会唱歌的小山竹

文/黄夜雁

在一次偶然的机会下，我听到了学校有非遗兴趣班，起初我是怀着对咚咚喹名字的好奇心报名的，那个时候我还不知道，我即将接触的是一根可以吹奏出动听音乐的竹子做成的乐器，而且这个小竹子还是国家级非物质文化遗产代表性项目。

第一天上课，我看到老师们扛了一大捆的竹子进教室，我心里犯嘀咕：随处可见的竹子真的可以吹出音乐吗？

“第一步是选材，第二步削竹子，第三步开簧……”老师逐一讲解完步骤，就发材料让我们自己动手。我和我的朋友一点点把竹子削薄，直到透光。“然后是什么步骤？”“开口吧。”但我不知道怎么开，跑去问学姐，她让我再削薄一点，结果我就削破了。听说，上届有个学姐第一天就做出来了，我暗下决心，一定要做出一支属于自己的咚咚喹。

两个星期过去，我们还是一支也没有做出来。和刚开始的新鲜、喜悦感不同，我变得烦躁，削烂两根就说：“怎么这么难呀！”但手上动作没停，继续拿竹子做了起来。快要下课时，我有些急了说：“怎么可能吹响嘛！”我同学边削边笑说：“吹响了你可就和学姐一样厉害了。”我没说话，试着吹了一下，竟然响了。我和周围人都愣住了，我的朋友眼睛张得极大，嘴像圆规画出来那样似的。我欣喜若狂，连吹了几声。

但新的问题又来了，怎么打孔呢？第二天中午，我寻求老师的帮助，老师帮我打好孔，再改良一通，我的咚咚喹可算是大功告成了。我拿着它回到班里，同学们用羡慕的眼神看向我，好奇地问这是什么。我一脸骄傲地说：“这是土家族咚咚喹，是我两个星期的‘战果’！”

第一支咚咚喹的诞生给了我极大的信心。除了课上练习，课后我还会让奶奶散步的时候，帮我带一两根竹子回家练习。老师看到了我的努力，夸赞我说：“我们班的小夜雁，就是会让竹子唱出歌呢！”还让我上台从头至尾地展示如何制作咚咚喹，帮助我克服怯懦。

现在，我对制作咚咚喹已经了如指掌：选材要选长了一年的竹子枝干；削竹子外层，削到看不见外层的深绿即可；竹子开口，要在封住头的一方开口，口开在透光的一面，差不多大拇指一半长，吹响即成功，没响则失败……我还学会了《血色湘西》电视剧里面的咚咚喹插曲，这简直跟做梦一样。

时光飞逝，我已经在非遗班学习了两个月，一节课能给自己做好一两支，还能顺便帮我的朋友开簧、打孔，我也变成了别人眼中的“学姐”。咚咚喹不仅给我带来了满足感，还让我变得耐心、不急躁，也让我变得自信勇敢。没想到，小小的咚咚喹，竟然带给我这么多“成长礼物”。

我希望我们每个人，都能像老师说的那样，成为会唱歌会表达的“小山竹”。作为小小的非遗传承人，我要把歌谣通过咚咚喹唱遍大江南北、国内国外！

Dongdongkui: The Singing Bamboo

By Helen

By chance, I heard about an intangible cultural heritage club at school. Firstly, I signed up out of curiosity about the name "dongdongkui". At the time, I had no idea I was about to encounter a musical instrument made from bamboo.

On the first day of class, I watched it as the teachers carried a large bundle of bamboo into the classroom. I wondered to myself: "Could this ordinary bamboo really play music?"

As class was about to end, I grew anxious and blurted out, “There's no way this thing will even make a sound!” My classmate chuckled while shaving hers and said:“If it does, you'll be as skilled as that senior.” I didn't reply. Instead, I tried blowing into it. It actually made a sound! Everyone around me frozes. My friend's eyes went wide, her mouth forming a perfect “O” of surprise. 

The creation of my first "dongdongkui" filled me with great confidence. Beyond practicing in class, I'd even ask my grandmother to bring home bamboo stalks during her walks for extra practice. Noticing my dedication, my teacher praised me: "Our 'little nightingale' here truly makes bamboo sing!" 

Time flies. After two months in the class, I can now craft one or two flutes per session. I even help friends cut reeds and drill holes, becoming the "senior student" in others' eyes. "Dongdongkui" has not only brought me fulfillment but also taught me patience, and courage. Who knew this tiny flute could offer such precious "gifts of growth" ? 

I hope each of us can become "young bamboo"—singing and expressive—just as our teacher imagined. As a torchbearer of this heritage, I will carry its melodies across rivers and mountains, sharing these songs with every corner of the world.