Alena Murang's latest single released in connection with World Biodiversity Day
Alena says through her music, she is inviting the listeners to remember the wisdom passed down by the indigenous communities, that is to live in a balance with the land.
KUCHING (May 19): Alena Murang has released her new single, 'Jaga Alam', in connection with World Biodiversity Day and also the upcoming Gawai Dayak festivities.
The musician and cultural guardian, in a statement yesterday, hailed the number as 'a heartfelt call to protect the Earth's forests, and all forms of life calling it home'.
The single 'Jaga Alam', which means 'taking care of nature' in Bahasa Malaysia, is sung in the national language, but there is a special line among the verses that is sung in Alena's native Kelabit language.
'Through my music, I invite the listeners to remember the wisdom passed down by the indigenous communities, that is to live in a balance with the land.
'In my Kelabit culture, nature is not something separate from us – it is a part of who we are.
'Caring for the land is also a central part of Gawai celebration, which is to give thanks for the rice harvest.
'This song is a gentle reminder that nature will always take care of us, if we take care of it,' said the artiste, also a sape' player.
Adding on, Alena also described the new song as 'a blend of the meditative tones of the sape' with simple yet powerful lyrics, echoing a message of respect and responsibility towards nature'.
'With this release, I hope to contribute not only through music, but also by raising awareness of indigenous perspectives on conservation and their love for the land.'
As one of the few female sape' players in the world and a voice for her community, Alena continues to use music as a bridge between worlds – past and present, nature and people, as well as tradition and change.
'The World Biodiversity Day, celebrated on May 22 each year, is a global reminder of how connected we are to the natural world, whilst Gawai is a day to be grateful for the food that nature gives us,' she added.
The music video can be viewed on YouTube, and the audio is available on Spotify and Apple Music.
Alena and Joshua Maran are credited as the songwriters, with the lyrics written by Alena. Alena Murang entertainment Gawai Dayak lead local artistes
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Borneo Post
2 hours ago
- Borneo Post
Organiser expects thousands to turn up at upcoming Gawai Carnival in Miri
Gerawat, flanked by Dennis (seated, fourth left) and Anyi, in a photo-call with Nyurak (seated, third left) and other members of the organising committee, taken after the meeting at Forum building in Miri. MIRI (June 10): Thousands of visitors are expected to converge on the Federation of Orang Ulu Associations Malaysia (Forum) building here for the two-day 'Traditional Gawai Carnival', kicking off this Thursday (June 12). According to Mulu assemblyman and the organising committee chairman Datuk Gerawat Gala, the carnival is the next major event in this year's Gawai Dayak celebration, following the success of the Gawai Dayak 2025 Bazaar held at the Batu Kawa Township in Kuching last month. 'This carnival showcases the rich cultural heritage of the Orang Ulu community and is aimed at preserving and promoting traditional practices and values,' he said in a press conference, held at the Forum building yesterday. The 'Traditional Gawai Carnival' here is jointly chaired by Telang Usan assemblyman Dato Dennis Ngau and Baram MP Dato Anyi Ngau. According to Dennis, a total of 13 traditional events and competitions have been lined up throughout the two days. 'All the activities are based on traditional games, many of which are no longer seen or known by the public. Therefore, we welcome everyone to the Forum Cultural Centre to witness and participate in these festivities,' he said. In addition to the competitions, visitors can also look forward to sampling a variety of traditional dishes and visiting stalls selling homemade handicrafts and products, from June 12 to 14. 'It is also a good platform for the local entrepreneurs and small businesses to generate income, while helping to preserve our cultural identity,' added Dennis. Deputy Premier of Sarawak Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas has been invited to officiate at the opening ceremony this June 13. Meanwhile, Dennis said that the evening of June 12 would feature the 'Datun Julud' (traditional dance) competition, as well as 'sape' (traditional boat lute) competition. 'Twenty groups have confirmed their participation in the 'Datun Julud' competition, and another 20 will be showcasing their sape-performing skills.' The grand highlight of the carnival would be the Miss Gawai Sarawak 2025 pageant, on June 13. 'Thirteen finalists from across Sarawak will be vying for the crown. 'Tickets for the event are priced at RM20 per person. So far, a total of 1,500 tickets have been made available for purchase,' confirmed Dennis. Adding on, he said due to the limited parking space at the Forum premises, a free shuttle bus service would be provided to visitors. 'The bus will be plying between the venue and Miri Sentral Terminal, from 7am until midnight on each day. 'We encourage the public to make full use of this service to facilitate smoother traffic and also better experience for all attendees,' said Dennis. Also present was Bintulu Resident Datu Nyurak Keti, who is also Forum president.
