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Pattani violinist Waekhader Waedeng, 77, helps keep southern Thailand’s musical heritage alive.
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SOUTHERN THAI CULTURE
Old-style muso
By By Pathomporn Kaenkrachang
Phuket Gazette
Published on July 7, 2008
Despite his advanced years, Pattani violinist Waekha-der Waedeng, 77, still has a youthful passion for music. Indeed, he's one of the few "old school" musicians still playing live, determined to keep traditional performing arts from the South alive and beating.
Waekhader has been leading cultural performances for the past 30 years and received the title of National Artist in 1993. The ageing artisan performed with his band I-Laa-Ma-Us-Li at Prince of Songkla University's Phuket campus, as part of his Cultural Tour of the region. Waekhader discovered his passion and talent for music at an early age. "I was excited that it felt natural to me to be able to play [the violin]… I started to play seriously with two musician friends and we became a backing band for a troupe of rong ngang dancers, who perform traditional folk dances.
Drums "Musical accompaniment to these dances is played on violins, Arabian drums, Chinese gongs and Raman drums," he explained. "I played the violin and the other two musicians played rammana drums [one-sided drums with a shallow body] - one small and one large . . . unfortunately, the two rammana players don't play anymore, so it is up to me to keep the traditional music alive by playing with musicians from the younger generation," he said. "Most youngsters nowadays are unfamiliar with traditional music and instruments. They play the music of the new generation," he said. "Our traditional performing arts are unique and I really want people, especially the younger generation, to understand how valuable they are to our culture and how these arts should be preserved. I feel lucky that there are at least some kids out there who take it seriously, keeping it alive," he said. Waekhader is called on to perform at the Taksin Rajanives Palace whenever HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej visits southern Thailand.
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