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Topic Records TSCD919 THE MOKEN: SEA GYPSIES OF THE ANDAMAN SEA

And with reference to that, I received the following today from one of our writers

From: "Tom Vater"
Subject: sea gypsies in trouple - help appeal
Date: Wed, 5 Jan 2005 13:43:49 +0700

The Moken sea gypsies of Ko Surin in Thailand, animist nomadic boat dwellers, have been sailing the Andaman Sea for centuries. Until last Sunday - when the big wave took everything they had - their village, their boats, their belongings.

The Moken knew the wave was coming and saved countless tourists. Eventually they were taken by police to the mainland where they have been lingering in a temple turned refugee camp since. Local powerbrokers are now deciding over their fate, squabbles have broken out about what should be done with them. The Moken want to return to Surin when it is safe.

Surin is utterly trashed but it is feasable to build a new village on a different beach on the islands.
If the Moken stay anywhere near this temple on the mainland, they will be forced to assimilate into Thai society - their unique culture wil be lost. Already there are grave concerns for the Moken kids running into the main road in front of the temple - they don't know what cars are.

The Moken badly need money to buy new boats, kitchen ware and tools. The National Park will have them back if they can sustain themselves.

For this reason, I am trying to raise some funds for them, something I have never done before in my life. Spending several days with them in the refugee temple and going out to the islands to see the carnage, hearing real heroic tales of survival, I felt like I was observing an entire culture on the brink of extinction.

Please make a donation via a UNESCO website in Thailand. http://www.cusri.chula.ac.th/andaman/en/ The UNESCO Andaman Pilot Project has been active since 1997 to help the Moken help themselves. The lecturers and volunteers of this project, whom I have known since 1999, are trusted implicitly by the Moken. My wife Aroon , who lived with the Moken when I first met her, is in daily contact with the community and the UNESCO project.

Many thanks,

Tom

Ian Anderson
Editor: fRoots Magazine

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The Smithsonian Folkways "Music of Indonesia" series has some music from Sumatra (on #11 and 20 of the ones I have), but I think its from the other side of the island...

Paul Harding
KUOM, Minneapolis

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We just received the following recording from Northern Sumatra about a month ago. It was produced by John Matarazzo in 1995.

Partopi Tao Group 'Music of Northern Sumatra - Tapanuli'
http://partopi.calabashmusic.com/

We're donating 100% of procedes from sales of this recording to relief agencies working in Sumatra.

We have one track currently available as a free sample for any radio folk wishing to use it in their broadcast:
http://freesong.calabashmusic.com/


brad
=====
Calabash Music

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A particularly beautiful recording is from Celestial Harmonies' Music of Islam set, the last volume (15) is music from Aceh and Western Sumatra.

David

--- Dmitri Vietze

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1. Pete Teo, "Rustic Living for Urbanites" (2003), he was born in Borneo, (not severely affected) but now runs a small circuit of singer-songwriters in Kuala Lumpur; he has a song about deforestation in northern Borneo, "Jesselton Tonight" (Jesselton being the colonial name of a northern city in Borneo)

2. Marsada, "Pulo Samsosir," 2004, I met their managers Hope Cooper and Henry Manik at WOMEX this year...very sweet folksy guitar and vocal-driven tunes from Sumatra

3. and of course, two Colin Bass (ex-3 Mustaphas3)/Indonesia collabs, "Jalan Kopo" (1998) and with the Jugala All Stars "So La Li" (2000)

Marco Werman
The World/BBC

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The inaugural release (2003) in the Sublime Frequencies catalog is “Folk and Pop Sounds of Sumatra Vol. 1.” There are a couple of particularly great and touching tracks on it. AMG shows Vol. 2 coming out next month.

Joel
Conduit Music

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in the series "Viagem dos sons", by Tradisom, there are a couple of CDs documenting Portuguese influence in Sri Lanka and Sumatera

Baila Ceilo cafrinhai, Sri Lanka [sound recording]
Publisher: Portugal : Tradisom, p1998.
Description: 1 sound disc (67 min.) : digital ; 4 3/4 in.
Series: A viagem dos sons = The journey of sounds ; [3]
Viagem dos sons ; [3]A

Cantigas do Ceilo, Sri Lanka [sound recording]
Publisher: Portugal : Tradisom, p1998.
Description: 1 sound disc (55 min.) : digital ; 4 3/4 in.
Series: A viagem dos sons = The journey of sounds ; [2]
Viagem dos sons ; [2]
Kroncong moritsko, Sumatra [sound recording]
Publisher: Portugal : Tradisom, p1998.
Description: 1 sound disc (75 min.) : digital ; 4 3/4 in.
Series: A viagem dos sons = The journey of sounds ; [6]
Viagem dos sons ; [6]

Beverly Seavey

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SUMATRA

VARIOUS
Saluang Music of Sumatra Barat
(Reference #FSD2064)
Minangkabau people in Sumatra Barat have a treasury of musical entertainments.
Among the various kinds of music, saluang (vertical flute) is considered most important, and with charming vocals is the spirit of the Minang.

