A Preliminary Exploration of How Sarawak Indigenous Popular Music Contributes to the Development of Sarawakian Identity
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the role of Sarawak indigenous popular music (SIPM) in shaping the identity of Sarawakians at personal, social, local, and regional levels. Using surveys and interviews, the research examined how SIPM was perceived by Sarawakians and how it contributed to the creation of their unique identity. The findings revealed that respondents identified SIPM as music that is sung or performed in Sarawak indigenous languages, incorporates musical elements of ethnic groups in Sarawak, portrays indigenous lifestyles and cultures, and represents identities of indigenous groups in Sarawak. The study also found that SIPM played a significant role in creating the Sarawakian identity, which symbolizes the state’s diversity, distinctiveness, and harmony through its lyrics, rhythm, beat, and musical activities or engagements it generated. The study’s implications suggest that indigenous popular music has a more extensive impact on shaping people’s identity beyond their indigenous consciousness. Further research could build on these findings to examine the potential of indigenous popular music in constructing a sense of identity among diverse communities across the world.
References
Boer, D. (2009). Music makes people come together: Social functions of music listening for young people across cultures. (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Victoria University of
Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand. Retrieved fromhttp://researcharchive.vuw.ac.nz/handle/10063/1155
Borneo Post (2021. July 21). CM: Thankfully S'wak has powers to make decisions apt to the situation in the state. Borneo Post. Retrieved on 3 March 2023 from
https://www.theborneopost.com/2021/07/21/cm-thankfully-swak-has-powers-to-make-decisions-apt-to-situation-in-the-state/
Chan, C. S. C. (2016). Songtext composition in pinloin among the Indigenous Jahai of Peninsular Malaysia: A local postmodernist approach? Malaysian Journal of Music, 5(2), 70–95. Retrieved from https://ejournal.upsi.edu.my/index.php/MJM/article/view/822
Chan, C. S. C., & Saidon, Z. L. (2017). Advocating contemporary traditional indigenous Semai music through an exploration of youth interest. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 7(7), Doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v7-i7/3114
Chetty, H. (2005). Marginal/minority popular music: The concept of the “third space” and the case for “hybridities” of cultures/identities. (Unpublished Master’s thesis). Brock University. Retrieved from https://dr.library.brocku.ca/handle/10464/1368
Eamsa-Ard, L. (2006). Thai popular music: The representation of national identities and ideologies within a culture in transition. (Unpublished doctoral thesis). Edith Cowan University. Retrieved from https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/62
Goh, P. P. (2021, October 27). A research chair to focus on Borneo ethnicities in Sarawak. New Straits Times. Retrieved 3 March 2023 from https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2021/10/740115/research-chair-focus-borneo-ethnicities-sarawak
Haunui-Thompson, S. (2016, July 11). It’s a way of thinking - Maimoatia. Radio New Zealand. Retrieved 3 March 2023 from
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/308437/'it's-a-way-of-thinking'-maimoatia
Herrera, L., Soares-Quadros JF Jr., & Lorenzo, O. (2018). Music preferences and personality in Brazilians. Frontiers in Psychology, 9(1488). https://doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01488
International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA). (n.d.). Indigenous peoples in Malaysia. Retrieved 3 March 2023
https://www.iwgia.org/en/malaysia.html
Jerome, C., Perry, E., & Ting, S. H. (2022). Malaysian pop music in the minority language: a tool for forging unity and a common identity? International Journal of Social Science Research, 4(1), 401-413. Retrieved 3 March 2023 from
https://myjms.mohe.gov.my/index.php/ijssr/article/view/17731
Knudsen, J. S. (2011). Music of the multiethnic minority: A postnational perspective. Music and Arts in Action, 3(3), 77-91. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10036/3977
Lim, C. K. N. (2021). Alternative modernities in the birth and development of Iban popular
music. In A. Johan & M. A. Santaella. Made in Nusantara: Studies in popular music (pp. 172-183). New York, NY: Routledge.
