau Thi Dien are repositories of Raglai epics. People like them are getting rare. To preserve the epics, Khanh Son commune has recorded several epics and transcribed them and the province has organized 3 classes to teach the epics to young people.