Nyanyi Panjang Bersahutan

Audio 6.1: Audio Example 1 in Chapter 6 of book: Margaret Kartomi, ‘Musical Journeys in Sumatra’, Champaign-Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2012. In the province of Riau, the Petalangan Malay people, who live on the northern bank of the middle reaches of the great Kampar river, celebrate their weddings and other life cycle ceremonies by employing a traditional singer of long stories (“Nyanyi Panjang”) about adventures of love and war. Sometimes the main vocalist sings dialogue with a partner singer of the opposite sex. Often the dialogue is a playful, flirtatious exchange of ideas about romantic love as in this case. “Bersahutan” means an alternation of singing between the couple. This excerpt was recorded in November 1984 in the village of Betung, Pengkalan Kuras district of the mainland Riau province. Duration: 2 min. 05 sec. Copyright 1984. Margaret J. Kartomi.