Asadia revives forgotten Iban stringed instrument
KUCHING: The Academy of Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (Asadia) has revived a long-forgotten traditional Iban three-stringed instrument known as belikan, which resembles the Orang Ulu sape.
According to Asadia head Mabong Unggang, the instrument was last known to have been played in public over six decades ago in a documentary by Tom Harrison – former Sarawak Museum curator.
“The belikan that Asadia produced was based on a model obtained from one found at an antique shop at the Kuching Waterfront, one from a friend in Betong – Edmond Ranta, one from a Chinese trader in Saribas, and one from Iban culture expert Dato Sri Edmund Langgu. We blended them all together and came up with our own design,” he explained in a press release.
“As for the tune, we got it from the 1958 documentary by Tom Harrison and on what was being played over the radio station RTM Iban programme in the 70s and 80s – right before the news in Iban started.”
Mabong said somehow the instrument became forgotten.
“Most people do not know or are not familiar with the belikan. (Assistant Minister of Youth and Sports) YB Datuk Snowdan (Lawan) hopes that those in the music industry will help to revive them and popularise the belikan and its music up to the international stage as what Jerry Kamit has done for the sape,” he said.
According to Mabong, belikan used to be very popular among the Ibans in Saribas, Batang Ai, and Batang Rajang.
He called on the Iban community to help ensure that the instrument will never “go into oblivion again”.
“Why it had gone into oblivion previously, I could not find the answer. Thus far, nobody could supply me with a logical answer. Hopefully the members of the new generation will pick it up from here and let it become a tool of the Iban identity,” he said.
The belikan was reintroduced during Asadia’s Traditional Arts and Culture Course Graduation and preGawai Dayak dinner here recently.