Lu Shui ballad in Black Flying Squirrel Village

April 21st 2023
Audio
Region
China
Researcher
Formats
Archive of the future
Vocalities
Disciplines
Anthropology
Field recording
Themes
Cooperation
Worldviews

This song is called Lushui Ballad because it is only sung by the Lisu ethnic group in Lushui. 

In this recording, the villagers of Black Flying Squirrel Village ended the song with Baishi (ꓐꓯꓼ ꓫꓵ). Here are the lyrics:

Male leading:

No one is unhappy now
Because the sun shines well
Brothers and sisters feel happy now
Happy now, happy now
We are reluctant to grow old
We live in the sunshine
We keep saying happy things
Brothers
We don't have to pound rice anymore
People in rural areas used to be envied
It doesn't matter now
I am getting old now
I can't walk up to the mountains anymore
I don't know if I can still see tomorrow's sun
I can only wait for you to feed me
It's impossible to be young forever

Female leading:

We do indeed have a good life
Unhappy people do not exist
The moon is full and bright
All homes are happy
Happy now, happy now
We don't want to die
We also live under the moon
I can't end the happy things
Sisters 
We don't have to go far to fetch water anymore
We envy the life of the city dwellers before
We are almost unable to walk now
Our feet tremble as we walk down the mountain
I don't know if I can still see tomorrow's moon
I can only wait for you to provide me with water to drink
Generations have gone by like this

Baishi:

Father arranged the banquet
At his age, he still needs to work hard with a difficult life
We didn't interact when I was growing up
I thought about to go home but couldn't reach it
I’m a bit excited today 
And can't help but sing a little