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SIKHS (EIC 403 - E-Portfolio Musical Instruments)

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Left : Rabab Right : Taus

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The Taus is the blessing of the tenth Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh. As a master of the Persian language he named this glorious instrument 'Taus', which is Persian for 'peacock'. The instrument was designed and played by the great Guru himself to guide us by example.

The sound of the Taus is wonderfully melodious, taking you to a complete heavenly state where you can feel the warmth of the universe.

The Taus is played with a bow and is handcrafted from one piece of high-quality wood (tun wood). The crafting of this graceful instrument requires vast skill, dedication and effort.

Technical specification of Taus:

1. Wood: Indian tun (similar to red cedar)

2. Strings: metal

3. Skin: goat skin

4. Bridge: traditionally made of ivory or bone, now it is more commonly made of rosewood.

You can learn the Taus with us!

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The Taus is the blessing of the tenth Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh. As a master of the Persian language he named this glorious instrument 'Taus', which is Persian for 'peacock'. The instrument was designed and played by the great Guru himself to guide us by example.

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Saaj is a Punjabi word commonly used to refer to musical Instruments. Some of the instruments are decorated with ivory, silver, gold and peacock-feathers. Musical instruments are made by skilled craftsmen who have knowledge of musical sounds. The important towns where these instruments are manufactured are Lucknow, Rampur, Madras, and Tanjore.

Sikh 'music' or 'Shabad kirtan' is Kirtan-style singing of hymns or Shabads from the Guru Granth Sahib.

History

It began in the 16th century as the musical expression of mystical poetry conceived by the founder of Sikhism, Sri Guru Nanak Sahib Ji. Following him, all the Sikh Gurus sang in the then-prevalent classical and folk music styles, accompanied by stringed and percussion instruments. The style was where the text was of prime significance and the music played a supporting, albeit important, role. The Gurus specified the raag in which they sang each hymn in the Sikh sacred scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib. Several raag variants are unique to Sikh tradition.

While hindustani music underwent significant changes in the setting of mughal courts, and a separate stream of carnatic music developed in southern India, Sikh music retained its original form and styles, a unique musical tradition encompassing a variety of melodic forms and a well-developed percussive system.

In the 20th century the classical style was largely replaced by contemporary popular genres often based on Indian film music. Within the remaining classical tradition, the devotional Gurmat Sangeet style was overtaken by the darbaari khayal style. The harmonium took the place of stringed instruments and the tabla replaced the pakhaavaj and jori.

Significant efforts have been under way since the 1970s to revive the rich Sikh music tradition initiated and developed by the Sikh Gurus. Various terms used to refer to this tradition include Shabad keertan parampara, Gurbani sangeet parampara and Gurmat sangeet.

Importance Of String Instruments In Gurbani Kirtan

The following article summarizes how each of the string instruments of Sikh music came to be born or adopted and nurtured before being neglected - and the benefits of reviving them.

Introduction

Gurbani Kirtan is the devotional performance of Gurbani in the Sikh tradition as per the divine hymns of the Guru Granth Sahib. With the abundant spread of various types of Gurbani Kirtan - musicians that are very adept at singing with harmoniums, ranging from formal religious believers to Bollywood melody decoders, to the flamboyant avant-garde who sing the street language of Punjab or adopted cultures with Western instruments and styles, and even rap versions of Gurbani - comes the question, "How should Gurbani Kirtan be correctly performed?"

From time to time, we hear terms bandied about - like Tanti Saaz, Rabab, Saranda, Taus etc. - from those who genuinely are or want to appear knowledgeable about the legacy Sikh string instruments. Some of these terms are formidable and are frightening enough to scare adults, much less children, who are often encouraged to learn Gurbani Kirtan. The purpose of this paper is to help clarify the importance of string instruments in Gurbani Kirtan, specifically those that have the closest relationship to the development of the Gurbani Kirtan discipline.

Guru Nanak's childhood friend Baba Mardana liked to play the Rabab, and with divine knowledge the Guru used to indicate to him to play it as suited for the message that he was being called upon to utter. This confluence of singing and playing of the divine Gurbani, we can say, was the beginning of Gurbani Kirtan and the use of string instruments therein. The first name given to those who did Kirtan was in fact Rababis. Being associated with the revelatory experiences of Guru Nanak can alone be considered a reason important enough to practice string instruments in Gurbani Kirtan, but as history has accorded there are several more.

Advancement And Promotion Of String Instruments

Not satisfied with the sound quality of Mardana's aging middle-eastern Rabab for the divine Gurbani, Guru Nanak sent Baba Mardana to Bhai Firanda (a renowned instrument maker in Kapurthala) to get a new type of Rabab made with seven Rupees that Bebe Nanaki gave, which Bhai Firanda respectfully declined and came himself to have the new Rabab he made presented to the Guru, for Mardana to play. Besides Guru Nanak's personal association with the Rabab, successor Gurus also took keen interest in the development and/or learning of string instruments:

Guru Angad's name has been associated by historians with having played the Rabab.

Guru Arjan was the benefactor of the Saranda at a very young age, even before becoming the Guru. The Saranda has a large belly which gives a deep tonal quality and, like the Sarangi, played is like the shadow of the human voice. Within the Sikh community, some have also given credit for the Saranda's creation to Guru Angad, and others to Guru Ram Das; however the historical evidence is just not there for either claim.

Guru Hargobind promoted the use of the Sarangi due to its bold and vibrant sound to play along in the rendition of the vaars in Gurbani and instil courage in the Sikhs by singing heroic ballads when preparing to leave for battle.

Guru Har Rai has also been associated with the singing of the Asa-ki-Vaar with the Sarangi.

Guru Gobind Singh created the Taus, modified the prevalent Rabab from Guru Nanak's times to one that was larger that went on to be called the Seni Rabab, and gave the Sikhs his permission to modify the Taus to come up with a smaller instrument that can be carried easily on horseback, which came to be called the Dilruba.

