Latest news with #DesireeDavid
Borneo Post
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Borneo Post
Maestro: Growing interest in sape' helps keep heritage alive
Looking ahead, Mathew says his role will be to support the next generation of sape' performers. — Photo by Desiree David KUCHING (June 10): Once a taboo for women and nearly forgotten by younger generations, the sape' is now undergoing a revival, especially among the youths. According to sape' maestro Mathew Ngau Jau, the growing interest in this iconic Orang Ulu stringed instrument is not only helping to preserve a rich cultural heritage, but also breaking the old taboos and bridging communities. 'Now I see young people, even from other races, are picking up the sape'. 'Parents come and ask if they could get one for their children. That makes me very happy,' said the 72-year-old Kenyah musician, who has spent more than 30 years performing and teaching the sape' across Malaysia. Mathew's own journey with the traditional lute was far from immediate. Growing up in Long Semiang, Ulu Baram, he was more interested in dancing than in music. It was not until he attended school in Long San where a missionary teacher encouraged Orang Ulu cultural practices that he first picked up the sape'. Even then, he only began to play seriously in his 20s, during his teaching days at SMK Bau. 'People started inviting me to perform, but I didn't feel confident. 'So during the holidays, I would return to the longhouse to learn from the elders,' said Mathew at an exclusive seminar on 'Sape' & The Soul of Borneo: Heritage, Identity and Future', held at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) near here yesterday. Eventually, his persistence paid off. Today, Mathew is considered a master of the sape', recognised nationally for his role in preserving and promoting this traditional art form. The artiste has also helped pave the way for women to play this instrument, defying a longstanding taboo. 'Back then, girls weren't allowed to play the sape' in the longhouse. But I was the one who opened that door,' he said, pointing to players like Alena Murang as examples of women who have since taken the instrument to the world stage. 'At first, people in the longhouse weren't comfortable with it. But now, even the critics are gone. 'In my longhouse, I'm the oldest. The young people have taken over and many of them are girls,' he said. With the instrument's popularity booming, especially in urban areas, the demand for sape' instruments has also surged, making the traditional materials harder to find. Mathew said the original sape' was made from 'adau' wood, which is now rare. He recounted a legend associated with 'adau' – about a gravely ill woman who was revived after hearing the sound of a sape' carved from the sacred wood, seen in a dream by her husband. 'The sound was different. Even in her dream, she recognised the name of the wood,' said Mathew. He added that in the past, the sape' strings were made from jungle creepers known as 'iman', and the traditional instruments had only two strings. 'The modern versions now have up to six strings, allowing the musicians to play a broader range of music. 'Those with more strings are contemporary sape', not original like mine,' said Mathew, adding that the traditional form is most closely associated with the Kenyah and Kayan communities. As for the future, Mathew said his role would be to support the next generation. 'I've done what I can. I can see that the sape' growing. 'It's popular now among the children, among the young adults, and even among people who aren't from our community. 'That's what makes me feel very satisfied,' he smiled. Arts and Culture lead Mathew Ngau Jau music sape
Borneo Post
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Borneo Post
Growing interest in sape' helps keep heritage alive — Maestro
Looking ahead, Mathew says his role will be to support the next generation of sape' performers. — Photo by Desiree David KUCHING (June 10): Once a taboo for women and nearly forgotten by younger generations, the sape' is now undergoing a revival, especially among the youths. According to sape' maestro Mathew Ngau Jau, the growing interest in this iconic Orang Ulu stringed instrument is not only helping to preserve a rich cultural heritage, but also breaking the old taboos and bridging communities. 'Now I see young people, even from other races, are picking up the sape'. 'Parents come and ask if they could get one for their children. That makes me very happy,' said the 72-year-old Kenyah musician, who has spent more than 30 years performing and teaching the sape' across Malaysia. Mathew's own journey with the traditional lute was far from immediate. Growing up in Long Semiang, Ulu Baram, he was more interested in dancing than in music. It was not until he attended school in Long San where a missionary teacher encouraged Orang Ulu cultural practices that he first picked up the sape'. Even then, he only began to play seriously in his 20s, during his teaching days at SMK Bau. 'People started inviting me to perform, but I didn't feel confident. 'So during the holidays, I would return to the longhouse to learn from the elders,' said Mathew at an exclusive seminar on 'Sape' & The Soul of Borneo: Heritage, Identity and Future', held at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) near here yesterday. Eventually, his persistence paid off. Today, Mathew is considered a master of the sape', recognised nationally for his role in preserving and promoting this traditional art form. The artiste has also helped pave the way for women to play this instrument, defying a longstanding taboo. 'Back then, girls weren't allowed to play the sape' in the longhouse. But I was the one who opened that door,' he said, pointing to players like Alena Murang as examples of women who have since taken the instrument to the world stage. 'At first, people in the longhouse weren't comfortable with it. But now, even the critics are gone. 'In my longhouse, I'm the oldest. The young people have taken over and many of them are girls,' he said. With the instrument's popularity booming, especially in urban areas, the demand for sape' instruments has also surged, making the traditional materials harder to find. Mathew said the original sape' was made from 'adau' wood, which is now rare. He recounted a legend associated with 'adau' – about a gravely ill woman who was revived after hearing the sound of a sape' carved from the sacred wood, seen in a dream by her husband. 'The sound was different. Even in her dream, she recognised the name of the wood,' said Mathew. He added that in the past, the sape' strings were made from jungle creepers known as 'iman', and the traditional instruments had only two strings. 'The modern versions now have up to six strings, allowing the musicians to play a broader range of music. 'Those with more strings are contemporary sape', not original like mine,' said Mathew, adding that the traditional form is most closely associated with the Kenyah and Kayan communities. As for the future, Mathew said his role would be to support the next generation. 'I've done what I can. I can see that the sape' growing. 'It's popular now among the children, among the young adults, and even among people who aren't from our community. 'That's what makes me feel very satisfied,' he smiled. Arts and Culture lead Mathew Ngau Jau music sape
Borneo Post
19-05-2025
- Borneo Post
Man hit with RM10,000 fine for using phone for online gambling activities in Kuching
Online gambling is a slippery slope that has ruined many lives due to its easy accessibility on mobile devices. – Photo by Desiree David KUCHING (May 19): A 28-year-old man was fined RM10,000, in default six months' imprisonment, by the Magistrates' Court here today for dealing with a gaming machine, namely a mobile phone, used for online gambling activities. Magistrate Mason Jaro Lenya Barayan imposed the sentence on Tiruparen K. Perumal after he pleaded guilty to a charge under Section 4B(a) of the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953. The section provides for a fine of not less than RM10,000 and not more than RM100,000 for each gaming machine seized, and a jail term not exceeding five years, upon conviction. The offence took place at a café in Kota Sentosa, 7th Mile, at around 3.10pm on Oct 27, 2021. According to the facts of the case, the accused was arrested during a police raid carried out based on information received regarding online gambling activities. He was found holding a mobile phone during the raid and was suspected to be an agent for online gambling credit top-ups. Examination of the phone revealed a website suspected to be used for gambling credit transactions. Following analysis by a gambling expert, the mobile phone was determined to be a device used to manage and facilitate online gambling activities, and therefore constituted a gaming machine as defined under Section 2 of the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953. The accused was represented by counsel Ratanah Devi. Court mobile devices online gambling
