On piping in Hong Kong

When Hong Kong’s pro-democracy demonstrations were in full swing in September, with literally hundreds of thousands of protestors peacefully demonstrating for freedoms, I listened intently to news reports on their demands and progress. They rallied for democratic reform and suffrage that they felt was due them (and all Chinese citizens too); Through peaceful civil disobedience they made a resounding sound that may not have been heard in Beijing. I applaud their efforts to bring democratic values and change to their land.

Even as the protests continued, I thought about Hong Kong as a British colony that until 1997 was the wild west of capitalism, banking and commerce. Its rich heritage is a mix of English, Scottish, Chinese and many other cultures, so it must have included bagpipes. I went in search of piping in the news for pipes and drum bands in Hong Kong, Kowloon Peninsula and the New Territories. A picture from the water of Hong Kong harbor shows a city built on green hills. Surely there must still be bagpipes playing today. A little research quickly shows that Hong Kong has a rich Scottish heritage.

The HSBC Bank was founded by a Scotsman, Thomas Sutherland in 1865. Even today, the firing of the Noonday Gun, a cannon mounted on a tiny jetty, is a daily ritual in remembrance of William Jardine and James Matheson, who were shipping tycoons from Edinburgh. Even at Hong Kong University which incorporates a castle erected in the 1860’s by a Scotsman, Douglas Laprik, the influence of the Scots can be found.

There are two pipe bands in Hong Kong: The Hong Kong Pipe Band http://hkpipeband.com/ and Hong Kong St. Andrews Pipe Band http://www.pipeband.org.hk/. The KH Pipe Band was formed in 1982 and continues to bring the music of Scotland to the city. Looking at their web site shows that they are into performing at many civic and private events as well as competing as a grade 4 band. One of their pipers, Andrew Yu took the top honors this summer at the All-England Championships in the United Kingdom in July. Andrew took grade one first place in the Piobaireachd, 6/8 March and second in the Air & Jig and March, Strathspey & Reel.

The second band is the Hong Kong St. Andrews Pipe Band http://www.pipeband.org.hk/. Their organization also plays our traditional Scottish music, but also plays arrangements of Chinese and Korean folk songs which can be downloaded from their site in pdf. I’ve attached one Chinese folk tune, “Dance of Youth” here. Very fun to play.

From a history perspective the Royal Gurkha Rifles, a regiment made up of Nepalese soldiers, loyal to the crown since 1857 became British regulars in 1949 following Indian Independence. Their regiment and pipe band were stationed in Hong Kong soon around 1962 and remained on station there until the draw down and final with drawl of all British troop in 1997. Today their piping tradition continues in in the Singapore Police Force Gurkha Contingent Pipes and Drums Platoon. Here’s a set performed by them on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yH-Y9kdWbjk

It is great to think that we have piping brethren across the world. From many cultures from Nepal to South America, from Canada to Dubai, my guess is that we have more than just bagpipe music in common. I think of those families in Hong Kong wishing for a life free to follow their God given rights.