Dr, David Courtney, a well-known music researcher, has said that the Taus (also called the Mayuri) was probably inspired by the Mayuri Veena (another peacock-shaped and named instrument) which was a plucked instrument. Within the Sikh community, some have held that the Taus was created during the time of Guru Hargobind; however this is devoid of any clear historical evidence.

The origin of the Dilruba and a very similar-looking instrument called the Esraj that was played more in the eastern side of the Indian sub-continent has also been accredited by some (albeit around the same time in history as Sikh historians have accredited it to Guru Gobind Singh) to muslim instrument makers intending to make an instrument that was easier to handle than the Sarangi, to be played by women.

Training And Rendition Of Gurbani Kirtan With String Instruments

Several centers for learning Gurbani Kirtan with string instruments were established during the times of our Gurus (from late 15th to 17th century), namely: at Kartarpur (by Guru Nanak), Khadoor Sahib (by Guru Angad), at the 22 Manjis established by Guru Amar Das, Ram Das Pura (i.e. Amritsar) (by Guru Ram Das), Anandpur Sahib (by Guru Tegh Bahadur) and Multan (by Guru Gobind Singh) and later during the Misl period and Sikh Raaj (mid-18th to mid-19th century) in Nabha, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, (pre-partition) Haryana, Bhunga and Doaba.

In the latter half of the 19th century string instruments were still actively taught at the various Panthic Taksals, and in fact the word Taksal was coined by Guru Arjan as a place to learn Kirtan, called "Kirtan di Taksal", meaning a mint for the instruction and learning of Gurbani Kirtan. This was possibly instigated by the incident with Bhai Satta and Balwand where their ego and worldly needs upon instigation by Baba Prithi Chand led them to confront Guru Arjan and speak against the Gurus.

Till the time of Guru Ram Das, the Rabab was the only instrument with which Kirtan was done by the second and third generation of Baba Mardana Ji's family. The timeline of around four centuries during which Sikh string instruments actually thrived can be summarized, with the names of the key exponents, as follows:

15th and 16th Century

Baba Mardana Ji and up to his 3rd generation - Rabab

16th and 17th Century

Bhai Balwand and Satta (Baba Mardana's 4th generation) - Saranda and Jori
Bhai Babak (the son of Satta, and a great warrior during Guru Hargobind Ji's times; after the battle of Amritsar in 1629, a badly injured Bhai Babak was actually identified because of the Rabab tied behind his back) - Rabab

17th and 18th Century

Besides several trained musicians in Guru Gobind Singh Ji's court, Guru Ji took an active interest to teach Kirtan and these instruments to the blind and handicapped.

Bhai Taru Singh - Saranda
Bhai Mani Singh - Saranda
Sardar Jassa Singh Ahluwalia - Rabab

The Decline Of The Guru's Way Of Performing Kirtan

In discussing the importance of string instruments in Gurbani Kirtan we must consider what factors led to their decline and when.

The British were not used to the methodical ways in which string instruments and hindustani music in general was carried out and were always looking for ways in which they could create a void between the people of India and their rich legacy, be it music, arts or religion, in a way to weaken the psyche of the Indians. Besides this, they were also looking for ways to promote and market the compact-sized harmonium that they brought with them from France in the early 1900s, which was relatively much easier to play and did not require years of learning.

Besides the popular harmonium making inroads into Sri Harmandir Sahib and into Gurbani Kirtan in general by 1919, with the creation of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and later the partition of India in 1947, muslim Rababi Kirtanias were forced by circumstances to stay away from the Gurdwaras, and so they and muslim instrument makers emigrated to Western Punjab, into Pakistan over time.

With muslim Rababi Kirtanias gone and the need for Sikh Kirtanians during the period of Sikh renaissance (i.e. the Singh Sabha movement), and the need for them quickly to fill the void and make a decent earning for themselves, the adoption of the harmonium made the best sense from a time-investment perspective.

Back To Our Roots

In conclusion, Sikh string instruments are important for Gurbani Kirtan and they should be the logical choice if we are trying to rejuvenate a sense of belonging to our rich past, as they were very much in vogue during the time of the living Gurus and give a connection back to our roots and history.

From the technical angle, these instruments enable us to sing all the genres of music that have been prescribed and/or passed on over the centuries, associated with the singing of Gurbani Kirtan, such as Dhrupad, Folk, Khayal, Bhajan and Dakhani to mention only a few.

They provide the ability to add musical ornamentation and grace to further enhance the experience and realization of the shabad. With the help of the sympathetic strings and non-fixed keys, all the microtones can be played to explore the raags correctly and follow the various guidelines given in Gurbani for singing shabads, and truly have an inner experience through the resonating sound.

Sikh Musicians

Three types of Sikh musicians are rababis, ragis, and dhadhis.

Raga: melodic scales

Ragas have a direct relationship to human moods and the following are the connections between Ragas and feeling:

1. Soohi - joy and separation
2. Bilaaval - happiness
3. Gaund - strangeness, surprise, beauty
4. Sri - satisfaction and balance
5. Maajh - loss, beautification
6. Gauri - seriousness
7. Aasa - making effort
8. Gujri - satisfaction, softness of heart, sadness
9. Devgandhari - no specific feeling but the Raag has a softness
10. Bihaagra - beautification
11. Sorath - motivation
12. Dhanasari - inspiration, motivation
13. Jaitsree - softness, satisfaction, sadness
14. Todi - this being a flexible Raag it is apt for communicating many feelings
15. Bhairaagi - sadness, (The Gurus have, however, used it for the message of *Bhakti)
16. Tilang - this is a favourite Raag of Muslims. It denotes feeling of beautification and yearning.
17. Raamkali - calmness
18. Nat Narayan - happiness
19. Maali Gaura - happiness
20. Maaru - giving up of cowardice
21. Tukhari - beautification
22. Kedara - love and beautification
23. Bhairav - seriousness, brings stability of mind
24. Basant - happiness
25. Sarang - sadness
26. Malaar - separation
27. Jaijawanti - viraag
28. Kalyaan - Bhakti Ras
29. Vadhans - vairaag, loss (that is why Alahniya is sung in this Raag when someone passes away)
30. Parbhati - Bhakti and seriousness
31. Kaanra - Bhakti and seriousness

In addition to raag names, there exists an indication in the titles of hymns called ghar. The precise meaning of ghar is not fully understood, although recent research proposes it refers to raag variants.

