khene

plural khenes · alternative kaen · alternative khaen · alternative khène · alternative kène · alternative khen

1. entertainmentA traditional musical instrument of Laos, being a type of bamboo mouth organ.

   The khene was once used to call warriors to fight. Now it is used for ceremonies.

   1997, Dolly Brittan, The Hmong, Rosen Publishing, published 1997, page 32

   3 more examples

   There are processions led by dancers with castanets and accompanied by musicians playing the Kène.

   1951, Norman Lewis, A Dragon Apparent, Eland, published 2003, page 296

   The Lao khaen, however, is the most sophisticated of all the bamboo mouth organs – it takes great skill to play it properly.

   2000, Simon Broughton et al., The Rough Guide to World Music, Rough Guides, page 171

   I then suggested that he should play a tune on the khène while I improvised an accompaniment on the ukelele.

   2001, Mervyn Brown, War in Shangri-La, Radcliffe, published 2001, page 155