Mersing - Singing is such a common pastime among the orang asli that there are karaoke sets in most of their settlements nationwide.
Every day, the villagers gather and spend a few hours singing in a home that houses a karaoke set.
Orang Asli Affairs Department public relations officer Jaafar Jantan said that karaoke singing became popular among the orang asli about 10 years ago.
“They do not have many choices when it comes to entertainment, and when they come together in the evening, singing is a major activity,” he said.
He said that orang asli songs and dances originate from the ritualistic sewang performed to appease spirits or for healing.
He said that orang asli were willing to spend money on karaoke sets or musical instruments as singing was among their favourite hobbies.
“There are orang asli musical groups, but no albums have been released,” he said.
However, the Jelmol group from Perak managed to release a karaoke album, said Jaffar.
He said that some well-exposed orang asli could sing Malay, Hindustani and English songs apart from their own ethnic songs.
“There are 18 orang asli ethnic groups in Malaysia and each of them have their own dialects and songs. However, Malay songs of the 1960s are their favourites,” he said.
Nurul Amira Mad Nor from the Tanjung Tuan settlement here said she spent a lot of time every day singing karaoke with her friends.
“My friends and I gather here (a villager`s house) to sing in the evening until we are tired,” said the 18-year-old who sang a number entitled Ramsa with her friend Rita, 16, when The Star visited the village recently.
Ramsa is a song from the orang asli in Tasik Bera, Pahang, and it was written in relation to a rehabilitation programme in the area.
She said that singing was the favourite time of her day as many people were there and it was like a party. By GLADYS TAY
Source: http://thestar.com.my (September 23, 2008)