Post by anastasia on Jan 29, 2021 15:47:28 GMT 7
Alena Murang " Meno' " New Single & Music Video Release On YouTube (29/01/2021)
Sape’ songstress Alena Murang releases a new single and music video Meno’, a nostalgic lament of home, missing the longhouse and the people.
Alena, a descendant of the Dayak Kelabit people of the Baram river in Sarawak, recalls the days of the past when her ancestors used to make long journeys from the highlands to the coast of Miri to trade. They went by long boat through the rapids, and up through the dense jungle, sleeping at villages or in the jungle on the way. It was at times like these they would sing “ belian meno’ ” (wistful songs), a type of graceful song of yearning Meno’, in Kenyah language, is an emotion of yearning, thinking of something or someone that is not there.
The Kenyah language, spoken in Sarawak and Kalimantan, is of the Austronesian language group and listed as an endangered language “In the recent years I’ve been travelling internationally alot, and I would always sing this song on stage, also thinking about how much I missed home at the time”, explains Alena, who has played at festivals like South by Southwest USA, Førde Traditional and World Music Festival (Norway) and OzAsia Festival (Australia).
“I’m now based in KL, and in the past year the inability to return home especially to the kampung has had a greater impact on me than I would’ve thought” shares Alena, “I balik kampung at least twice a year to see the family, to reconnect with the land, to do research, and it really grounds me. I really miss it and I can’t wait to go back, but for now we have to keep everybody, especially the interior areas, safe from the virus”. A sentiment that many would relate to at this time. The music video, edited by Sabah-based Kelabit filmmaker Candy Yik, uses snippets of video from the road and rivers of the villages in the interiors of Sarawak along the ulu Baram river.
On recording and producing during Covid times, Alena comments that it is a challenge but not impossible - “it just slows down the process alot”.
Meno’ is the second single released in anticipation of her new album. The album recordings are supported by Kementerian Komunikasi dan Multimedia Malaysia as part of the Roads To Our Heritage project, and the Dayak Cultural Foundation.
“In the midst of Sarawak’s development we see that the modern Dayak identity is strong through projects such as this music production by Alena Murang,” shared Libat Langub, the Secretary to the Board of Trustees the of Dayak Cultural Foundation, “We are proud of Alena and her team for their dedication in upholding the culture of Kenyah and Kelabit people through music and language. We hope that other young people will be inspired to similarly create, to learn and share the wealth of knowledge and beauty that lie in the many languages and cultures we have here.”
Roads To Our Heritage (RTOH) is a music project collaboration by three (3) local Malaysian bands - Alena Murang, Estranged and Stonebay to produce an album each as well as a six (6) episode documentary series featuring East Malaysian music heritage. The project is supported by the Kementerian Komunikasi dan Multimedia Malaysia (KKMM) and funded under the Ministry’s 2020 Digital Content Fund (DKD) for the creative industry.
Through this documentary series, the three (3) bands together with music researcher Dr Nadia Widyawati Madzhi of UiTM Music Faculty aim to reach out and tell the stories of the natives of Sabah and Sarawak, specifically the traditional music craftsmen. By sharing these stories told by the native heritage caretakers, they hope that this could generate interest as well as be a part of the preservation efforts on East Malaysian culture and shared across all ages, both locally and internationally.
Watch Alena Murang " Meno' " New Single
Music Video Credits:
Producer by: Alena Murang
Co-directed by: Alena Murang and Din Hormatov
Edited by: Candy Yik
A Kanid Studio Production
Song Credits:
Produced by: Joshua Maran
Music written and arranged by: Jonathan Wong, Joshua Maran, Alena Murang and Herman Ramanado Mixed and Mastered by Ian Koren
Alena Murang: Lead vocals, Sape’ and Backing Vocals
Jonathan Wong: Guitar and Strings
Herman Ramanado: Backing Vocals
Joshua Maran: Electric Guitar, Synth and Backing Vocals
Links:
Meno’ music video: www.youtube.com/c/AlenaMurang (MV link to be updated on Friday)
YouTube page: www.youtube.com/c/AlenaMurang
Instagram: www.instagram.com/alenamurang
Facebook: www.facebook.com/alenamurang
Website: www.alenamurang.com
Contact: alena.murang@gmail.com
Sape’ songstress Alena Murang releases a new single and music video Meno’, a nostalgic lament of home, missing the longhouse and the people.
