Showing Xinjiang music videos is Michael’s area of expertise, but I read Will’s article on Youtube and decided to look at some of the Chinese video sharing sites, namely Tudou and YoQoo. Since today has turned into Xinjiang blogging day for me, I decided to search for Xinjiang videos. I found one which is rather disturbing, a nationalist rant about how Uyghur pickpockets are a scourge because of Western influence. But I decided not to spend time on that one; if you want to see it, it’s here.
First, a slickly produced traditional bit:
Now the flamenco guitar masters:
The lone dutar (or is that a tambor? I get my two string instruments confused) player shows his chops:
This guy has a pink Cadillac. Awesome:
And here’s a guy named Ahmatjan rocking out with his drummer… in the 80s!
But if you turn on the television anywhere else in China, the only time you hear “Xinjiang” music is stuff like this:
What a tragedy.
1
By THM
Mabe I missed something here…but, why is it that you hate Dao Lang?
November 7, 2006 @ 11:10 am | Comment
2
By davesgonechina
@THM: Heh, yeah I didn’t really say. It was getting late last night.
I don’t HATE Dao Lang, but I see him as part of the phenomenon of the last video: Xinjiang music is drained of its rhythmic complexity, forced into a boring old scale system, and then performed by an all Han cast who might as well be doing it in blackface. Dao Lang isn’t that bad, but still: how many people in China know who Dao Lang is, and how many know who Askar is? Why is it that the most well known “minority songs” aren’t written or performed by the minorities themselves?
November 7, 2006 @ 12:34 pm | Comment
3
By zhwj
This is why I dislike Dao Lang.
November 7, 2006 @ 12:41 pm | Comment
4
By THM
Ok, just making sure.
If I remember right, I think Dao Lang is actually from the Sichuan province, isn’t he?
November 8, 2006 @ 4:04 am | Comment
5
By nausicaa
Another reason to hate Dao Lang:
My mom LOVES him.
November 9, 2006 @ 4:01 am | Comment