Sape (or also pronounce as sampet, sampeh, sape) is a traditional lutrof many of the Orang Ulu (upriver people) who live in the longhouse that line the river of Central Borneo. Sape are carved from a single bole of wood, with two strings and only three frets. Nowadays, four or five strings instrument are used with a range of more than two octaves.
Sape is use to form a ritualistic music to induce a trance,in last century, sape became a social intrument to accompany dance movement that man and ladies of many ethnic groups in Sarawak perform.The dance is such as "The Musuh" ( a stylized fighting dance performed by two men with a sound and shield), "The Ngajat" (a solo war dance performed by man or woman)
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| Mathew Ngau Jau - The Sape master |
Tusau Padan was the first Sarawak world-known Sape player who passed
away not long ago. Tusau appeared in his students dream, Matthew Ngau Jau, a Kenyah from Long Semiyang in the Baram, asking him
to do his utmost for sape music.
