**18. Fight Singing**

Later in the day, a storytelling competition, called the dui gu ge, takes place between the officiating badai and the uncle. Using a talk-singing style of poetry, the badai and uncle compete with their knowledge of ancient songs and stories in the Miao language. Each song provoked a challenge for the other to respond with something better. As one sings, the other responds by singing questions to stump the singer, and so it goes on back and forth to the community's delight.

The following is an example of the La Yi exchange:

"Where does our nation come from?"

"Our nation originated east of Yellow River. And when we came here, many, many years ago, we fought many battles bravely against people who would destroy us and take our lands. We lost the battles in the war, but we are here today."

"How many names in our nation?"

"We have twelve names!" Then he proceeded to sing each family name and point to those in the audience that may bear those names.

"Well, who is my original mother?"

"Our mother is a butterfly. Uh, oh (singing) My mother comes from the maple tree, and she gave birth to the twelve brothers. Our brothers are very strong, very healthy, look at them!"

They can go on for many hours if you don't control them. They will continue for a month. They cannot finish. There are so many stories. If you go<sup>t</sup> it printed, it would be three volumes. All of them are story songs. It is a fighting-singing duel to see who knows the mythology better. We must deliver the culture with singing in ancient a Miao for all the people, especially the young people, to know the stories. The best way is through fighting-singing (Peng 2018b).

Miao mythology, the substance of their storytelling, also expressed their mettle. They are people who fought, survived, and became stronger as they migrated from north to south to settle in the formidable and unforgiving mountains. Their storytelling style is called "fighting-singing" because it is done actively and with competition to prove themselves better and more knowledgeable than their opponent. Often the uncle brought his badai to help him in the knowledge duel—his badai whispering responses in his ear. For the La Yi reconstruction of the zhuiniu, Hong served in this capacity.