The Sacred Strings Of The Sikhs

The stringed instruments of the Sikhs are slowly returning to their rightful place in Guru's court, as more people take up learning Gurmat Sangeet and 'tanti saaj'. But what is all the fuss about?

If Sikhs can learn kirtan on a harmonium, why go through all that effort to learn an ancient instrument and spending years trying to master it?

The harmonium is simple, easy to pack and carry around, and most of all, easy to learn. Its creator, Alexandre Debain, never imagined that an entire race would use it as their main instrument for expressing their love for God. The harmonium has become an institution in the homes of all those who want Sikhism to grow fruitfully in their lives and within their family. And it has allowed millions of people to sing and express Gurbani without much difficulty.

The harmonium has become the defining feature of Sikh kirtan in the modern age, heralding from the early 20th century. Gurdwaras worldwide hire two harmonium players and an accompanying percussionist to sing hymns from the Holy Guru Granth Sahib with ease and precision. Their benefit is speed. There is no prior tuning involved, nor do their instruments require warming up or any intensive treatment. Harmonium players can just sit on stage and start singing before the sangat begin to rustle around and get bored.

Tanti Saaj

Listeners of the 'tanti saaj' are slightly different. They sit calmly and listen while the raagis tune their instruments and align their instruments in unison with each other's and to the tanpura's constant drone; each sympathetic string one by one until they hear sheer melody from the resonating strings.

The sangat joins in by tuning their own minds to the drone and blocking out all other sounds and senses, feeling at one with the Timeless Lord. They watch the raagis lovingly apply resin to their bows and prepare their fingers for the next hour of blissful sounds of Gurmat Sangeet, with an application of powder or oil, which makes their fingers glide across the strings.

Then the listeners prepare their ears for the instrumental shaan; the instruments salute their Guru and introduce the raag and flavour of the kirtan. The sangat are woken from their dreamy haze by the booming jori pounding its chest; the dilruba, stealing the sangat's heart with its sweetness; the hundred colours of the sarangi that brings with it the ancient stories of India; the graceful sounds of the peacock emulating from the glorious taus; the humble melody of Guru Arjan's saranda; and the gentleness of Bhai Mardana's rabab, that so humbly accompanied the father of the Sikhs, Guru Nanak, on his journeys to spread the truth.

With this mesmerising array of sounds and stories to share, it is difficult to believe that the Gurus' companions are today forgotten relics, replaced by a German organ.

We Forget Our Duty

This neglect is a result of our own actions. As our lives become faster and busier, speed has taken control of our day. We make no time for praying; no time for meditating on the truth; we struggle to sit cross-legged on the Gurdwara floor because we are too used to our desk jobs and swivel chairs; we fail to appreciate Mother Nature for her glorious theatrical displays, but curse her for delaying our trains; we forget our duties as human beings whilst busy earning a dollar to feed our families.

We lose ourselves. So, we need quick fixes of prayer, meditation, kirtan and inspiration. We need something that will fit into our 9-5 lives and not keep us too long from our worldly duties; hence the harmonium. It allows us to learn quickly and produce shabads without too much hard work.

Harmonium classes across the world mass-produce kirtanis and shabads like furniture in Ikea. Just pick what shabad you like from the shelf and you can put it together yourself. They are simple and easy to manage, and hey, they are trendy!

What Is Kirtan About?

But is this what kirtan is about? Why are Sikhs impatient and pre-occupied? We are born from generations of leaders yet we cannot devote time to our amazing heritage, we cannot invest in the future of our children, or give them the strength of the forefathers and martyrs from our past. These saints are commonly referred to as the people from 'that time back then' and we immediately segregate ourselves from Sikhi's diamonds.

But the strength of those masters came from their lifestyles and choices. And we can choose to live a saintly life also. By choosing a path of speed and ease, we open our lives to impatience and ignorance. But we can decide to take control of our lives by opting to live in the same light of our Gurus, by making the right choices, and being awake to hear what is going on.

Gurmat Sangeet

Gurmat Sangeet is one way to live a saintly life. By choosing to pick up the Gurus' instruments, you choose to live a life of Sehaj, where you will continue learning your entire life and surrender to the Guru's hukam.

As you learn how to care for your instrument you will gain respect for your Guru and the Sadh Sangat. When hearing the sacred sounds of the blessed instruments and reciprocating them, you will learn to understand the musicology of your neighbors' and how to reply to their emotions.

While balancing your bow and controlling your rhythm, you will learn to love and respect Mother Earth and will walk in harmony with her heartbeat. As you sing the Guru's own words, you will want to speak only sweetness and goodness with your blessed tongue. You will be overcome with empathy and will care for those less fortunate than yourself, nourishing their minds, bodies and souls with your own hands and hard work. You will gain the attributes of a Sikh and will radiate Vaheguroo to all you meet.

To be able to hold one of the instruments that the Gurus carried is such a privilege. Gurmat Sangeet is not about learning as many shabads as you can; it is about daily practice, discipline and living a life of Kirtan, where you learn how to learn, and how to understand Gurbani. Its about following the Guru's order, through music and Gurbani, and trying to live life in the Guru's light. Gurmat Sangeet is more than just a way to sing and play music; Gurmat Sangeet is a way to live.

