Kan’id (meaning cousins) is inspired by the ancestral songs of the Kelabits from central Borneo, and draws upon the wealth of the musical traditions of the Orang Ulu tribes along the Baram. The original compositions learnt from their grandparents, uncles and aunties evolve into dynamic improvisation, and arrangements of traditional styles bridge the ancient and the contemporary.
Among the first musical group from Sarawak to sing and play traditional music in a whole new way, the members of Kan’id are trained in Western classical traditions. Their unique blend of instruments which include the traditional sape’, musical sensibilities, and ethnic traditions results in an original voice, created from and reflecting the rich multicultural heritage of the musicians themselves.
Originally performing under the name Anak’ Adi’ Rurum (meaning young children of the Kelabit Rurum Association), the members are now all teenagers and the group was formed in an effort to preserve and continue the traditional song, dance and folklore of the Kelabits.
Prior to Kan’id, the young members of the Kelabit community rarely paid any attention to the musical heritage of their ancestors. Except for dancing with feathers at events, they did not sing or play traditional instruments. Today, inspired by Anak’ Adi’, little pockets of such groups have already formed in towns and cities in Sarawak, where Kelabits live to continue and preserve this unique culture.
Like most indigenous groups of Borneo, the Kelabit do not really use musical instruments to accompany their songs and really, there is no need to do so. The stamping of their feet in unison and their sweet melodious tunes reflects their aural surroundings. However, breaking away from tradition, the girls in the group play the sape’ to accompany their songs and dance, and they have gained the distinction of becoming the first all-girl sape’ group formed in the country.
Their performance this year embodies the unique fusion of different genres: ambient songs and traditional music of the Kelabit and Orang Ulu tribes combined with elements of blues and country and western. There is a reason for this. The Peace Corps serving in the Kelabit Highlands introduced these genre of music and it struck a cord with the young members of the community. Today, no Kelabit event is complete without a Country and Western band.
Kan’id consists of 12 musicians, singers and dancers who are all of Kelabit heritage. The sape’and flute together bring the ambiental quality of sound, while percussions, drums, electric and bass guitar modernize the music. Then there are the singers, whose style of singing represents sounds of the Orang Ulu tradition.
Together, they will present an overview of their culture and history in the form of song and dance, music and their variants: lullabies and children’s songs, social songs and spiritual songs and dance.
The Turkey Feather Project
A very important item in the dance culture of the Kelabits and other Orang Ulu tribes is the use of hornbill feathers.
In an effort to preserve this magnificent bird which is also the emblem of Sarawak, Kan’id are the pioneer group of dancers to use turkey feathers which have been dyed to resemble hornbill feathers.
The turkey feathers are a gift from the Wildlife Conservation Society and the Sarawak Forest Department who worked together to start this unique and highly commendable project under “A Master Plan for Wildlife in Sarawak”. The Master Plan is a comprehensive wildlife conservation and management document that takes into account the social, economic and cultural aspects of Sarawakian society.
This is an example of good wildlife conservation where people can still practice age-old customs without having to hunt hornbills, which are highly endangered.
