MELAKA: The Malaysia Day 2022 celebration held at the Independence Declaration Memorial Square in Banda Hilir here, also raised Sarawak’s traditional music to a higher level.
The ‘Land of the Hornbills’ singer and sape (a traditional lute) player, Alena Murang, 33, said the sape music presentation at the celebration was her best staging to spread the traditional music of Borneo and the Dayak language so that it is better known in the country.
“I performed a song titled ‘Meno’ in the Kenyah language or ‘Rindu’ in Malay. This song is often sung by our elders when they are away from their families because they travel for months to other places,” she told Bernama.
Alena, who began learning the sape when she was 11, said the song ‘Meno’ was given a new lease of life when it was composed in a contemporary way with the accompaniment of the acoustic and bass guitars.
Tutored in the traditional instrument by sape master Mathew Ngau Jau, the University of Manchester business management degree holder said that once upon a time women were forbidden to touch or learn the sape because it was said to be only for men.
Alena said at that time, the sape was used during ritual and healing ceremonies where the players would play the musical instrument if there was a sick family member or resident, however, in line with the passage of time, women also played the sape for entertainment.
“When I first started learning (the sape) in 2000, no women, especially from my generation who was interested in learning this traditional musical instrument. I was attracted to playing the sape when I studied dance with my cousin when staying in Kuching,” said Alena, who is now staying in Kuala Lumpur.
Last year, Alena, who is from the Kelabit tribe, made the country proud when her music video titled ‘Warrior Spirit’, has garnered the Best Asia & Pacific Music Video and Honourable Mention for Best Costume awards at the recent International Music Video Awards in the United Kingdom.
‘Warrior Spirit’ was also the official choice of the jury at the New York International Film Awards in addition to being selected to the semi-final stage for best film of the Los Angeles Film Awards 2021.
The music video, launched in May last year, was directed by Alena’s cousin, Sarah Lois Dorai and produced by production company Project Room.
The Malaysia Day celebration, being held in Peninsular Malaysia for the first time, was attended by 20,000 visitors, this time also featured its own uniqueness through the 1950s and 1960s fashion theme. — Bernama