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Saaj is a Punjabi word commonly used to refer to musical Instruments. Some of the instruments are decorated with ivory, silver, gold and peacock-feathers. Musical instruments are made by skilled craftsmen who have knowledge of musical sounds. The important towns where these instruments are manufactured are Lucknow, Rampur, Madras, and Tanjore.

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The First Instruments of the Sikhs is the Rabab. This is a plucked instrument with gut strings that give more power and deepness in its sound. It is approximately 3 feet long, made primarily of 'Tunn' wood. The mellow yet piercing sound comes due to the it's hollow base which is covered with animal skin.

The Rabab was given to Guru Nanak Dev as a present from Bebe Nanaki, his elder sister. India houses many types of Rababs which vary from region to region. But the Sikh Rabab is called the 'Firandia' Rabab. Which was created by Bhai Firanda, who was instructed by Bebe Nanaki to make. Guru Nanak gave this Rabab to Bhai Mardana, his dear friend, to play and accompany him on his travels. Wherever Guru Nanak sang, the Rabab followed with such grace and majesty. This is where the tradition of 'Kirtan,' the singing of hymns, began. The Rabab, which was played by his beloved companion Bhai Mardana, followed Guru Nanak as a shadow for 27 years on his travels around the world.

There are many beauties of this instrument. The 'Firandia' Rabab was the ideal instrument. Not only does this instrument sing and resonate but it also keeps the rhythm by using the plectrum. There is no need for a percussionist! It is a two-in-one instrument, which carries the tune as well as the rhythm. This instrument is also very light in weight, which made it very easy to carry on foot during the travels.

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The First Instruments of the Sikhs is the Rabab. This is a plucked instrument with gut strings that give more power and deepness in its sound. It is approximately 3 feet long, made primarily of 'Tunn' wood. The mellow yet piercing sound comes due to the it's hollow base which is covered with animal skin.

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Two Minang kids playing the Caklempong & the Rebana

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Minang’s Sound of Music & Dance - Negeri Sembilan Pages

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Minang’s Sound of Music & Dance Culture consists of many aspects in each and everyone of us, whether it is represented in the form of arts, food, music & dance, heritage or even clothing. Although our little country is shared between different races, countless ethnicities that are well versed in at…

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Minang’s Sound of Music & Dance

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CAKLEMPONG

THE CHRONICAL OF

Pada akhir kekuasaan Adhityawarman (1347) di Minangkabau, alat musik yang meliputi gong dan talempong merupakan simbol, prestise, dan kebesaran raja. Pada 1550-an, musik perunggu yang menggunakan kettle drums, yaitu alat musik idiofon terbuat dari metal, merupakan musik dari tradisi kerajaan Minangkabau. Diyakini alat musik tersebut adalah talempong.

​

Alat musik ini konon biasa dipergunakan untuk menyertai keberangkatan raja bersama rombongan tatkala menemui orang-orang Portugis di Pantai Tiku yang terletak di Kabupaten Agam.

Saat ini, Kabupaten Agam, khususnya Sungai Puar, dikenal sebagai salah satu sentra pembuatan talempong. Dulu, alat musik ini terbuat dari batu dan kayu. Kini, alat musik pukul itu terbuat dari kuningan.

​

Meski bentuk talempong mirip dengan bonang pada gamelan Jawa, kedua alat musik tersebut dibuat dengan teknik yang berbeda. Talempong menggunakan teknik pembuatan a cire purdue, sementara bonang dibuat dengan metode tempaan. Teknik a cire purdue adalah cara pembuatan alat berbahan logam dengan lebih dulu membuat cetakannya.

​

Cetakan tersebut dibuat dari lilin, kemudian dibalut tanah liat, dikeringkan dengan cara dijemur, lalu dibakar. Setelah pembakaran, cairan lilin dikeluarkan sehingga memunculkan rongga yang lantas diisi cairan logam. Setelah cairan logam membeku, baru dilakukan proses penggerindaan, pemolesan, dan penyeteman nada.

​

Dulu, pembuatan alat musik itu hanya dikuasai oleh para ahli yang disebut tuo talempong. Merekalah yang menguasai rahasia pembuatan talempong, termasuk nada-nada yang "disematkan" pada alat musik itu dengan hanya berdasarkan naluri pendengaran saja.

​

Caklempong dibawa masuk ke Tanah Melayu (Negeri Sembilan) antara abad ke-14 dan ke-19 oleh orang Minangkabau dari Sumatera Barat yang datang berniaga dan terus bermastautin di Tanah Melayu. Oleh kerana ramai orang Minangkabau bermastautin di Negeri Sembilan, maka permainan muzik Caklempong ini dianggap sebagai muzik tradisional negeri ini selain daripada 'Bongai. Kini kesenian muzik Caklempong telah bertapak di negeri-negeri lain dan diajar di sekolah-sekolah serta pusat-pusat pengajian tinggi.

PROSES

PEMBUATAN TALEMPONG

CAKLEMPONG

Di tempat asalnya, Sumatera Barat, alat muzik ini dikenali dengan nama Talempong oleh masyarakat Minangkabau. Di Malaysia, ia lebih dikenali sebagai Caklempong. Alat musik tradisional khas Minang ini sudah ada sejak ratusan tahun lalu di bumi Minang. Pada awalnya, alat muzik ini bersifat sakral dan hanya dimainkan di lingkungan istana kerajaan.

Alat muzik ini dibuat dari kuningan ( campuran tembaga dan besi), berdiameter antara 15-17,5 cm dan tinggi 8 cm dengan bahagian bawah yang berlubang. Ia mengeluarkan bunyi yang terhasil daripada kayu yang diketuk di bahagian atasnya.

Alat muzik ini mengiringi hampir setiap upacara adat Minang dan juga digunakan untuk mengiringi sejumlah tarian serta muzik untuk menyambut tetamu istimewa.

atau

TALEMPONG?

