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Info about Kadazan Tradition.

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Kadazan traditional music and dances refer primarily to the sounds produced by way of "Magagung" (gong beating), "Bungkau", "Sompoton" and "Suling" (Seruling) (Flute), and to the Kadazan dance of "Sumazau" for merry-making and the warrior dance of "Batibas" or variations of these.

Kadazan traditional music and dances had been in existence for centuries.

The way the gongs are beaten vary from place to place producing sounds and rhythms with some difference.

The same is true of the dances where the variations are due to the influence from the dances of other racial groups living in nearby villages.

Kadazan Traditional Music and Musical Instruments
Local musical sounds are produced by way of:

Gong beating or "Magagung."

The six gongs vary in size. The smallest is beaten first followed by the other five goings, one after another. The sixth and biggest gong produces a "bass" sound.

People perform the "sumazau" dance making physical movements in accordance to the sounds of the gongs beaten in harmony.

Togunggu or Togunggak
These are gong-sound producing musical instruments made from dried bamboo.
A Togunggu set is made from thin bamboos while the Togunggak set is made from thick bamboo stems.

"Bungkau"
The "Bungkau" is made from the skin of the branch of a certain palm tree the Kadazans call "Pohod."
The sound is produced by using the right thumb to gently bend the instrument back and forth while holding it in front of the mouth. The music is produced by changing the size of the mouth.

"Sompoton"
The "Sompoton" is a made from a dried gourd to which eight bamboo tubes of varying length are inserted through a rectangular-size aperture.
Bees' Wax called "sopinut" is used to fix the bamboo tubes firmly to the dried gourd and to prevent air from escaping through the gap when the musical gourd is played.

The bamboo used belongs to a particular species called "Humbising" in Kadazan. The musical sound is produced by blowing through the narrow end of the gourd while the fingers are used to open or close the holes made in the bamboo.

"Suling"

"Tongkungon"

"Sundatang"
The "Sundatang" is a Kadazan guitar with two(?) strings.
It is somewhat similar to a sitar.

"Kulintangan"
The "Kulintangan" is a set of small brass gongs that vary in size. These gongs are arranged on top of two thick parallel strings fixed to a rectangular wooden structure.
Only one person is needed to play the gongs using two sticks. The set is sometimes played in unison with the beating of the set of six bigger gongs.

Dance to Kadazan Traditional Music

Kadazan native music is closely connected with the development of Kadazan traditional dances. These dances include the following.

The "Sumazau"

"Batibas"
The "Batibas" is the warrior dance of the Kadazan people. It is understood that Kadazan warriors performed this dance after every battle, bringing back with them the severed heads of their foes.

The "Bobohizan" Dance
The "Bobohizan" (priests/priestesses) dance is the dance performed by Kadazan priests and priestesses while chanting during animistic rituals such as the Magavau.

There is no Kadazan traditional music specific to this bobohizan dance but the sound of gongs being beaten as usual.

Opportunities to Listen to Kadazan Music and Participate in Sumazau
There are opportunities to listen, and even play, Kadazan musical instruments and participate in the sumazau dance.

You will have the opportunity if you can find the time to attend Kadazan harvest festivals or get invited to a Kadazan wedding.

Native Musical Sounds Blend With Modern Music
Some Kadazan artists had blended the sound of the "Tagung" or gong, "Bungkau" or "Suling" to some of their songs.

Kadazan Music and Dances as Evidence of Their Identity
Kadazan identity includes demonstrating some ability in playing one or two Kadazan musical instruments and / or ability to perform the sumazau dance.

If you cannot play any Kadazan traditional musical instruments or do the sumazau, you can at least support activities that promote Kadazan music and dances. You can do this by attending events organized by Kadazan communities.

Click HERE for information on the Kadazan in the Kadazan Language

Click HERE for Kadazan Custom and Tradition<br><br>

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Kadazan traditional music and dances refer primarily to the sounds produced by way of "Magagung" (gong beating), "Bungkau", "Sompoton" and "Suling" (Seruling) (Flute), and to the Kadazan dance of "Sumazau" for merry-making and the warrior dance of "Batibas" or variations of these. Kadazan traditional music and dances had been in existence for centuries.

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Malaysian Traditional Music (Negeri Sembilan - Minangkabau)

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KUALA LUMPUR: For the world's largest matrilineal society - the Minangkabau - cultural preservation is the most precious gift that can be passed from one generation to the next.

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KUALA LUMPUR: For the world's largest matrilineal society - the Minangkabau - cultural preservation is the most precious gift that can be passed from one generation to the next.

