Púa - Airophone
Púa is an instrument of airophonic family, lip-air branch of H'm"ng minority living in the North of Viêtnam.
Púa is made of 2 tubes rolled from thin leaf-shape brass, of which the small one of 72 cm length, 3 cm diameter. A circle- piece of bronze is attached to one end of the small tube to make a bud for player against his lips when performing. The other end of small tube is fit in to the small - end of big tube which has cylinder - shape with 61 cm in length, the other end of the big tube is attacked to a loudspeaker which has diameter of 16.5 cm in its mouth.
When performing, instrumentalist stands, takes Púa with both hands, against his lips on the bud (blowing-pipe), drives air-streams to vibrate the air column to create the sounds. Its sounds are loud, strong, sonorous with a little cracked-sounds of the clarion.
Púa is exclusively played by men as solo to inform or in ensemble with drum, thanh la (a kind of gong), cymbal, xi-u (a pair of oboes) in the rituals of funeral such as worship the soul, the toast, the kill buffalo and kid to make the offering