TRADITIONAL CAKLEMPONG

Awalnya, alat muzik caklempong hanya bernada pentatonik. Pada waktu ini, alat muzik caklempong dimainkan oleh tiga orang dengan cara dijinjing ( caklempong pacik ). Setiap orang memainkan 2 buah caklempong dengan cara dijinjing menggunakan tangan kiri dalam posisi vertikal dan diketuk dengan kayu pemukul menggunakan tangan kanan.

​

Caklempong yang berada di sebelah atas dikepit dengan ibu jari dan jari telunjuk, sementara mangkuk caklempong yang berada di sebelah bawah digantungkan pada jari tengah, manis dan kelingking. Jari telunjuk berfungsi sebagai pemisah di antara mangkuk caklempong agar tidak bersentuhan untuk memastikan nada yang di hasilkan jelas dan tepat.

​

Seiring dengan peredaran zaman, cara permainan caklempong dikembangkan dengan nada diatonik sehingga boleh dikolaborasikan dengan alat muzik lain. Mangkuk caklempong tidak lagi dijinjing tetapi diletakan di atas rancakan/tepak. Cara untuk memainkannya tidak jauh berbeza dengan jenis awalnya, iaitu diketuk dengan kayu pemukul. Caklempong bernada diatonik ini dimainkan dengan sistem melodi berpandukan pada lagu-lagu yang rancak berirama dan boleh dikolaborasikan dengan alat muzik lainnya.

CONTEMPORARY CAKLEMPONG

Dalam memastikan seni muzik Caklempong kekal relevan sepanjang zaman, selain pertambahan nada pada mangkuk caklempong, persembahan muzik Caklempong diperkuatkan lagi dengan iringan alat-alat muzik moden seperti gitar acoustic, gitar bass, accordion, keyboard, flute, biola dan lain-lain lagi.Pelbagai lagu lagu moden masa kini dapat di persembahkan dengan kolaborasi alat-alat muzik ini.

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Pada akhir kekuasaan Adhityawarman (1347) di Minangkabau, alat musik yang meliputi gong dan talempong merupakan simbol, prestise, dan kebesaran raja. Pada 1550-an, musik perunggu yang menggunakan kettle drums, yaitu alat musik idiofon terbuat dari metal, merupakan musik dari tradisi kerajaan Minangkabau. Diyakini alat musik tersebut adalah talempong.

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Instrument Information

Origins

Continent: Asia

Region: Southeast Asia

Nation: Indonesia

Formation: Achenese

Classification (Sachs-Von Hornbostel revised by MIMO)

211.311 membranophone--single-skin frame drum (the depth of the body does not exceed the radius of the membrane)

Design and Playing Features

Category: membranophone

Number of drums comprising instrument: single drum

Shell design: tubular - frame

Number and function of membranes: one, for sounding

Membrane design: framed with rigid flesh hoop

Membrane attachment: framed membrane hoop connected, by lacing or tension rods, to counterhoop encircling shell

Membrane tension control: none, tension set at time of manufacture

Sounding for membranophone: striking directly with one hand

Sound modifiers for membranophone: none

Dimensions

21.3 in. diameter of larger opening 17.5 in. diameter of smaller opening 5.8 in. depth of shell 19 in. diameter of active area of head

Primary Materials

Entry Author

Roger Vetter

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rebana · Grinnell College Musical Instrument Collection · Grinnell College Libraries

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Origins Continent: Asia Region: Southeast Asia Nation: Indonesia Formation: Achenese Classification (Sachs-Von Hornbostel revised by MIMO) 211.311 membranophone--single-skin frame drum (the depth of the body does not exceed the radius of the membrane) Design and Playing Features Category: membranophone Number of drums comprising instrument: single drum Shell design: tubular -

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People of Kenyah playing the Sape

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Bamboo Nose Flute / Meniup Seruling Menggunakan Hidung

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There was once a traditional healer whose wife fell ill. In a dream, the healer was told to carve out a piece of tree and string it with pineapple fibres. He was instructed to use this newly crafted musical instrument to play tunes for his wife to aid her healing. He did exactly that once he awoke and miraculously his wife got well. This is the story of the birth of Sape (Bornean boat lute), one of Sarawak's best known traditional musical instruments.

The Sape is made and played by the people of Central Borneo. It is usually carved from one solid block of wood. Its body is hollowed out, the neck shaped and sometimes carved for added beauty. Colours and intricate paint designs can be added to make the instrument distinctive. Everything, from the look to the sound of the sape, is quintessentially Sarawak.

Sarawak's music

Sarawak is a mystical place. Malaysia's largest state is home to 27 different ethnic tribes, each with their own culture and history. They also boast their own unique music, instruments and stories. From the hypnotic drumming of the beduk (long drum) which is likened to the beating of the heart of the rainforest, to the selingut (nose flute), the jatong utang (wooden xylophone) and the sape, Sarawak's traditional musical instruments and the music they produce tell the story of the people and the land.

Every song is pieced together by the histories of the indigenous communities. The creation and composition of traditional Sarawakian music comes from personal stories, folklore and legends distinct to the respective people. It is a creative expression of their way of life and culture.

The Rainforest World Music Festival

Sarawak's Rainforest World Music Festival brings together all of these elements and combines them into a three-day celebration of music, art and culture. The annual event features a wide range of performances from traditional music to world fusion and contemporary music. The main draw however is the traditional cultural music performed by the local communities of Sarawak. Traditional acoustic instruments are used although modern accompaniment is common.

The festival is held in Kuching annually and features daytime music workshops, cultural displays, craft displays, food stalls and evening concerts.

The 2021 edition of the Rainforest World Music Festival hit another milestone with the introduction of a virtual show. Those interested in the three-day virtual experience can do so by dropping by our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/user/sarawaktourismbcm.

Those interested to partake in the 2022 edition of the Rainforest World Music Festival can mark their calendars with the tentative schedule for the festival to be held from July 17 th to 19 th, 2022. More information can be found at https://rwmf.net/

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Explore Sarawak's Sape and Music | Visit Sarawak 2021 #FightCOVID19

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There was once a traditional healer whose wife fell ill. In a dream, the healer was told to carve out a piece of tree and string it with pineapple fibres. He was instructed to use this newly crafted musical instrument to play tunes for his wife to aid her healing.

