The Sape’s Masquerading Debut

By Maya Green

I like to do something that’s new, even novel, and different. That is, if I can muster it, or when the occasion is ripe for it. It does help, to my mind, to give a surprise from time to time. It has something to do with being spontaneous. Of course, not in a negative sense, but spontaneity for a purpose — to facilitate better interaction, teamwork and understanding, for instance. 

Doing something new, and different can also be the catalyst for creating a learning opportunity, and to encourage the exploration of “the possibilities and opportunities” — that may lie hidden just over the horizon, or below the radar screen of normal and everyday perception.

A case in point was our Company’s Christmas Party in late 2013. It was my very first one — since I have just come onboard to head the Asia-Pacific outfit of the world’s largest gas company based out of Singapore just a few months before that. The offer for the job was itself a surprise because I was not contemplating to leave my employ at the material time. But the offer did come when I least expected it. That however, is another tale, for another time.

On the morning in question, my Secretary had asked whether it was alright to have a “Costume Party”, or what is normally called a “fancy dress” party, as the theme for that year’s Christmas get-to-gather, which ranked as one of the company’s key social event for each year.

Quite uncharacteristically, I was a bit hasty in readily agreeing to the proposal. As soon as it was proposed, I responded saying “yes, of course!” and added that it would indeed be a good idea. I thanked my Secretary for the suggestion, and told her to proceed with making the necessary preparations. She was to lead the Dinner Organising Committee.

Now reflecting on that moment, I deduce that there was a bit of an irrational haste in the making of that particular call. Well, sometimes the heart does move faster than the brain. And this was one such moment, I guess, when the instinct kicked in quite readily. Happily, things turned out just fine in the end.

I had rationalised, post the heart’s early call, that a fancy dress or costume party would put everyone on an “equal basis” on the night of the event. It would be difficult to readily recognise each other when everyone was dressed up differently from their normal office wear or daily clothings. It would be a night of discovery and would be full of surprises for everyone.

The Red Indian Chief with Mr Quinn, the only American in the company, who, fittingly came dressed up as oil man on our Night of Masquerade.

Coincidentally, and quite fittingly, a fancy dress party would also even up, or level the ground, for me as the “newbie” in town — the new head in the organisation, and one who was still a relative unknown in the whole group. I was the freshman, and they were the seniors. But on fancy dress night, we would all be equals! That was how I saw it. And in that context, it was to my advantage. All will be “newbies” because of the camouflage we would be wearing.  

I also reasoned that it would engender better interaction and, probably, would produce a lot of surprises, and even inducing some genuine, good natured laughter. It would thereby help to bring people closer, getting to know each other better, and therefore enhancing teamwork and better interaction in the organisation.

When everyone is trying to decipher or discover the character being depicted in the form of dress sense selected by someone, and also at the same time trying to figure out the actual identity of the person behind the fancy dress, it would be a lot of fun and an occasion full of excitement. It will be akin to a game of “open hide and seek” depending on how creative the people dressed themselves up for the event. I was confident that this game of masquerade would work.

Everyone was accordingly instructed to choose, and be appropriately dressed up, as the person he or she wishes to be for the night, a night of surprises. It really helped when the costume shop which we have engaged to supply the different costumes had an unlimited supply, and varieties of dresses and styles, to choose from. Even at the dress selection session, there was already so much laughter and palpable excitement as people tried different dresses and clothing styles.

So, it was a plethora of different dresses and culture that night of the actual event, a fitting metaphor which reflected the multiethnic and multinational nature of our work force. Even now, I can still vividly recall how someone had dressed up as Charlie Chaplin with a funny moustache, and his accompanying walking stick. Surprisingly, it was to be unveiled later, that the person who became the Charlie Chaplin character was not even a guy. 

Unknown to me, Katrina has decided to be Charlie Chaplin that night, and she did a brilliant job at it. A double effect of camouflage was achieved, where a lady was dressed up as a man and, not just any man, but a well-known and instantly recognisable comic artist and actor called Charlie Chaplin.

