United movement: (From left) Steffi Ann Tabari, Louis Uding and Nancy Puyang are part of the Warisan Borneo Dancers. — ART CHEN/The Star
A group of Sabah and Sarawak youths in Klang Valley are spreading awareness of their unique cultural heritage.
Malaysia Day is a time when the country celebrates its rich cultural diversity.
Knowing and appreciating each other’s culture is key to fostering unity in a multiracial country like Malaysia.
With that in mind, several youths came together to form Warisan Borneo Dancers in 2017.
The non-profit dance group, set up by a group of church-going friends from Sabah and Sarawak who are working or studying in the Klang Valley, aims to spread awareness of their home states’ cultural heritage.
Consisting of about 30 members, aged between 20 and 35, the dancers perform mostly at community events for free.
However, they gratefully accept any tokens of appreciation given for their efforts.
The Warisan Borneo Dancers are a hit whenever they visit different states in Peninsular Malaysia.
Warisan Borneo Dancers president Sandra Tagal, 45, said the youths came up with the idea to showcase their culture to those in Peninsular Malaysia.
“They also wanted to share their culture with each other as this enables them to have a better understanding of their own culture.
“They choreograph the dance steps and perform a mix of Sabah and Sarawak cultural dances,” she added.
Sandra, who hails from Ba’kelalan in the Limbang Division of Sarawak, said most people on the peninsula know about the Iban and Kadazandusun who are the majority in Sarawak and Sabah respectively.
But, she said, there are also the Lun Bawang ethnic group from Lawas, Sarawak; Rungus from Kudat, Sabah; Melanau from Mukah, Sarawak and Pisaya from Limbang, Sarawak.
There are about 30 major ethnic groups in Sabah and Sarawak with many smaller ones that have their own unique culture and heritage, she highlighted.
Louis Uding, 30, who is of Iban and Bidayuh ancestry in Bintulu, Sarawak, revealed that he did not know how to dance before joining the group.
“Nor did I know my own traditional dances.
“But after joining this group, we have come so far in learning, understanding and spreading our culture through dance.
Nancy wearing handmade accessories of the Orang Ulu community from Sarawak.
“I am proud to be able to share this knowledge with others, especially our audiences.
“Many come to speak to us personally after a performance,” he said.
Louis said he came to the Klang Valley as a student in 2010 and had to adapt quickly to peninsula food and a “late sunrise”.
“In my hometown, we wake up earlier as the sun is up around 5am.
“Here, the daytime feels like an hour later.
“In Sarawak, the sun sets by 6pm while here, it is still bright at 7pm,” said Louis, who is also a Petaling Jaya city councillor.
He also quickly learnt to dispel any preconceptions he had about those in the peninsula.
“Somehow, I had this wrong impression that people are more racist over here but this was wrong.
“The Chinese, Indians and Malay are all friendly and open to learning about my culture too.
“We can all live harmoniously. I think these misconceptions stem from a lack of understanding and exposure to people from different backgrounds,” said Louis.
Louis is able to share knowledge about his ethnic group through his dance performances.
He said there were very few Indians in his hometown, and he was surprised to see so many here when he first arrived.
Louis also became a fan of Malay food before long.
“I like nasi dagang and nasi campur. I also like paru lembu,” he said.
Jonathan Benedict, 32, from Tamparuli, Sabah, helps with the logistics of the dance group.
He is well-versed in a bamboo dance called “Magunatip”.
This performance is fun for both the dancers and audience as it is interactive.
Jonathan, who is Kadazandusun, does not mind answering questions posed by the audience about his culture and heritage as it is an opportunity for him to correct misconceptions.
One of it is about tattoos. He stated that only some ethnic groups got tattoos.
On rice wine, he said, “In my family, my mum knows how to make tapai (rice wine), but we only make it for certain occasions.”
“People ask us a lot of questions when we travel and perform in different states, from Kelantan to Johor.
“It is good to spread cultural awareness,” said Jonathan.
Steffi has come to love Indian culture, including its clothes and food.
Another member of the troupe is Sarawakian Nancy Puyang, 32, of Kelabit and Kayan descent, who moved to the Klang Valley in 2008.
She too takes a lot of pride in performing her cultural dance at events.
Her dance garments, she said, were stitched mostly by her mother.
“Almost all our mothers can sew traditional garments.
“They can also make our headgear by hand.
“Most of the accessories are made from natural materials such as corn hair. In the past, items were also made using human hair.
“A lot of these items were used in ritual practices too,” said Nancy, who works as a clerk.
She enjoys explaining about the dancers’ traditional attire and culture to others.
Sometimes, she has to set the record straight about misapprehensions.
“If someone asks if we still live in trees, I joke that we live in concrete trees with lifts, hinting at the fact that we also have flats and condominiums in Sabah and Sarawak,” she said.
Nancy observed that people here were a lot more invested in their children’s education and she wanted the same for those in her hometown.
“I hope parents and students from rural areas in Sabah and Sarawak will see the importance of education and how it can lift them out of poverty,” she said.
Steffi Ann Tabari, 32, from the Lun Bawang ethnic group, has been living in the Klang Valley since 2010.
The group members choreograph their own steps and perform a mix of Sabah and Sarawak cultural dances.
“Unlike other groups, we have lost the art of making tuak (rice wine).
“We no longer drink like our ancestors. In fact, most of us no longer drink.
“Over the years, more people became religious, changed their lifestyle and stopped drinking,” she opined.
On the harvest festival, Steffi said, “The festival is big in my community. The harvest offering is now brought to church.
“We live in the highlands, which has cooler climate like Cameron Highlands.
“We have Bario rice and the politician Baru Bian is Lun Bawang,” she added.
Steffi likes Indian food and culture as well, which she got to know better after she moved to the peninsula.
“I like Indian yogurt, rasam and also their traditional outfits.
“They are very colourful, just like the beads on our traditional clothes,” she added.
