Longest non-stop Sape performance enters Malaysia Book of Records
MIRI: Sape players put Sarawak in Malaysia Book of Records with the ‘Longest Non-Stop Sape Performance’ here yesterday.
The 54 Sape players mostly from Baram and Belaga areas including the first batch of 20 players from Warisan Sape Telang Usan programme as well as internationally acclaimed Sape maestro Mathew Ngau Jau, played together for 50 hours from Feb 15 to 17, either in groups or solo in a non-stop musical relay starting from 9.30am on Feb 15 up to 12pm yesterday.
Edwin Yeoh, an adjudicator from Malaysia Book of Records officially declared the attempt a success during the closing ceremony at Auditorium RTM Miri here yesterday.
Present to witness this achievement were Sarawak Energy executive vice president for corporate services Aisah Eden, Sarawak broadcasting director Zainal Abidin Asri Abd Wahid, RTM Sarawak deputy director Tabat Sakai, Sarawak Energy general manager (for corporate social responsibility and sustainability) Jiwari Abdullah, RTM Miri controller Zaidi Bujang, several community leaders and Sape music enthusiasts.
Aisah expressed her gratitude to RTM for its collaboration and the Sape players for the record setting feat.
“We are proud to be part of this event which helped develop interest among the public and reignite interest of the younger generation in pursuing this further,” said Aisah during a press conference at the event.
“Such initiatives is aligned to our corporate social responsibility principle to develop young people not only in education but also in arts and heritage like Sape, besides promoting conservation of culture and heritage,” she added.
Aisah said Sarawak Energy will continue to assess proposals or such programmes on a regular basis.
“Sape is one programme we have chosen for this year. We have other community related initiatives like the Penan Handicraft Projects where handicrafts from the Murum Penan in Belaga area are displayed
Meanwhile, Zainal commended Sarawak Energy for initiating the idea and staying committed to the programme jointly with RTM to achieve this success.
“It proves that not only sports but also music and culture can bring us all together. This is the manifestation of how we unite in diversity,” said Zainal.
Yeoh who is also MBOR operations, research and marketing manager regarded the record as unique and threw the challenge to Sarawak Energy and RTM to organise more record-breaking feat, such as building the longest Regatta boat.
“There is quite a lot of heritage and culture in Sarawak that can go for record,” he pointed out.
“Overall from last year, 40 per cent of MBOR records achieved last year were from either Sabah or Sarawak. So hopefully Sabah and Sarawak would be able to create more,” he added.
The programme yesterday also featured stalls offering a wide range of local handicrafts, including Sape with traditional design and food to enrich visitors’ experience.
The attempt was aired live over some of RTM’s channels, with different traditional and new Sape tunes by both veteran and young players.