Alena, a descendant of the Dayak Kelabit people of the Baram river in Sarawak, recalls the days of the past when her ancestors used to make long journeys from the highlands to the coast of Miri to trade. They went by long boat through the rapids, and up through the dense jungle, sleeping at villages or in the jungle on the way. It was at times like these they would sing “ belian meno’ ” (wistful songs), a type of graceful song of yearning Meno’, in Kenyah language, is an emotion of yearning, thinking of something or someone that is not there.
The Kenyah language, spoken in Sarawak and Kalimantan, is of the Austronesian language group and listed as an endangered language “In the recent years I’ve been travelling internationally alot, and I would always sing this song on stage, also thinking about how much I missed home at the time”, explains Alena, who has played at festivals like South by Southwest USA, Førde Traditional and World Music Festival (Norway) and OzAsia Festival (Australia).
“I’m now based in KL, and in the past year the inability to return home especially to the kampung has had a greater impact on me than I would’ve thought” shares Alena, “I balik kampung at least twice a year to see the family, to reconnect with the land, to do research, and it really grounds me. I really miss it and I can’t wait to go back, but for now we have to keep everybody, especially the interior areas, safe from the virus”. A sentiment that many would relate to at this time. The music video, edited by Sabah-based Kelabit filmmaker Candy Yik, uses snippets of video from the road and rivers of the villages in the interiors of Sarawak along the ulu Baram river.
On recording and producing during Covid times, Alena comments that it is a challenge but not impossible - “it just slows down the process alot”.
Meno’ is the second single released in anticipation of her new album. The album recordings are supported by Kementerian Komunikasi dan Multimedia Malaysia as part of the Roads To Our Heritage project, and the Dayak Cultural Foundation.
“In the midst of Sarawak’s development we see that the modern Dayak identity is strong through projects such as this music production by Alena Murang,” shared Libat Langub, the Secretary to the Board of Trustees the of Dayak Cultural Foundation, “We are proud of Alena and her team for their dedication in upholding the culture of Kenyah and Kelabit people through music and language. We hope that other young people will be inspired to similarly create, to learn and share the wealth of knowledge and beauty that lie in the many languages and cultures we have here.”
Roads To Our Heritage (RTOH) is a music project collaboration by three (3) local Malaysian bands - Alena Murang, Estranged and Stonebay to produce an album each as well as a six (6) episode documentary series featuring East Malaysian music heritage. The project is supported by the Kementerian Komunikasi dan Multimedia Malaysia (KKMM) and funded under the Ministry’s 2020 Digital Content Fund (DKD) for the creative industry.
Through this documentary series, the three (3) bands together with music researcher Dr Nadia Widyawati Madzhi of UiTM Music Faculty aim to reach out and tell the stories of the natives of Sabah and Sarawak, specifically the traditional music craftsmen. By sharing these stories told by the native heritage caretakers, they hope that this could generate interest as well as be a part of the preservation efforts on East Malaysian culture and shared across all ages, both locally and internationally.
Watch Alena Murang " Meno' " New Single
Music Video Credits:
Producer by: Alena Murang
Co-directed by: Alena Murang and Din Hormatov
Edited by: Candy Yik
A Kanid Studio Production
Song Credits:
Produced by: Joshua Maran
Music written and arranged by: Jonathan Wong, Joshua Maran, Alena Murang and Herman Ramanado Mixed and Mastered by Ian Koren
Alena Murang: Lead vocals, Sape’ and Backing Vocals
Jonathan Wong: Guitar and Strings
Herman Ramanado: Backing Vocals
Joshua Maran: Electric Guitar, Synth and Backing Vocals
Links:
Meno’ music video: www.youtube.com/c/AlenaMurang (MV link to be updated on Friday)
YouTube page: www.youtube.com/c/AlenaMurang
Instagram: www.instagram.com/alenamurang
Facebook: www.facebook.com/alenamurang
Website: www.alenamurang.com
Contact: alena.murang@gmail.com
