‘Roots Music’

Voices from Papua : A selection from Papua’s incredible cultural diversity
These shrieking songs from te La Pago region (Lanny Yago) are the traditional start to a ceremony in the mountains of Papua. The words in Nopasewa are intended to welcome members of the upper class, such as chiefs, senior officials, regents and governors. The parts in Nanggorwah are addressed to the common people.
Aimunabai is the traditional song of the Yapen from the Saereri region (Serui), through which the stories of the forefathers are told.
Kankarem songs from the Saereri region (Biak) are a way of expressing social identity in the Biak culture.

Meet the artists at Creative District, Galerie Ravenstein 36, at 15h00.

Mataniari Toba Batak Music Ensemble
Batak is the collective name for the six ethnic groups which live around the vast Toba Lake in North Sumatra. They share a name and a region, but are very diverse, each with their own identity, culture and even language. These differences become very clear in their instrumental music, which is referred to as gondang by the Toba, gendang by the Karo and gonrang by the Simalungun– all three mean ‘drum’. This music is performed outdoors and is a combination of percussion and gongs with woodwind. The rhythmic structure of the gondang is considered to be one of the most complex in the whole of South East Asia. In the Batak region the Marsius brothers (kings of the sulim bamboo flute) and Sarikawan Sitohang (king of the hasapi lute) are known for the virtuosity and depth of their play. They have recorded around ten albums and toured the world with their music.

Saluang Dedang

Saluang, the bamboo flute of the Minangkabau people, often accompanies dendang, local folk songs full of humour and good advice.