Title
Lute
Year/Period
20th century
Region
Probably Dusun or Murut, Sabah, Borneo
Object Type
lutes (chordophones), plucked string instruments
Material
wood (plant material)
Technique
woodworking
Dimension
Object size: 125.5 x 22.2 x 12.8 cm
Accession No.
XXXX-09389
Collection of
NLB Type
Musical instrument
This rare, long-necked lute or sundatang belongs to a group of musical instruments from the Raffles Museum's Borneo collection. Made from a soft, light wood such as jackfruit, it resembles an elongated guitar with three strings. It resembles the 'kudlung' boat lutes from the Philippines.This instrument was played either by the Dusun or the Murut communities in Sabah, who have very similar cultures as they live in close proximity. The sundatang can be played for personal entertainment or as a dance accompaniment and sometime even played in pairs.
