Atop the Chau Que Thuong highlands in Vietnam's northern Yen Bai Province, lies a small ethnic village known as Xa Pho.
Dang Thi Thanh, a local craftswoman, is considered one of only a small handful of people who can play a rare one-holed flute known as the Cuc Ke.
Made of Neohouzeaua, a type of medium-sized, tropical bamboo, the Cuc Ke flute is the width of an adult thumb and stretches 60 centimeters in length.
A single opening is carved at one end of the shaft with no other holes appearing along the body.
To master this difficult instrument, one must know how to skillfully control their breath and their nose to create the sweet sounding melodies.
Raising the instrument with the calloused, tanned hands of a seasoned farmer, Thanh takes a deep breath, and places the flute directly under her nostril.
A mysterious, whispering sound travels softly outwards, following the rhythm and melody of the renowned song of the Xa Pho, Moi Trang (Inviting Moon).
Thanh was awarded the top prize at the 2005 Folksong Festival, hosted by Vietnam Television thanks to this very song which she performed on her Cuc Ke flute.
By the age of 15, Thanh was already an old hand at the painstaking task of tilling fields on a farm.
During the night, she would have to stay at a nearby hut to keep an eye on the wild animals and recalls, œI would sometimes hear strange noises at night as if the trees, leaves and streams were whispering to me.
Following the mysterious melodies, Thanh discovered an old woman with her eyes shut who appeared to be œsmelling a dried tube made of neohouzeaua.
At the time, Thanh had no idea that the enigmatic sounds were actually being created by the woman with the bamboo.
Curious, she asked the woman what she was doing and if she could try it herself.
Realizing her gift for playing the unique musical instrument, the older woman began teaching Thanh more songs.
œAlthough the Xa Pho created the Cuc Ke flute, not everyone can play it.
But those who can do it should learn to preserve it, the elderly woman told Thanh.
Since then, Thanh has taken part in many festivals both within her native village and across Vietnam.
By traveling throughout the country and performing her extraordinary folk songs, Thanh has succeeded in educating people about the ethnic Xa Pho and the beauty of this dying art form.
The Xa Pho are well-known for their unique traditional culture from clothes to customs and various cultural activities.
Thanh is proud to be able to help preserve a part of her cultural heritage by playing this traditional instrument of her people.
The last of the masters
In 2004, at the age of 45, Thanh was formally recognized by the Vietnam Folk Art Association as an official folk craftsman for her contributions in preserving a part of Vietnam's cultural past.