Importance Of Gong Music In The Rungus Community

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CHAPTER 1
1.1 Background of Study
The study on the gong music among Rungus community is very important to identify the value of this gong music to the community. Rungus community is one of the community in Sabah which possess a lot of unique traditions and culture. Rungus community also well- known with unique and sacred rituals such as mogorunduk and monogit. (Kitingan, Hussin & Baptist, 2011)
Gong-making and metal crafting were activities carried out by the Rungus community in Kudat, Sabah. The items were traded into other communities in Sabah. That includes the Iranun, Dusun community, Lotud and kadazandusun as well as many others. In Kudat, gong-making was a man’s activity. This shows how important is the gong music to most of the communities in Sabah, specifically the Rungus community. (Pugh- Kitingan, 2011)
The ceremony such as wedding, engagement, birth and even death are usually accompanied by the gong music (Ongkili, J.P. 1969). All the ceremonies are usually accompanied by gong music except of funeral. The gong music accompaniment is upon the person’s request whether to play the gong during his or her funeral. It shows the importance of the gong music in their tradition.
For certain districts in Sabah such as Kota Belud, can be seen that gong-making and metal crafting were activities carried out by high-class Datu families of the Iranun of Tempasuk. (Pugh- Kitingan, 2011)
In today’s current situation, the Rungus dance which is called sumundai is still performed

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