Indigenous Taiwanese artist Sauljaljui releases song ‘Anun Bala 你好 (Sarawak)’ featuring sape songstress Alena Murang

Indigenous Taiwanese artist Sauljaljui

By DayakDaily Team

KUCHING, July 17: Indigenous Taiwanese artist Sauljaljui has released a new song titled ‘Anun Bala 你好 Sarawak’ featuring Sarawakian musician and sape player Alena Murang.

Inspired by her trip to Sarawak in 2023, Sauljaljui returned to Taiwan and wrote the song, ‘Anun Bala’ which translates to ‘How are you’ in the Kelabit language.

Sauljaljui, belonging to the Paiwan ethnicity which shares a linguistic heritage with the Austronesian language group, similar to Kelabit and many other Dayak languages.

The song also includes the voice of living sape legend, Mathew Ngau Jau.

“When I first met Sauljaljui in 2017 and visited her village in Kapanan, South Taiwan, I was surprised to hear the language they spoke was so similar to Kelabit; it felt very warm—like being at home,” Alena said in a media release today.

Numerous interesting similarities exist between the Paiwan and Kelabit heritage; for instance, both cultures have a strong tradition of oral storytelling and music, a cultural importance of beads, with instruments like the Paiwan’s nose flute and the Orang Ulu Sape’ playing significant roles in their respective heritages.

“We have travelled together in Taiwan, Iceland, Germany, Spain, and Norway. Every time we meet, we exchange gifts, a customary practice in many indigenous cultures. When Sauljaljui came to Kuching last year, I decided to gift her a Sape’ because I knew she always wanted to learn to play it.

“I was very touched when she sent me a demo of her new song, which translates to ‘How are you, Sarawak’,” added Alena.

Reflecting on her experiences, Sauljaljui said: “My sister Alena is not only a musician but also a painter. I vividly remember one of her paintings filled with floating seeds in the air. She once said that traditional folk songs embody the rhythms of nature, and her paintings are her music, while her music is a beautiful painting itself.”

Sauljaljui also added, “Our hometown, nestled by the river just like hers, is where the meandering river carries our joys, sorrows, and futures. What the future holds, we may not know, but I firmly believe that people with dreams and love will meet again. If this song were a painting, it would depict two ‘bright’ seeds dancing on the calm river, heading towards the unknown path.”

Sauljaljui first performed at the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) in 2017, where she and Alena initially met.

During her recent trip to Sarawak, Sauljaljui was accompanied by another indigenous Taiwanese singer, Ado Kaliting Pacidal, from the Amis tribe. In Kuching, Ado, Sauljaljui as well as Alena attended a PUSAK Sape’ class at Sarawak Plaza, where Elizabeth Bungan was teaching two young brothers.

The ladies were deeply moved by the boys’ dedication to learning their heritage. They also visited Sape’ living legend Mathew Ngau at his homestay to learn more about his journey and the instrument.

Their visit included savouring Sarawak laksa and a leisurely stroll along the waterfront.

Last year, Ado and Alena also released a song together titled ‘Water Come Back’ in Amis and Kelabit languages, which debuted live in Taipei on July 10, 2024.

“These cultural exchanges deepen our understanding of our own heritage in global history,” concluded Alena.

Listen to ‘Anun Bala 你好’ (Anun Bala Sarawak) on Spotify (https://reurl.cc/ZeKLWp), Apple Music (https://reurl.cc/Gj82oD), KKBox (https://reurl.cc/XG1KVM), YouTube Music (https://reurl.cc/mM8KZY) and Line Music (https://music-tw.line.me/track/7481982002). — DayakDaily