By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Aug 4: Sarawakian musician, visual artist and cultural advocate Alena Murang has been awarded a Silver Medal for outstanding achievement at the prestigious Global Music Awards for her original Kelabit-language song, Sekunuh Kamih.
The international accolade recognises artistic excellence among independent musicians worldwide and honours works that demonstrate exceptional creativity, musicality and cultural impact.
According to a media release today, Sekunuh Kamih, which means “Our Stories” in the Kelabit language, is a deeply personal composition celebrating Indigenous identity, ancestral knowledge and the enduring strength of oral traditions.
Blending the haunting sounds of the sape’ with contemporary production, the song takes listeners on a sonic journey rooted in the rainforests of Borneo while exploring universal themes of belonging, memory and cultural resilience.
A unique feature of the song is its inclusion of voices from three generations of the Kelabit community.
The track opens with a recording of Murang’s father from a cassette tape made in the 1980s. In the recording, he asks his uncle, “Who told you this story?”, to which the elder replies, “The elders did, a long time ago.”
The song also features the voice of Murang’s grandaunt reciting an ancient epic tale of two warriors, reinforcing the song’s message of preserving and passing down ancestral stories.
The track was produced by Melina William, an award-winning Malaysian music director, producer and multi-instrumentalist who also has Orang Ulu heritage.
Alena said the recognition was significant because it brought international attention to the cultures and traditions of Indigenous communities in Sarawak and Malaysia.
“This recognition is incredibly meaningful because it shines a light not only on my music, but on the stories, languages and traditions of the indigenous communities of Sarawak and Malaysia,” she said.
The Global Music Awards is an international competition that recognises outstanding independent musicians across a wide range of genres. Its Silver Medal is awarded to works that demonstrate outstanding artistic achievement and excellence in music.
Sekunuh Kamih is available on major streaming platforms worldwide. — DayakDaily
