“Manhu, an ensemble that puts the few pieces outsiders know of their culture into rich context and understands that past and present can both be expressed with a touch of rock.” - Alan Tigay
“These rejuvenated ancient village hoedowns are quite infectious.” - Jon Lusk
— BBC music magazine
Manhu
Ethnic Roots with a modern twist
Manhu present a fascinating reinterpretation of the music of Yunnan's Yi people, most specifically from the Sani people of the Stone Forest region, an area geographically cut off from other Yi populations and hence developing it’s own unique musical and cultural identity. Manhu have been playing together since 2003 and all members are from the Sani farming community, rarely leaving except for performances, which have included two US tours with over 90 concerts and workshops and shows at prestigious venues such as Beijing’s National Theatre. Extremely authentic, all the band members are multi-instrumentalists, proficient in a range of Yi instruments and singing styles and their upbeat interpretation of these often inaccessible traditions features many locally iconic instruments that help forge a quirky and original sound.
Their 2020 debut album 'Voices of the Sani', released by the World Music Network, spent three months in the top 20 of the Transglobal World Music Charts reaching a high of No. 8, with many very positive reviews including the BBC Music Magazine, Songlines, World Listening Post etc and being rated as No.1 on Global Village for two months. Manhu can also been seen on the front cover of ‘The Rough Guide to World Music Unplugged’, an outstanding recognition for a collection of humble and gentle folk of such remote origins.
After a successful performance at Rainforest World Music Festival 2025, they will take their show to the global stage at WOMEX 2025, where they will be showcasing.
Press photos