Lee, H. G. (2018). The ISEAS Borneo survey: Autonomy, identity, Islam and language/education in Sarawak. Perspective, 2018 (19). Retrieved 3 March 2023 from https://www.iseas.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/ISEAS_Perspective_2018_19@50.pdf
Lin, G. T. (2020, February 11). Breakthrough the thinking of “indigenous music” as a style of music. Retrieved 3 March 2023 https://taiwaninsight.org/2020/02/11/breakthrough-the-thinking-of-indigenous-music-as-a-style-of-music/
Lin, G. T. (2021). Music Culture and the Self-presentation of indigenous musicians on social media in Contemporary Taiwan. (Unpublished doctoral thesis). University of Westminster Westminster School of Media and Communication, United Kingdom. Retrieved from
https://westminsterresearch.westminster.ac.uk/download/46fc8461220f4424c07fae87547d21b2f54dc383b3c4cd543964d73da85fc427/16039605/Thesis_GuoTing%20Lin_Final.pdf
Minority Rights Group International. (n.d.). Indigenous peoples and ethnic minorities in Sarawak. Retrieved 3 March 2023 from https://minorityrights.org/minorities/indigenous-peoples-and-ethnic-minorities-in-arawak/Minority Rights Group International. (n.d.). Orang Asli. Retrieved 3 March 2023 from https://minorityrights.org/minorities/orang-asli/
Spanu, M. (2015). Alternative Globalization in Southern France: Minority Language as a creative tool in Occitan popular music. In D. Helms & T. Phelps (Eds.), Speaking in tongues: Pop Lokal Global (pp. 45-62). Biefeld, Germany: Transcript Verlag. DOI: 10.14361/9783839432242-004
Tan, S. B. (2014). Modernizing songs of the forest: Indigenous communities negotiate tensions of change in Malaysia. Retrieved 3 March 2023 from https://brill.com/display/book/9789004261778/B9789004261778-s013.xml
Tan, C. C., & Rickard, N. (2012). The music USE (MUSE) questionnaire: An instrument to measure engagement in music. Music Perception: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 29(4), 429-446.https://doi: 10.1525/mp.2012.29.4.429
Tsai, C. C., (2017). Indigenous music of Taiwan: Angelic voices of the motherland. Retrieved 3 March 2023 from https://beehy.pe/indigenous-music-taiwan-angelic-voices-motherland/
Vida, M. (2022, August 9). Five songs to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day: Women and nonbinary musicians express their identity through song. Global Voices. Retrieved 3 March 2023 from
https://globalvoices.org/2022/08/09/five-songs-to-celebrate-indigenous-peoples-day/
Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand. Retrieved fromhttp://researcharchive.vuw.ac.nz/handle/10063/1155
Borneo Post (2021. July 21). CM: Thankfully S'wak has powers to make decisions apt to the situation in the state. Borneo Post. Retrieved on 3 March 2023 from
https://www.theborneopost.com/2021/07/21/cm-thankfully-swak-has-powers-to-make-decisions-apt-to-situation-in-the-state/
Chan, C. S. C. (2016). Songtext composition in pinloin among the Indigenous Jahai of Peninsular Malaysia: A local postmodernist approach? Malaysian Journal of Music, 5(2), 70–95. Retrieved from https://ejournal.upsi.edu.my/index.php/MJM/article/view/822
Chan, C. S. C., & Saidon, Z. L. (2017). Advocating contemporary traditional indigenous Semai music through an exploration of youth interest. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 7(7), Doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v7-i7/3114
Chetty, H. (2005). Marginal/minority popular music: The concept of the “third space” and the case for “hybridities” of cultures/identities. (Unpublished Master’s thesis). Brock University. Retrieved from https://dr.library.brocku.ca/handle/10464/1368
Eamsa-Ard, L. (2006). Thai popular music: The representation of national identities and ideologies within a culture in transition. (Unpublished doctoral thesis). Edith Cowan University. Retrieved from https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/62
Goh, P. P. (2021, October 27). A research chair to focus on Borneo ethnicities in Sarawak. New Straits Times. Retrieved 3 March 2023 from https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2021/10/740115/research-chair-focus-borneo-ethnicities-sarawak
Haunui-Thompson, S. (2016, July 11). It’s a way of thinking - Maimoatia. Radio New Zealand. Retrieved 3 March 2023 from
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/308437/'it's-a-way-of-thinking'-maimoatia
Herrera, L., Soares-Quadros JF Jr., & Lorenzo, O. (2018). Music preferences and personality in Brazilians. Frontiers in Psychology, 9(1488). https://doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01488
International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA). (n.d.). Indigenous peoples in Malaysia. Retrieved 3 March 2023
https://www.iwgia.org/en/malaysia.html
Jerome, C., Perry, E., & Ting, S. H. (2022). Malaysian pop music in the minority language: a tool for forging unity and a common identity? International Journal of Social Science Research, 4(1), 401-413. Retrieved 3 March 2023 from
https://myjms.mohe.gov.my/index.php/ijssr/article/view/17731
Knudsen, J. S. (2011). Music of the multiethnic minority: A postnational perspective. Music and Arts in Action, 3(3), 77-91. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10036/3977
Lim, C. K. N. (2021). Alternative modernities in the birth and development of Iban popular
music. In A. Johan & M. A. Santaella. Made in Nusantara: Studies in popular music (pp. 172-183). New York, NY: Routledge.
