I am showcasing the music of the land of my birth. I returned to Sarawak recently and in 2009. I went to Mulu and to long houses in Binatang and Sarikei.
When you visit Sarawak in Borneo, especially the week during the Gawai or harvest festival, there will be a lot of feasting and dancing. You will hear the music of the indigenous people.
The sape is one of the string instruments from the lute family, which has a short neck.
It is made from soft wood, usually the meranti's. The sape has quite an elongated body which is hollowed out and functions as a resonator. I was entertained by this musician when I went to Mulu Caves. Some one fondly dubbed it as the Sarawak guitar.
See a traditional dance from Sarawak.
This last piece is played by a Kelabit, my brother in law K and Sis in law A are Kelabits from the Bario Highlands in Borneo.
This is a Penan or Punan woman. The Penans are nomadic people in Sarawak,Borneo. Here she is using her nose to play a flute.
My younger brother, Dr Henry Chan, an anthropologist spent a lot of time in the jungle with them.
Sunday Stills, The Next Challenge – Music
This will be a fun challenge I think because music can be found in a lot of different people, places and things. Take some shots that reflect the music in your life.
1 comment:
Chen Francis Ms Chan these Kelabits are inborn musicians and IT experts. When I was in Tg. Lobang, we used to learn playing musical instruments together in the boarding house. They were able to perform on stage just after a few months while none of the chinese made it. Lately, I was told that they are good in IT too because the word "Kelabit" itself simply means Kelab(Club) IT!!! One of my classmate, Dato Idris Jala, a kelabit from Bario Highland is now a federal minister. Prior to this, he was the MD of MAS Airline...just imagine the MD came from the Bario Highland, a remote area in Borneo inaccessible except by plane!
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