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More Sarawakian youth have used the many months of being at home during the pandemic as an opportunity to learn about and pick up traditional instruments.

Sarawak Arts Council chief executive officer Sharkawi Amit thinks that it's "cool" that more Sarawakian youth have turned to online platforms to enhance their traditional music knowledge.

"During the Covid-19 pandemic, youth have taken an interest in learning about traditional instruments to fill their time during the stay at home periods. We've seen an increase in online music lessons among the youth," said Sharkawi in an email interview from Kuching.

Once Malaysia has attained herd immunity, SAC intends to further organise music events to promote the state's arts and heritage. Sharkawi aims to bring Sarawak's uniqueness to the world.

"Next year, we have lined up activities for those who are interested in traditional music. The first step is our Traditional Orchestra Negeri Sarawak campaign which is being introduced to the youth. Our objective is to attract more youth to learn more about different types of music from Borneo," he says.

Here are five popular instruments from Sarawak.

Touted as the Sarawak's most celebrated instrument, the sape is crafted from a bole of wood. The lute - which measures between 76.2cm and 121cm -is a traditionally performed by the Kenyah and Kayan tribes. This chordophone instrument has a few strings (some have three, four, six or even eight) where one string is always for melody, and the rest are for bass.

This carved drum is used among the Iban community during ceremonies like Hari Gawai, and other festivals.

This membranophone drum is made of wood that is perforated lengthwise. The drum's surface is fitted with goat hide (or deer and other livestock). The instrument is played using the palms of the hand and is often played in pairs.

This wooden xylophone comprises 10 or 11 kerutong (bars), tied on a rope and attached to a wooden block. Each kerutong is struck with a wooden mallet to produce a pleasant hollow sound. It is one of the most popular musical instruments from the Orang Ulu community.

Also known as keringot, this five-hole nose flute is one of the instruments of the Kayan community. The selingut is made from bamboo, and it is played by streaming air through it by the nose.

Made from bronze, the engkerumong comprises a set of small gongs arranged on a horizontal rack. This instrument is often played during Hari Gawai or other festivals by Iban womenfolk.

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More Sarawakian youth have used the many months of being at home during the pandemic as an opportunity to learn about and pick up traditional instruments. Sarawak Arts Council chief executive officer Sharkawi Amit thinks that it's "cool" that more Sarawakian youth have turned to online platforms to enhance their traditional music knowledge.

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The Music of Malaysia, first published in Malay in 1997 and followed by an English edition in 2004 is still the only history, appreciation and analysis of Malaysian music in its many and varied forms available in English. The book categorizes the types of music genres found in Malaysian society and provides an overview of the development of music in that country.

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Bisaya people performing

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Bisaya Sarawak Borneo Traditional Bamboo Dance

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Sarawak's Bisayah Gong Orchestra is known for its unique and soulful music. The full ensemble comprises 19 metalophone instruments which are played by a minimum of 8 musicians. Sizes, shapes and therefore tones vary widely. They include a Dumbak (wooden drum made from hollow-log covered both ends with animal's skin, usually monitor lizard or goat skin); a one-piece brass gong called taritik; 2 brass gongs called babandil; 4 brass instruments called Agong (gong anak and Indu); 2 Tawak (Ngabuah and Paningkul); 8 Kalantangan; and one Anak Tawak.

In the bygone era, the Bisayah treasured the brass gong as the family heirloom and passed it down from generation to generation. Most importantly, the brass gong was used as a means of communication within the community and those villages up- and down-stream of the Limbang River. The tunes and instruments played commemorated occasions such as marriages, the birth of a child, emergencies, healing ceremonies and funerals. Today the music has largely lost its ritual function and many of the instruments are no longer even manufactured. Group Director Peter Sawal is working to revive the dying tradition and to teach artisans how to craft the gongs once again.

The musicians all come from a village called Kampung Pengkala Madang in Limbang, Sarawak.

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Bisaya Gong Orchestra | Rainforest World Music Festival 2014

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Sarawak's Bisayah Gong Orchestra is known for its unique and soulful music. The full ensemble comprises 19 metalophone instruments which are played by a minimum of 8 musicians. Sizes, shapes and therefore tones vary widely.

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The popular legend of the Bisaya origin asdescribed Bewsher(1958),Sandin(1971) and Hussain & Newman(1987) goes as follows:-

The legend tells of an immigrant family living in the North of the Borneo Island. In this family were seven children,6 boys(Peti Barambai or Pati Barabai, si Garamba, Peti Garamba, Peti Runa or PatiBegunak, Smaun or Si Maun and Alak Batata or Urak Betatar or Lok Batata or Awang Alah Bertabar)and a girl (Siti Duyah or Duri or Bunga Sunting). A boat race was used to determine who was to become the Rajah of Brunei.

This racewas won by Alak Betatar the youngest brother. He became the first Rajah of Brunei and later converted to Islam and became Sultan Mohammed, the first Sultan of Brunei.

Peti Barambai, the eldest brother, became the Raja of Java. Si Garampa settledin the Limbang area an became the ancestor of the Bisayas. Peti Garambasettled in the Tutong(Brunei),Peti Runain the KinabatanganRiver (Sabah) and Smaun in the Birau River(south of Tutong). Siti Duyah marr ied a Chinese named Awang Sunting (or Ong Sum Ping) and settled near Mount Kinabalu (Sabah).

Several theories were put forward by several researchers regarding the origin of the words Bisaya.

BeyerH.O. in 1926, Hester E.D. in 1954 and Harrison in 1956 suggested that the name may have come from the empire of Sri Vijaya (Sonza, 1972). However, in 1960, Eugene Vestraelen (a Professorof Linguistics at the University of San Carlos, Cebu City) cautioned that linguistic derivation of VIJAYA would not be BISAYA but BIDAYA or BIRAYA.

