KUCHING, June 22 ― With its increasing popularity, sape today has become an excellent tool to unite players and enthusiasts from various races and backgrounds nationwide, said internationally-acclaimed sape maestro Mathew Ngau Jau.

Referring to the Sape Camp 2023, Mathew expressed his joy for the encouraging participation of the inaugural event organised by Yayasan Perpaduan Sarawak (YPS).

"I am happy to note that the participants not only come from Sarawak but also from Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia. Sape is not only played by Orang Ulu people but also by other people of various races in the country. There is no border when it comes to sape. I am extremely proud of such reception towards sape as a tool for unity.

"We hope that such programme will continue to be organised in the future so that the younger generation will get the opportunity to get to know sape better,” he told reporters during a visit to his Lan E Tuyang Homestay here yesterday.

During the visit, 15 participants of Sape Camp 2023 were taught how to make sape, with half done sapes prepared for them during a demonstration led by the sape legend. Mathew also shared some stories behind several sape tunes, from traditional to contemporary.

According to YPS communications executive Ringkai Jewel, participants of the four-day camp comprising three from the Peninsular including an Indian and an Orang Asli of Perak; two from Sabah (a Kadazan-Dusun and a Rungus) and the rest from Sarawak of the Iban, Bidayuh, Kenyah, Punan, Malay and Chinese.

"Most of the participants aged 18 to 30 are students of higher learning institutions. After this camp, they will be made YPS Sape Ambassadors.

"We have various programmes in the pipeline for these sape ambassadors, with one of them a bigger camp next year looking at the positive feedback and suggestions for the first batch.

"Our intention for this sape camp is to make sape a tool of unity – to unite people of various races as sape today has become increasingly popular with many players and even played at the international level,” he said.

The highlight for the Sape Camp 2023 is the mini concert to take place at the Godown Amphitheatre at Kuching Waterfront today (June 22).

YPS deputy chairman Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Numpang is expected to grace the closing ceremony of Sape Camp 2023 at the same venue before the concert.

The public is invited to come and enjoy an evening of sape melodies and songs during the free admission concert. ― Borneo Post