ចាប៉ីដងវែង: UNESCO' Intangible Cultural Heritage

 ចាប៉ីដងវែង Chapei Dang Veng (Long Guitar) was listed in UNESCO’s intangible human heritage on 30 November 2016. 30 November 2021 marks 5th anniversary of Chapei. The Chapei Dang Veng or (in short) Chapei is a Cambodian two-stringed, long-necked guitar that is usually plucked. It has two double courses of nylon strings. Chapei is one type of musical performance among many others such as A-yai, Lkorn Basac, Yike, Smoth, just to name a few of its kinds.

5th Anniversary of Chapei listed in World's Intangible Human Heritage

Chapei musical instrument is used to perform in 4 different themes such as:

• ​វង់ភ្លេង​អារក្ស Vong Pleng Arak (worship the soul's music, Devil Orchestra),
• វង់ភ្លេង​ការ​បុ​រាណ Vong Pleng Boran (Ancient music, traditional wedding orchestra),
• វង់ភ្លេង​មហោរី Vong Pleng Mahori (Mahori Orchestra) and
• ចម្រៀង​ចាប៉ីដងវែ​ង Chapei Dangveng solo performance (ចម្រៀងបែបកំណាព្យ sing in poetry rhythm)

There are different ways /rhythm to sing along with Chapei:

• បទផាត់ជាយ Phat Cheay:​ for chanting (virtue of the Buddhist trinity: The Buddha, his teaching and his discipline or Three Gem/Three Refuges and remind to the deeds of teacher and parents
• បទសំពោង Som Poung: for express sad feeling and nostalgia
• បទផាត់ជាយក្លាយ Phat Cheay Khlai: for describe the long story
• បទនគររាជ Nor kor Reach: for blessing. 
• There are some other songs used mixed with other such as: បទបំពេរ [Bot Bom Pe], សរ៉ោមេ [Sa Roam Mé], សរ៉ោមេ ជើងព្រៃ [Sa Roam Mé Jerng Prey], នគររាជជើងព្រៃ [Nor Kor Reach Jerng Prey], etc.

According to UNESCO, where Chapei was listed as Intangible Cultural Heritage, what they sing in Chapei musical tradition, a type of lute; directly associated with the life, customs, and beliefs of the Cambodian people.

What is so special about Chapei?

• The lyrics in Chapei is not prior written (like songs or poem). The Chapei players would compose and sing immediately reflect the events where they are signing. This needs talents and oral skills for storytelling. They lyrics must be cohesion at all time [You – cure – too – brew – sure – two – through – continue..], continue from one point to another and with meanings. 
• The Chapei singer or player should be talent in both playing the Chapei musical instrument and singing along. Skills required to be a chapei player include wit, the ability to improvise and be a good storyteller. Hence, he or she should be very knowledgeable over the topics to choose a variety of words to describe the stories. 
• The topics range from the educational and a type of social commentary, to satire while incorporating traditional poems, folk tales or Buddhist stories.
• Chapei is often played at cultural festivals. It has several functions within Cambodian communities, such as safeguarding traditional rituals; transmitting social, cultural and religious knowledge and values; providing exposure to the old Khmer language; creating a space for social and political commentary; entertaining; connecting generations; and building social cohesion.
• We have seen many male Chapei performers, but it has no gender restrictions on who can play the Chapei. These days, there are female players as well but not very much.
• Chapei skills are transmitted within families (orally, like from father to son/daughter or from grandpa to grandchildren) or through informal master-apprentice relationships (anyone who loves it and think they can do it).
• There aren’t many performers these days, only few masters exist. Many of the bearer population had been killed during Khmer Rouge regime. It affects the communities in long term run, it might be potentially disappear in the next generation.
• One of the masters of the Chapei known today is Master Kong Nay (the man who is a blind), he is compared to Mr. Ray Charles (American singer, songwriter, pianist, and composer).

Some video to watch:

• Watch the short English version of Chapey: here and here
• A song to that included Chapei of Master Kong Nay: Time to Rise

Master Kong Nay performed in the wedding "Cheav Khan Sla: the story about how hard parents raise children before they allow you to get married"

• Chapei Dangveng from 1989 by two masters