Borneo Post
2 hours ago
- Borneo Post
Inclusion of Betong's Gawai Dayak open house into state's annual events list proposed
(On the floor, from fifth right) Rentap, his wife Datin Rosemary Wong, Richard and Friday join others in a Gawai Dayak ritual as the hosting villagers and the visitors, including the foreigners, look on. — Ukas photo BETONG (June 10): A call has been made for Sarawak Tourism Federation (STF)'s Gawai Dayak Open House in Betong to be made an annual event. In presenting this proposal, Deputy Minister of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Dato Gerald Rentap Jabu hails the event as not only showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the Dayak community, but also aligning with Sarawak's tourism policies. 'Let us turn this (event) into a lasting legacy, an annual affair. 'This is the third year that it's being organised. 'With full support from all sides, tourism products like this would thrive and should grow into a sustainable tourism product,' he said in officiating at the event last Saturday, as reported by Sarawak Public Communications Unit (Ukas). Hosted at Rumah Engkeranji, the Gawai Dayak open house gathered more than 1,500 people, including local and international tourists. The June 7 programme was part of the Betong Division Gawai Dayak Festive Celebration 2025, being run throughout May and June in close collaboration between the local communities and the government. Rentap, the assemblyman for Layar, also spoke about the uniqueness of the Gawai Dayak celebration, with its rich customs and traditions, which exhibited a strong potential to attract more foreign visitors. In this regard, he highlighted the importance of collaboration with entities such as STF that had successfully attracted 120 international tourists from Brunei, Indonesia, Australia, Singapore, the UK and Italy through a specially-curated tourism package. Meanwhile, STF chairperson Audrey Wan Ulok said the '3 Days, 2 Nights' package offered tourists a deep cultural immersion into Iban traditions, including overnight stays at the longhouse, as well as participation on the traditional Gawai parade, local feasts, and cultural concerts. The evening was further enlivened by various traditional performances such as the 'ngajat' (Iban traditional dance) and also the 'Taboh Iban' and'Gendang Pampat' (drum instruments). There was also the Gawai Kaamatan Concert 2025, a fusion of native cultural elements from Sarawak and Sabah featuring participation from the Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association (KDCA) Sarawak branch, in addition to performances by local artist Melissa Francis and renowned sape musician Jerry Kamit. Also present were Betong MP Dr Richard Rapu; Krian assemblyman Friday Belik; and Momogun National Congress president Tan Sri Wences Angang. The programme was supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak, and co-hosted by the Betong Division Gawai Dayak Celebration Main Committee. It is later reported that following this year's success, STF aims to establish the Gawai Dayak Open House at Rumah Engkeranji as a flagship annual cultural tourism event for Sarawak, further elevating the Dayak heritage as a vital tourism asset for the state. Betong Gawai Dayak open house Sarawak Tourism Federation tourism
Malaysian Reserve
a day ago
- Malaysian Reserve
BTS' 'ON' surpasses 500m Spotify stream
SEOUL — K-pop sensation BTS' song 'ON' has surpassed 500 million streams on the global music platform Spotify, the group's agency BigHit Music said Sunday. According to Yonhap News Agency, the song, released in February 2020, 'ON' reached the 500 million mark Friday, becoming the 16th group track by the boy band to achieve the milestone on the platform. 'ON,' the main track of BTS' fourth studio album, 'Map of the Soul: 7,' reflects on the group's journey over the seven years since their debut. — BERNAMA-YONHAP
