Sarawak - At the Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival last month, it was interesting to see a handful of young artistes playing traditional instruments, or those usually reserved for the older folk. It was refreshing that there is a movement to keep the “old” music alive. And it was good to note that they‘ve added a touch of modernity to the time-honoured tunes.
Ainal Bustari of the duo Tabuh Pak Ainal is 18 years old, and has been playing a Bidayuh traditional percussion instrument called the bedung/sebang since he was eight. In Tabuh Pak Ainal, he drums along with his father, Johari Morshidi, who plays the ketebang. Their music ranges from soothing to energetic and infectious, and is influenced by music of the Iban, Bidayuh and Indonesian folk.
On the faster numbers, the teenager would have made any rocker proud with his relentless head-banging. He alternates these upbeat moves with the more exotic ones of Sarawak dance.
Johari, 46, says that his son was exposed to traditional instruments when he was very young. As he is musically gifted, Ainal‘s interest was naturally piqued. As a child, Ainal had early training in dance but picked up the percussion instrument instinctively. Apparently, one of Ainal‘s earliest unprompted performances was when he got on stage for the very first Rainforest Festival 10 years ago to perform with his dad.
Canadian Randy Raine-Reusch, one of the founders of the now famous festival, recalls this incident, and acknowledges: “The Rainforest has produced many upcoming artistes like Ainal who have risen to fame thanks to the festival.”
Johari says: “Ainal is constantly improving himself, which is really amazing to observe. Hopefully, when other teenagers see Ainal playing these instruments they will become interested as well.”
Ainal himself is a modest young man who says his talent is a gift from God. Since he has Melayu, Melanau and Bidayuh blood running through his veins, he has fair knowledge of the musical instruments belonging to these three ethnic groups.
“I am familiar with Iban percussion instruments as well,” Ainal says.
A quick learner, he showcased his ability to pick up new beats when he participated at the workshops held during the three-day festival, in which he played with more experienced percussionists from all over the world and held his ground.
“The beat just comes to me naturally,” he reveals.
When asked if he thinks his peers are interested in the traditional instruments and the music he plays, Ainal dares not answer.
He finally says: “From what I‘ve seen, a lot of them are more interested in instruments from the West. Maybe this is a result of living in the modern age. If we don‘t do something about it, many of these instruments will be lost.”
Jerry Kamit, 33, who has been playing the sape for a little over 10 years now, echoes Ainal‘s thought. Although he had heard the sounds of the sape on local radio, Jerry did not pick it up until he joined the staff of Sarawak Cultural Village back in 1996. His basic training lies in modern instruments. He says he is still learning the sape, describing it as a voice for the player‘s soul.
“With the sape, it is important how you hold it and how you play it. The sape requires a player‘s gentlest touch because you just touch the strings, you don‘t strum, and the sound is very soft and soulful.”
This has not stopped Jerry from experimenting – he can ably carry a modern tune on the sape and has added two more strings to the four-stringed instrument making it a six-string sape.
“(The elders) are proud of me because it is a new way of playing.”
The additional two strings mean new arrangements to existing songs. Although Jerry plays a lot of his own compositions, his worldwide audiences seem to prefer the traditional songs.
“People are really surprised when I play a popular tune on the sape,” he says with a laugh.
Besides bringing sounds of the sape to the world, Jerry also teaches those who are interested in learning to play the beautiful instrument.
“The instrument has a wide appeal with the younger generation, but it is an instrument that requires one to be patient and dedicated if they want to master it.”
No wonder he is proud of the teenage girls who make up the Kelabit cultural group Anak‘ Adi‘ Rurum. Three members of this group play the sape well, a rarity not only because they are young, but also because it is usually played by men.
Fifteen-year-old Emma Ruran Raja favours the acoustic guitar but she handles both guitar and sape with equal ease.
Karen Jit Lugun, also 15, says she will continue playing sape and maybe one day earn a living by playing it.
Sharon Jit Lugun, 13, picked up the instrument three years ago. She would figure out the music notes sung by the elders using a piano before transferring the notation to the sape.
“It‘s hard because sape has a limited number of strings,” says Sharon of the process.
The girls first learned the instrument in an effort to preserve the song and dance of the Kelabit tribe, to which they belong. Karen and Sharon‘s mum, Nikki Lugun, who freelances as a writer and is originally from KL, says: “A lot of songs have disappeared already. These kids talk to the older folks and ask a lot of questions, and then they approach it innovatively.”
According to Nikki, the history, folklore, dance and song of this tribe is on the brink of extinction. She estimates only about 100 songs are still known in these parts while many old songs have totally disappeared.
There was some resistance at first, as the older generation felt the newer members did not sing with the right accent and didn‘t do it the right way.
Esther Mujan Balan, whose two daughters are in the group, says: “They encourage the young to pick up the traditional dance and songs. We listen to the old folk and out of respect we want to maintain the traditional ways.
“But there are influences of contemporary media, and those people who go out of the village will naturally update the singing and dancing.”
Nikki adds: “With Anak‘ Adi‘ Rurum, we hope to generate the interest in our children and allow them to carry on. The Kelabit community is extremely proud of them carrying on a cultural heritage.”
Source: www.star-ecentral.com (25 Agustus 2007)