SRI LANKA

RUKMANI DEVI
Old is Gold
(Reference #FSD1712)
Wonderful compilation album of one of Sri Lanka's greatest singers. Baila music, a Ceylonese form of dance music, but not the modern often cheesy version.
Recordings date back about 30 years.

THAILAND

JINTARA POONLARP
Morlam Saon
(Reference #FSD2287)
Brilliant new album by Jintara, with the rootsy morlam sounds to the fore.
Great
songs and singing and deeply groovy.

MALAYSIA

NORANIZA IDRIS
Aura
(Reference #FSD1864)
Monumental album by one of Malaysia's finest female singers. The songs are based on different rhythms from different parts of Malaysia; Kelantan, Sarawak, the Malayan Peninsula, Perlis, Johor, Pahang, Negeri Sembilan, Johor Riau, some are tribal rhythms, others Arabic and Indian, elsewhere the roots are in Thailand and Indonesia. The sum of these rhythms and an equally rich blend of instruments from Malaysia and the west is an accessible, hugely enjoyable, uplifting album. If only all countries in Asia had artists as enthusiastic to embrace their musical hereditary in a completely natural manner as Malaysia.
English liner notes enclosed.

BURMA

VARIOUS
Music of Burma
(Reference #FSD2037)
Located on the western edge of southeast Asia, Burma has developed its own unique culture under the powerful influence of Thailand, China and India. This recording presents an anthology of Burmese people's diverse music performed on their unique traditional music.

Paul Fisher
Farside Music

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My name is Robert Fishman. I am the house sound engineer at the old town school of folk music in chicago. I am currently working overseas in Thailand. Our production director recently emailed me about an interest in music from the tsunami related countries about this topic. My favorite artist from thailand just wrote a song about this very subject called "tsunami song". The artists name is Add Carabou. His group is called Carabou. It is a very beautiful sounding song but very sad i'm sure( i cant understand all the words in thai). The song has not been released yet but they play it on thai television all the time. I'm sure it will be released very soon. When it is released i'll be sure to buy a copy. Let me know if you are interested in this.

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hello,
regarding the note below- I just received this article below from a correspondent in Thailand:
the song is available at http://www.thailandguidebook.com/cgi-bin/forum/ikonboard.cgi?
best,
Ann
global village

Songs of sorrow
Musicians give voice to the misery of the tsunami victims

The Nation, 7th January 2005

'It approaches like the devil, hitting the beaches

It destroyes everything...tsunami

Andaman, the paradise on earth

Becomes the greatest sorrow

It’s destiny

Andaman, the paradise didn’t prepare itself

Now flows a river of assistance, but please

Shed a tear for Andaman

* From “Sab Namta Andaman” by Yuenyong “Ad” Opakul

The havoc wreaked by the tsunami that struck islands off the southern
coast of Thailand and many other Asian countries on December 26 has
moved many of the Kingdom’s musicians to do their bit to alleviate the
suffering of the victims.

Leading those expressing their sorrow in song is Yuenyong “Ad” Opakul of
Carabao, the high priest of the songs-for-life school. Ad said in a
television interview that he had lost friends from four countries in
the natural disaster that claimed the lives of tens of thousands all
over Asia.

His response to the personal, and universal, tragedy was composing a
song entitled “Sab Namta Andaman” (“Shed a Tear for the Andaman”). The
haunting lyrics were written three days after the giant waves hit and
they speak of how unexpected and unpleasant the surprise from the sea
was. He goes on to characterise the tsunami as an evil force let loose
from #### that turned the once peaceful and placid Andaman Sea into a
frothing graveyard.

“When I heard the news, I felt deep sorrow and despair. It’s hard to put
these feelings into words,” Ad said in the interview. “I was crying
while I composed the song.”

The song has already become a staple on television with visuals of the
storm’s fury and its human victims. It’s on radio as well and seems to
have aptly captured the public horror of being struck by a bolt from
the blue.

Ad’s friend and fellow songs-for-life singer Pongsit “Poo” Kampee lost
no friends or relatives to the tidal wave but was moved as the disaster
unfolded on television to pen a song called “Tsunami”.

“I focus on the lives lost, their dreams and hopes for the future,” said
Pongsit.

Pongsit’s song will be part of a bigger project Ad has already
initiated. The idea is to release a full-length album on the tragedy
and donate all the proceeds to help the people whose lives were turned
upside down by the sea’s wrath.

Ad has invited his fellow musicians to compose a song each and the album
will have at least 10 songs, including his own and Pongsit’s. The other
artists include songs-for-life veterans Preecha “Lek” Chanapai and
Thiery Mekwattana of Carabao, Surachai “Nga” Chantimatorn of Caravan,
pop singers Danupol “Jae” Kaeewkarn and Tippawan Pinpibarn and Julchak
“Hewgo” Chakrabongse of Siblor Band.

The album, called “Sab Namta Andaman”, should hit the shelves in music
stores by the middle of this month.

“All proceeds will go to support the suffering people in the south. The
copyright of all the songs will be donated to the Kingdom. None of the
artists will make a profit from this charity album,” said Ad.