Alena Murang

Alena Murang sings in the endangered languages of Kelabit and Kenyah from her Dayak heritage: Dayak are the native people of Borneo. She is one of the first women to play the sape’, a lute instrument from Borneo tradionally (pre-1930s) reserved for male healers. Deeply influenced by the lives for her ancestors, coupled with influences of rock and folk, her shows are a journey of past and present, along the mighty Baram river that runs from the coast to the highlands of Borneo, through the world’s oldest rainforest. Alena is also a dancer, sape’ teacher and visual artist.


Alena Murang is a singer-song writer, the first professional female sape’ player, The sape’ is a stringed lute instrument from Borneo. She receives songs, music and stories from her Kelabit and Kenyah elders, and presents them in contemporary ways; also writing original songs. Alena was part of the revival movement of the sape’, 20 years ago, in the first batch of students from sape’ master & living heritage Mathew Ngau Jau. Now, she travels to festivals across the world sharing the music of her people.