In 1960, John Carol suggested that the name originated froma culture hero named Sri Visaya.

DerekHeadly (1950) recorded that Bornean Bisaya legendwhich says that the Sultan of Brunei, upon seeing the beautiful landof Bisaya, exclaimed Bisai-yah! meaning How beautiful!

These are all the theories and speculations and perhaps we will never know the origin of the name Bisaya.

Sonza (1972) asked the question, " Did the Bisayas of the Philippines originate from the Borneo? So did anthropologists and historians for many years. So far no definite answer has been arrived at.

In 1970, there were more than 10 millions Bisayas estimated to live in the Philippines compared to about 14 thousand in Sabah and 3312 in Sarawak.

According to Sonza (1972)at the time of the Spanish conquest of the Philippines (Magellan-Legaspi period), that is, from 1521 onwards, the Bisaya of Borneo were living in the province of Melano. He further suggested a possible affinity between the Bisayas and present day Melanao along the Sarawak coast from the mouth of the Rejang River to the North of the Baram.

After the secession to Sarawak in 1890,migration of Bisayas from Brunei to Limbang followed.

They do still believe in bad omens and spirits associated with the sounds of animals.

Limbang Bisayas are great music lovers: The gongs can be found in every house, (cf. Asmahs claim that the Bisaya are supposed to be the best gong musicians in Sarawak). It is as if somebody just beats the gong and everyone-men, women, young and old just starts to dance. Their musical instruments consists of gongs, drums, and violins of fine quality. The drums usually is made from a hollow log and covered from one end to another with the skin of monitor lizard (biawak). The drum is beaten with a wooden hammer. The drum is also mentioned by Asmah exceptshe does not mention the type of skin used. The other instruments that are found are sengkurong and kalid, besides several itemssuch as agong, kelentangan, tawak, bebandil, and bandil teretek.

All these instruments are used in the gandang or bebulang ceremony, marriages, deaths, births, etc.

There are three types of songs that the Limbang Bisayas use to play for either entertainment or for other celebrations. The anding is usually accompanied by 2 smalldumbak (drum) and 1 viola. Betiap and siram are two other songs that areusually accompanied by just one dumbak.

Besides the musical items, the Bisayas are able to make good parangs for various purposes. There are manao or menao which are used by the bride-groom, and madik which has are bronze handle and carried as a kind and as a kind of weapon by the youngsters.

There is another madik thatis longer in size and was used for ngayau in the old days;and the sandong used for self-protection. Beside the parang, Limbang Bisayas also make very good saging, a container used to carry rice for the bebulang ceremony.

The are verydecorative people in their display of courtesy especially to a guest. Most of the houses have a kind of tray , lengguai, for serving their guests and a separate lengguai for serving rokok daun to the guest during ceremonies.

Traditionally,the girls wore tenturok, a kind of chastity belts,as part of their dress.

It is customary for a Bisaya if he well off in his years work to hold a yearly feast called bebulang. If he cannot afford to celebrate it once a year he will do it at least once in two years. For this feast he will kill from one to three water buffaloes so that his family ma feed the guests.

If the son of the Bisaya has grown up to a marriageable age, his parent will look for a suitable girl for him to marry. After they have found one, they send a messenger to ask for a consent from the girls parents. At the same time, The messenger will inquire how much marriage price (berian).

They will request from the bridegroom. Theusually value the dowrygiven by the bride groom to the bride is asfollows:-

Sometime after the birth of the child itis the customof the Bisaya parent to give the child a name after the fathers or mothers deceased grandfather, if the latters children have already died. if they are still alive that name cannot be given to the baby. Instead, he can be named wit h the name of his distant relatives. The reason for this isthat a Bisayais not allowto mention the name of his or her fatheror mother-in-law.

If a person is sick, belian ceremony is held in the sick persons house. Here the medicine men (dukun) officiates intoning his pelian chants to drive away the evil spirits which caused the sickness. In the belian chants, the dukun summons lematai abai and Gods of people of various races in the region,to come together with all their curing charms to cure the sick person.

The Bisayas are animists and believed in Allah Talla, a mighty spirit(Sandin,1972),and a number of heavenly hosts and spirit beings (Punchak,1989).They believed in the lamatai (spirits of the deceased )and lingu (spirit of the souls). Lamatai are dangerous and takes many forms including the sampar or ko awad atis (the long legged ghost), or pontianak (ghost of a women who died as a reason of child birth), and ogol (headless ghost). Anyone of these lamatai can caused a number of illnesses or even death although the lingu are not directly harmful(Peranio,1977).

However, one would invite sundry and accident mishaps upon one self as a consequence of mistreatment of plants and animals which caused discomfort and harm to their lingu. There are also naughty spirits (anak duato or fairies), generally harmless, preying on those with lambut lingu (lemah semangat in bahasa malaysia;literally,weak soul)and contribute to unexplainable malaise and discomfort.
(This article was contributed by Mr. Joseph Blandoi, an admin. officer of SALCRA, Kuching. E-mail : jbland01@tm.net.my . It was extracted and summarised from Dr. Shafiq's article in Sarawak Museum Journal by Ms Joan Alicia Blandoi) - Webmaster

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(This article was contributed by Mr. Joseph Blandoi, an admin. officer of SALCRA, Kuching. E-mail : jbland01@tm.net.my . It was extracted and summarised from Dr. Shafiq's article in Sarawak Museum Journal by Ms Joan Alicia Blandoi) - Webmaster

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The inaugural Borneo World Music Expo (BWME) was officiated at the Pullman Kuching convention centre with a press release by Sarawak Tourism Board's CEO Dato' Rashid Khan, Assistant Tourism Minister Sarawak Datuk Gramong Juna and Director of the BWME, Gerald Seligman.

A total of 50 reporters from around the world and locally were present during the welcome reception here.

