Page 110 - The Guide To Sarawak

108 THE ARTS
The Shangyin Music Centre in Kuching promotes and teaches traditional Chinese music, reflecting a strong local demand for Chinese Opera during Chinese festivals. The elaborately dressed actors and singers are very popular with the locals. The Hong San Si Temple in Kuching stages an opera during the second month of the lunar year.
The Tua Pek Kong Temple is also famous for Chinese folk music and opera.
During the annual Mooncake Festival (usually in September) and at the Kuching Festival (always
on 1st August) , there are always ethnic ensembles performing Malay, Chinese, Indian and Dayak music as well as more modern pop bands playing for free at the venues located throughout
Kuching.
The Bisayah Gong
Orchestra plays at all functions of the Bisayah community, especially the Pesta Babulung and Buffalo Race held every June. Gongs are essential to the music of Sarawak, often symbolizing the affluence of the owner. They are used for both rhythm and melody, as in the small engkerumong that are laid out in a series of different keys.
The Lun Bawang community of Northeast Sarawak are well known for their Bamboo Bands (ngiup suling), using a variety of flutes, euphoniums and percussion instruments made from bamboo. At major festivals, bands will combine to form ‘bamboo orchestras’ of 100 musicians or more.
Traditional Chinese Music
A young Bisayah girl plays the Kalantangan, a simple 5-note gamelan metallophone, during the annual Pesta Babulung.