Suara Buluh Perindu' helps Kundasang community earn a living through music

 By Olivia Miwil - December 24, 2021 @ 11:05am

Khamarul Azman Kowasin performing with the local community during the Bamboo Music and Kulintangan concert in Kundasang yesterday. - NSTP/OLIVIA MIWIL

RANAU: After gaining international fame, Khamarul Azman Kowasin @ Payuki, a 25-year-old flautist now helps his community through musical performances.

Five years ago, he defeated other musicians from 64 countries in the World Championships of Performing Arts for the solo instrument category in California.

Khamarul from Kampung Sinisian in Kundasang near here, awed the judges as he performed "Beethoven virus" with a two-metre long bamboo flute.

"Under the guidance of a senior who plays the Kulintangan (a Sabah musical instrument), I made my own 39-hole flute with three chords of C, D, and G.

"It was the originality and uniqueness of the instrument that helped me win two golds, three bronze and a gold champion plaque for that one category during the championship," he told the New Straits Times during the Bamboo Music and Kulintangan concert here yesterday in conjunction with the Cultural Art promotion, Jejak Budaya@Kundasang 2021 programme.

Raised by a father who makes bamboo flutes, he has been active in music since he was nine.

Khamarul said the melody from the instrument goes well internationally even when it is used for local songs such as Sayang Kinabalu and Jambatan Tamparuli.

Following his success, he was offered to study at the National Academy of Arts Culture & Heritage (ASWARA) by a professor.

However, he declined and opted to set up the Kundasang Cultural and Innovation Park (TABIK) with the community in 2019 to help them earn through cultural musical performances. They are also guided by academicians from Universiti Malaysia Sabah.

"My group, dubbed as the 'Suara Buluh Perindu' with members aged between nine and 31, is involved in the performances.

"For a booking for a group of at least 20 people, we will charge them between RM10 and RM20 per pax depending on the packages," said Khamarul.

After the programme launch, Tourism, Arts, and Culture (Motac) minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said all this while many people come to Sabah to experience "four seasons a day", to visit Mount Kinabalu and the greenery among others.

"Here, there are many extraordinary products, which cannot be found elsewhere, using natural resources such as bamboo.

"We can see there is a lot of potential in Kundasang and Ranau that can help increase the income for those who are involved in tourism (via cultural performances)," she said.

Meanwhile, Nancy added the ministry had approved RM40,000 funding for 17 arts and culture related non-governmental organisations from Sabah between 2019 and 2021.