Questions were asked about this first-ever event in the world. I have been to several music festivals around Malaysia. I wanted to know if the STB would have any plans to bring the Sarawak Highland Folk Music Festival closer to both the current events.
Borneo World Music Expo Review
From my knowledge, these three events would be a perfect gel as the BWME, and the SHFMF would be a great build-up to the Rainforest World Music Festival, giving tourist and music lovers a longer stay here in the city.

BWME Director Gerald Seligman, Sarawak Tourism Board's CEO Dato' Rashid Khan and Assistant Minister of Tourism, Sarawak Datuk Gramong Juna

Dato' Rashid replied, "Yes, the Sarawak Tourism Board is working with the communities of the Borneo Highlands and have even invited these people to come and attend the BWME 2013".

He also said, "As the Highland community are independently run, it was only right that the tourism board or any other body include the Highlands people by inviting them to participate. In the future, the STB hopes that there will be more participation by them."

Sarawak has also been in the limelight for music festivals worldwide as the Rainforest World Music Festival is now in its 16th year running.

The other successful event, which is the Borneo Jazz Festival , is also now in its seventh year and has seen many world-renown musicians performing over the years.

This year BJF saw classic musicians The Nylons appearing for the first time here in Miri. With the success of the two music festivals came along the Borneo World Music Expo.

Delegates at the opening of the Borneo World Music Expo 2013 in Kuching

This kind of expo consists of a trade fair, conferences from various musicians, exhibitions, musical showcases and even sessions.

The three-day event was conceptualized to bring musicians, promoters, and event professionals in the trade to one venue where the music of the various genres and cultures can be promoted worldwide.

Matthew Ngau and Lan E Tuyang from Sarawak

Matthew's son Jackson performs the Orang Ulu Warrior Dance.

After the welcome dinner reception, everyone was ushered to the other hall for the music showcase, where the opening acts featured a Sarawak Cultural Night with world-renowned sape player Matthew Ngau and his band, Lan E Tuyang performed the opening act.

Matthew invited his son, Jackson Ngau, to come to upstage and perform a warrior dance from the Orang Ulu Kenyah tribe for his last piece. Next on stage was a rare performance from the Highland Bamboo Band, who come from Bario and Kelabit Highlands of Sarawak.

The band uses only flutes to perform where there are various sizes of flutes, from small ones to bass flutes. Women play the smaller flutes while the men play the mid and bass flutes. This was no easy task; this was in face a skill to have everyone in sync to create the music.

The third local performers were the Bisaya Gong Orchestra, which hails from Limbang, a district near the Brunei border. Having eight musicians, everyone has a type of gong and one main drum.

The drum known as the Dumbak is the main instrument, while the rest are gongs in various shapes and sizes.

Apparently, this is the only full ensemble for the Bisaya community. Over the years, several musical instruments like these were sold or traded and to re-make these instruments is no longer the same as the antique ones.

Their band leader, Peter Sawal, had shared with the audience about this matter where the Bisaya people are currently on a campaign to try and recover the original musical instruments to bring back the culture and heritage from the musical part of the community.

Bisaya musician playing the Dumbak (Wooden Drum)

Bisaya Gong Orchestra performs at the BWME 0213

Bisaya Gong Orchestra from Limbang, Sarawak

Finally, the second showcase or last set was performed by a contemporary folk ensemble from India called Oikyotaan.

Comprising five members, they performed an exciting set of Folk-Classical Indian music with a mixture of contemporary and pulsating rhythms, which saw many of the crowd moving along with their unique music.

As day one ended towards midnight, several other invited bands will perform for day two and three for the Borneo World Music Expo. Musicians from Korea, Indonesia, India, and Malaysia will be showcasing the many unique styles and genres of world music.

A member of Oikyotaan performs solo.

Oikyotaan from India takes the stage for the last showcase.

Oikyotaan's main guitarist does a solo.

There are also quite several interesting workshops lined up for the following two days. Sessions include case studies, regional marketing opportunities, professionalism for musicians, international touring and more. For those interested to attend this, you can contact the Sarawak Tourism Board.

As for me, I will be looking forward to these workshops to learn a little more about this industry and the showcase performances for the following days of the Borneo World Music Expo.

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The inaugural Borneo World Music Expo (BWME) was officiated at the Pullman Kuching convention centre with a press release by Sarawak Tourism Board's CEO Dato' Rashid Khan, Assistant Tourism Minister Sarawak Datuk Gramong Juna and Director of the BWME, Gerald Seligman. A total of 50 reporters from around the world and locally were present during the welcome reception here.

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Sewang Performance accompanied by Centong Buluh

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The guy on the right is holding a Kereb

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Orang Asli Traditional Music: Pensol & Kereb (feat. Herry & Alang)

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Mengenali sejarah, budaya Orang Asli | Berita Harian

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MASYARAKAT Orang Asli adalah sebahagian daripada kaum Bumiputera di negara ini dan jumlah mereka sehingga Disember 2010 ialah dianggarkan 171,193 orang. Mereka juga terdiri daripada tiga suku bangsa iaitu Negrito, Senoi dan Melayu Asli.

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Mah Meri, pronounced Max Mri, is a native group mostly native to Penisular Malaysia. They are one of the 18 Orang Asli groups present in Malaysia, and can usually can be found in Pulau Carey, ...

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Collaborate art project and archiving initiative that explores Malaysian Orang Asli narratives.

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Im putting it here just because I can hehe

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Aoi Teshima - Tadaima / 手嶌葵「ただいま」[Lyrics]

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Name : Wan Noor Amisya binti Wan Mohamad Iskandar
Nickname: Misya!
Age: 20!
Hobbies: Drawing, Cooking, Taking pictures!
Stuff that I love: FOOD, cute animals or anything cute and pastel in colour, learning about different cultures obviously hehe

I hope we can learn and be exposed to something new with the Padlet that I've prepared!