A
History of Hakka Groups' Migration
The
Hakka originally belonged to the Han people of the middle part of China.
Due to the disturbances and wars, the Hakka moved from Honan to An-hui,
Hu-pei and Hunan, and then to Kuan-hsi, Kuan-tung, Fukien, Taiwan, and
to Hainan and South-east Asian countries. They were first called
the Emigrants, retaining the traditional culture, language, and customs
of the middle part of China, and resisting assimilation by local cultures.
Hence have they come the name by the name Hakka, spirit of perseverance,
diligence and adventure.
A Instroduction to Hakka Songs
In the course of their struggles, they aired and expressed their emotions
by means of songs, initially with simple
songs of joy or lament, then various tunes accompanying labors and depending
on occasions. There songs for friends and lovers, and there were
responding songs between people over the hill and cross the river, eventually
shaping the naive, spontaneous and unique from of "Shan-ke"---
the Hakka yodel. Hakka people love their yodels; yodels are
indispensable to their everyday life. From the old style p'ing-pan
and old yodels developed modified p'ing-pan and various yodel tunes, and
because of the abundant variations, they are called " nine styles and eighteen
tunes". Click on the "Hakka Music" button at the left column to know
more about Hakka songs and operas. |