Lee, H. G. (2018). The ISEAS Borneo survey: Autonomy, identity, Islam and language/education in Sarawak. Perspective, 2018 (19). Retrieved 3 March 2023 from https://www.iseas.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/ISEAS_Perspective_2018_19@50.pdf
Lin, G. T. (2020, February 11). Breakthrough the thinking of “indigenous music” as a style of music. Retrieved 3 March 2023 https://taiwaninsight.org/2020/02/11/breakthrough-the-thinking-of-indigenous-music-as-a-style-of-music/
Lin, G. T. (2021). Music Culture and the Self-presentation of indigenous musicians on social media in Contemporary Taiwan. (Unpublished doctoral thesis). University of Westminster Westminster School of Media and Communication, United Kingdom. Retrieved from
https://westminsterresearch.westminster.ac.uk/download/46fc8461220f4424c07fae87547d21b2f54dc383b3c4cd543964d73da85fc427/16039605/Thesis_GuoTing%20Lin_Final.pdf
Minority Rights Group International. (n.d.). Indigenous peoples and ethnic minorities in Sarawak. Retrieved 3 March 2023 from https://minorityrights.org/minorities/indigenous-peoples-and-ethnic-minorities-in-arawak/Minority Rights Group International. (n.d.). Orang Asli. Retrieved 3 March 2023 from https://minorityrights.org/minorities/orang-asli/
Spanu, M. (2015). Alternative Globalization in Southern France: Minority Language as a creative tool in Occitan popular music. In D. Helms & T. Phelps (Eds.), Speaking in tongues: Pop Lokal Global (pp. 45-62). Biefeld, Germany: Transcript Verlag. DOI: 10.14361/9783839432242-004
Tan, S. B. (2014). Modernizing songs of the forest: Indigenous communities negotiate tensions of change in Malaysia. Retrieved 3 March 2023 from https://brill.com/display/book/9789004261778/B9789004261778-s013.xml
Tan, C. C., & Rickard, N. (2012). The music USE (MUSE) questionnaire: An instrument to measure engagement in music. Music Perception: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 29(4), 429-446.https://doi: 10.1525/mp.2012.29.4.429
Tsai, C. C., (2017). Indigenous music of Taiwan: Angelic voices of the motherland. Retrieved 3 March 2023 from https://beehy.pe/indigenous-music-taiwan-angelic-voices-motherland/
Vida, M. (2022, August 9). Five songs to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day: Women and nonbinary musicians express their identity through song. Global Voices. Retrieved 3 March 2023 from
https://globalvoices.org/2022/08/09/five-songs-to-celebrate-indigenous-peoples-day/
Published
2023-06-01
How to Cite
JEROME, Collin et al.
A Preliminary Exploration of How Sarawak Indigenous Popular Music Contributes to the Development of Sarawakian Identity.
Asian Journal of Research in Education and Social Sciences, [S.l.], v. 5, n. 2, p. 1-14, june 2023.
Available at: <https://myjms.mohe.gov.my/index.php/ajress/article/view/22560>. Date accessed: 14 dec. 2024.
Section
Articles