Everyone was convinced that Katrina did a brilliant transformation of herself that night. Right until the minute it was finally revealed that the person behind the masquerade of Charlie Chaplin was in fact Katrina, everyone had struggled to identify the person hidden behind the clothes and the personification of the character “Charlie Chaplin”. A perfect disguise, and an effective camouflage it truly was.

In real life, the person was none other than my own Secretary but that night her camouflage was perfectly done and exquisite. If she had kept quiet, I wouldn’t have known that it was her. Even Yuri, our young Russian executive staff, and one of Katrina’s good friends, could not recognise her as well. I recall Yuri came out as Robin Hood that night. I can’t now recall though, who volunteered to be Friar Tuck! There were just too many characters that night.

As for me, I decided to come dressed up as a Red Indian Chieftain, complete with the Chief’s Regalia and feathers, but alas these were not the real eagle feathers. They were artificial, faux feathers. Since I couldn’t get the authentic Bornean regalia from the costume shop, I told myself that the Red Indian outfit would do.

Dateline: December 2013, Singapore

For the event, I had planned to give my staff a real surprise. Instead of wielding or brandishing a tomahawk axe as the gimmick weapon for the night, I quietly brought along a genuine jungle lute from Borneo — the Sape’ of the Orang Ulu from Borneo’s deep interior. A portent weapon for sure, this enchanting musical instrument. The Sape’ was quietly hidden out of sight, but within reach, till it was time for me, disguised as the Red Indian Chief, to perform.

It was probably the first time that such a live performance of the jungle lute was made in a 5 Star hotel in Singapore. Or at the very least, in that particular hotel in the business district of downtown Singapore.

Our multi-national employees have never seen or heard of such an instrument like the Sape’ before that. A majority of them, for certain have had not heard it’s sounds before that night — and it was their first exposure to the music born of the rainforests. There were less than five Malaysians including me in the company. But thanks to their Jungle Boy CEO, they had the chance to hear the Sape’ live and for the first time that night.

The Sape’ music was something that I always heard on my father’s radio when I was growing up in our village in the Bario highlands. And now, the same music has somehow accompanied me all the way onto the global stage here in Singapore. And it was being played by me on the stage that night.

A few weeks later, I was requested to perform in the palatial home of one of the top doctors in Singapore during a party he was hosting. His residence was rather unique as it was surrounded by many kinds of exotic trees, including some rare species which he has planted in his sprawling estate and brought over to Singapore from Sri Lanka. The doctor was of Sri Lankan descent and someone who obviously loves trees. I thought how fitting it was to play the Sape’ in his beautiful home surrounded by fully grown trees. I sensed that I shared the same affiliation towards trees and nature as this new acquaintance of mine.

Coming back to the introduction to this narrative, I am certain that none of my staff that night has heard the sounds of the Sape’ before that night. Needless to say, they were all mesmerised and fascinated by the unique sounds and melody of the Sape’. How could they not be, when the Sape’ has this unique quality of being able to touch the heart strings of any and all listeners.

I have yet to meet anyone who has a revulsion against the sounds of the Sape’. On the contrary, many people tend to give the feedback that the Sape’ melody is very soothing, even calming. Not surprising actually, because the Sape’ started as a traditional healing instrument. It’s true.

I was confident I have succeeded in creating a surprise that night, as was the intent. It was written all over their faces and their wide smiles. Hopefully, it was something they would remember for a long time, and for as long as they were able to recall their time working in Singapore — under the watch of someone who have hailed from the Island of Borneo. Their first Asian boss.

So that was the surprise debut of my live Sape’ performance in the heart of Singapore. My staff would not have imagined that their new chief would be dressed up in a colourful native peoples’ dress. Let alone, that he would be playing an exotic stringed instrument at the same time. Well, for me the opportunity came, and I took it. I really did.

Life is like that, sometimes things seem to just fall nicely into place, as if the path has somehow been laid out from the outset. But, in reality we have to have the eye to see the opportunities as well. We need to have the faith, and confidence — to take each stride forward; in quiet confidence and to acknowledge that the hidden hand is always there.