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The "Sumazau"The "Sumazau" is the most common of all the Kadazan dances. People perform "Sumazau" during weddings, harvest festival celebrations, anniversaries, and even during engagements.

"Batibas"
The "Batibas" is the warrior dance of the Kadazan people. It is understood that Kadazan warriors performed this dance after every battle, bringing back with them the severed heads of their foes.

The "Bobohizan" DanceThe "Bobohizan" (priests/priestesses) dance is the dance performed by Kadazan priests and priestesses while chanting during animistic rituals such as the Magavau.

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Sumazau is danced by farmers, both male and female, who are wearing traditional dress, in black and red. It is played to the accompaniment of eagles; usually six gongs of various sizes, and a drum with a unique rhythm.[1] The duration and rhythm of Sumazau varies by region and country.

This is a dance inspired by eagles flying patterns witnessed by farmers resting in the fields during the harvest season. During the dance, each dancer must make a sequence of moves only a few centimeters away from each other without touching.

Dance rituals such as Sumazau is performed at a variety of functions. The harvest and thanksgiving, as a song showing resistance to oppression, to pacify and honor local deities, and treat diseases.

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Talempong (Indonesian spelling) or Caklempong (Malaysian spelling) is a traditional music of the Minangkabau people of West Sumatra, Indonesia. The talempong produce a static texture consisting of interlocking rhythms.

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Traditional Minangkabau music includes saluang jo dendang which consists of singing to the accompaniment of a saluang bamboo flute, and talempong gong-chime music. Dances include the tari piring (plate dance), tari payung (umbrella dance) and tari indang (also known as endang or badindin). Demonstrations of the silat martial art are performed. Pidato adat are ceremonial orations performed at formal occasions.

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Saluang Jo Dendang (Saluang Is Wind Instrument) [OfficialVideo]

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skip the video to 1:10

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The Murut have a musical heritage consisting of various types of agung ensembles - ensembles composed of large hanging, suspended or held, bossed/knobbed gongs which act as drone without any accompanying melodic instrument.

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Murut also used bamboo as a musical instrument, by using bamboo to compose a songs. Some musical instrument like tangkung (similar to that of a guitar, except it has only two strings) is made from wood. Tangkung is usually played during their leisure time.

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Iban music is percussion-oriented. The Iban have a musical heritage consisting of various types of agung ensembles - percussion ensembles composed of large hanging, suspended or held, bossed/knobbed gongs which act as drums without any accompanying melodic instrument. The typical Iban agung ensemble will include a set of engkerumung (small gongs arranged together side by side and played like a xylophone), a tawak (the so-called "bass gong"), a bebendai (which acts as a snare) and also a ketebung or bedup (a single sided drum/percussion instrument).

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There are various kinds of taboh (music), depending the purpose and types of ngajat, like alun lundai (slow tempo). The gendang can be played in some distinctive types corresponding to the purpose and type of each ceremony. The most popular ones are called gendang rayah (swinging blow) and gendang pampat (sweeping blow).

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Music Of Sarawak Taboh Iban   Ngajat   YouTube

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Sape is originally a traditional music by Orang Ulu (Kayan, Kenyah and Kelabit). Nowadays, both the Iban as well as the Orang Ulu Kayan, Kenyah and Kelabit play an instrument resembling the guitar called the sape. Datun Jalut and nganjak lansan are the most common traditional dances performed accompanied by a sape tune. The sape is the official musical instrument of the Malaysian state of Sarawak. It is played similarly to the way rock guitarists play guitar solos, albeit a little slower, but not as slow as the blues.One example of Iban traditional music is the taboh.

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Sama-Bajau traditional songs are handed down orally through generations. The songs are usually sung during marriage celebrations (kanduli pagkawin), accompanied by dance (pang-igal) and musical instruments like pulau (flute), gabbang (xylophone), tagunggo' (kulintang gongs), biula (violin), and in modern times, electronic keyboards.[28] There are several types of Sama-Bajau traditional songs, they include: isun-isun, runsai, najat, syair, nasid, bua-bua anak, and tinggayun.

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Bajau Laut - Traditional "Igal-igal" Dance by Jinn in Sitangkai

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Among the more specific examples of Sama-Bajau songs are three love songs collectively referred to as Sangbayan. These are Dalling Dalling, Duldang Duldang, and Pakiring Pakiring.The most well-known of these three is Pakiring Pakiring (literally "moving the hips"), which is more familiar to the Tausūg in its commercialised and modernised form Dayang Dayang.