Tuesday, December 25, 2012

A Lao Lullaby

River is sleeping. So, it's a good time to add a post...and his Papa is in Pakse for  few days working on an upcoming Art project.... Good point is mama doesn't have to share her laptop... ;)





It's sung to the "Where is Thumbkin?" English song.

Actually, there is a Lao version of Where is Thumbkin, which is where I adapted the lullaby from.

The Lao Thumbkin Version (This is the version we sing at the school I work, maybe you know another)

Kneepo yu sai? Kneepo yu sai?  (Thumb, where is?)
Yu nii neh, Yu nii neh. (Here)
Suk sabaidee bo? (Are you well?)
Suk sabadee bo?
Pai gon der (I go first.. bye)
Pai gon der

River's Lullaby version:

___(insert child's name) _____ yu sai? ______ yu sai?
Yu nii neh, Yu nii neh
Suk sabadee bo?
Suk sabadee bo?
Non lap dee (sleep well)
Non lap dee
Dting dang dong (doesn't mean anything, just sound...)


I think it works ;) But then again maybe River is non kiidtua koi... lying about being asleep....555

5 comments:

  1. Sweet! I love lullabies. My all-time favourite is Paul Robeson singing 'Mighty Like a Rose' "Sweetest Little Fella,
    Everybody knows,
    Don't know what to call him,
    But he's mighty like a Rose...

    My Dad (who would have been 91 this year had a beautiful bass voice and used to sing Paul Robeson songs to me and everyone else.

    Keep singing, Kelly and River, you listen to your Mommy (Mummy where I come from!)Ruth

    Ps Not sure how to post on blogs!

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  2. jav and i are trying to sing it together.love it. hey kelly instead of "culturally confused" how about culturally infused? lol

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  3. Thanks Ruth and Kyu! Ruth - I sing to River all the time..he's the only one who gets to hear my off key tunes..LOL. Kyu - culturally infused. love it! I'm sure you know more than I do about blending cultures... never realized how important it was till River. ;) But we are all one family. ;))))

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  4. how do you say "stop it" in Laos?

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  5. This is a beautiful lullaby. I miss my country....
    -Mai

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