Music of Brunei
Encyclopedia
Brunei
is a southeast Asian country located on Borneo
between the states of Sabah and Sarawak which are part of Malaysia. There is a wide array of native folk music, and dance. Brunei shares some Cultural perspectives and links with the countries of South East Asia such as Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines. Although Brunei has similarities with others, there are significant differences in terms of culture and heritage including its folk music, folk dance, and folk stories. The strong Islamic influence means that dance performances and music are somewhat restricted.
people during holidays, especially at the end of the harvest
season. Dancers wear traditional warrior's attire, in tengkolok, red belt and black clothing, and dance to the beat of silat
, a Malay martial art. This dance is accompanied by percussion instrument
s, including drums
and coconut
shells.http://www.brubiz.com/brubiz/culture/culture_page1.asp
population are known for the Jipin or Zapin dance, performed by six men and women, accompanied by instruments that include the gambus dan biola, dombak and rebana
. Gong
s like the Guling tangan (a set of small gongs), duck gongs and other styles are played. Malay folk music is played by accomplished musicians at special feats and celebrations. Responsive singing is sometimes performed at weddings, with the guests joining in http://www.labuantourism.com.my/aboutlabuan/culture.htm. The song "Alus Jua Dindang" is also an important part of Bruneian wedding music
; in it, the groom (who, in a traditional wedding does not know the bride beforehand), flatters and declares his devotion to his new wife http://www.brubiz.com/brubiz/culture/culture_page1.asp.
http://www.bruneimusicsociety.org/ has been organising concerts of mainly Western classical music since its founding in 1972. These concerts are usually held at the Orchid Garden Hotel in BSB. There is also a Brunei Music Association.
Brunei
Brunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia...
is a southeast Asian country located on Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
between the states of Sabah and Sarawak which are part of Malaysia. There is a wide array of native folk music, and dance. Brunei shares some Cultural perspectives and links with the countries of South East Asia such as Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines. Although Brunei has similarities with others, there are significant differences in terms of culture and heritage including its folk music, folk dance, and folk stories. The strong Islamic influence means that dance performances and music are somewhat restricted.
Folk music
Adai-adai is a group work song sung by fisherpeople while they fished. Another folk dance is the Benari, or Joget Baju Putih, performed during numerous festivals. It is usually performed by three men and three women.Kedayan music
Aduk-Aduk is a ceremonial dance performed by the KedayanKedayan
The Kedayan are an ethnic group residing in Brunei, Labuan, Sabah, and parts of Sarawak on the island of Borneo. They are also known as Kadayan, Kadaian or simply badly spelled as Kadyan by British. The Kedayan language is the de facto national language of Brunei...
people during holidays, especially at the end of the harvest
Harvest
Harvest is the process of gathering mature crops from the fields. Reaping is the cutting of grain or pulse for harvest, typically using a scythe, sickle, or reaper...
season. Dancers wear traditional warrior's attire, in tengkolok, red belt and black clothing, and dance to the beat of silat
Silat
Silat Melayu is a blanket term for the types of silat created in peninsular Southeast Asia, particularly Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei and Singapore. The silat tradition has deep roots in Malay culture and can trace its origin to the dawn of Malay civilization, 2000 years ago...
, a Malay martial art. This dance is accompanied by percussion instrument
Percussion instrument
A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
s, including drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
and coconut
Coconut
The coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, is a member of the family Arecaceae . It is the only accepted species in the genus Cocos. The term coconut can refer to the entire coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit, which is not a botanical nut. The spelling cocoanut is an old-fashioned form of the word...
shells.http://www.brubiz.com/brubiz/culture/culture_page1.asp
Malay music
The MalayMalay people
Malays are an ethnic group of Austronesian people predominantly inhabiting the Malay Peninsula, including the southernmost parts of Thailand, the east coast of Sumatra, the coast of Borneo, and the smaller islands which lie between these locations...
population are known for the Jipin or Zapin dance, performed by six men and women, accompanied by instruments that include the gambus dan biola, dombak and rebana
Rebana
Rebana is a Malay tambourine that is used in Islamic devotional music in Southeast Asia, particularly in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, and Singapore. The sound of Rebana often accompany Islamic ritual such as the zikir. The name Rebana came from the Arabic word Robbana meaning "our God".-Rebana in...
. Gong
Gong
A gong is an East and South East Asian musical percussion instrument that takes the form of a flat metal disc which is hit with a mallet....
s like the Guling tangan (a set of small gongs), duck gongs and other styles are played. Malay folk music is played by accomplished musicians at special feats and celebrations. Responsive singing is sometimes performed at weddings, with the guests joining in http://www.labuantourism.com.my/aboutlabuan/culture.htm. The song "Alus Jua Dindang" is also an important part of Bruneian wedding music
Wedding music
Wedding music applies music played at wedding celebrations, including the ceremony and any festivities before or after the event. The music can be performed live by musicians and/or vocalists or use pre-recorded songs, depending on the format of the event, traditions associated with the...
; in it, the groom (who, in a traditional wedding does not know the bride beforehand), flatters and declares his devotion to his new wife http://www.brubiz.com/brubiz/culture/culture_page1.asp.
Music institutions
The Brunei Music SocietyBrunei Music Society
The Brunei Music Society is a voluntary group arranging public concerts by performing musicians and supporting the development of musical activities in Brunei Darussalam.- Types of programme and performers :...
http://www.bruneimusicsociety.org/ has been organising concerts of mainly Western classical music since its founding in 1972. These concerts are usually held at the Orchid Garden Hotel in BSB.