MIRI: The longest non-stop sape performance was launched here yesterday with 50 sape players hoping to complete a 50-hour marathon performance till Sunday.
The event is part of an effort made by the Radio Television Malaysia (RTM) with Sarawak Energy to create a record in the Malaysia Book of Records apart from promoting the culture of Sarawak’s indigenous communities.
Friday’s launching was held at Miri RTM’s auditorium, and among those present were State Broadcasting Department (RTM) director Zainal Abidin Asri Abd Wahid, Sarawak Energy executive vice-president for corporate services Aisah Eden and Sarawak Energy assistant general manager for corporate social responsibility and sustainability Jiwari Abdullah.
According to Zainal, the event also seeks to drive up the tourism sector.
The programme showcases sape players from Belaga and Baram. The musicians will play individually or in group continuously starting from 9.30am on Firday to 11.30am on Feb 17.
The 50 sape players will be strumming 59 different tunes.
The programme is broadcast live via RTM radio.
Zainal credited SEB for their collaboration with RTM in making the event a reality.
“We have prepared for the event for months, and we hope everything will go smoothly,” he said.
The event sees Warisan Sape Telang Usan leading the non-stop performance, supported by sape musicians from Belaga and Baram.
International acclaimed sape maestro Mathew Ngau Jau is one of the musicians.
Meanwhile, Aisah in her opening speech said:“Sarawak Energy has continuously worked with indigenous communities to preserve Sarawak’s unique cultural heritage in music and handicraft.”
She said it was SEB that initiated Warisan Sarawak Telang Usan programme in 2016 to train 20 youths from Telang Usan in the art of playing sape, a traditional lute or sape of the Orang Ulu.
