ARTS

MAGUNATIP
Introduction
Magunatip, the warrior dance of Borneo Headhunters also known as Bamboo Dance In
tradition, was performed as a victorious dance when Murut warriors return from a
headhunting raid. Magunatip combines skill, precision and agility. Dancers hop in and out of
two clapping bamboo poles where the slightest miscalculation could lead to a trip to hospital.
But this jaw-dropping spectacle performed by the Murut tribe has roots in paganism, healing
ceremonies and headhunting.
Origin
The name “Magunatip” is derived from the word ‘apit’ which means “to press between two
surfaces. According to Murut village elders, a mischievous farmer started the tradition
generations ago. The prankster modified two bamboo poles into a contraption to trip his
friends up during breaks. As the bamboo clapped together, people would jump and hop to
avoid the painful smack on their ankles. People began to see the funny side, which gave birth
to a soon-to-be folk game. This evolved into the bamboo dance. Later it transformed from a
bit of fun in the fields to holding crucial roles in pagan rituals and headhunting celebrations.
Dancing method
Two dancers sit opposite each other holding two pieces of bamboo. Slowly they start to tap
the poles together on the floor, creating a rhythm. Add in the sounds of gongs and the
Magunatip dance is ready to start. Two Murut dancers donned in traditional clothing and
headdresses jump in between the clapping bamboo. Crowds marvel at their dexterity as the
dancers move in perfect sync and avoid hitting the bamboo. Slowly the tempo increases. The
clapping gets faster.
Events magunatip is played

 Healing rituals

The clapping of the bamboo combined with the gongs, they believed, kept evil spirits away.
And without these malicious entities, the village would prosper. The early version of the
Magunatip quickly became part of the Angkalatung healing ceremony. Murut communities
believe the noise and ritualistic movement of the feet warded off the spirits that made people
sick.

 Warrior dances

At around the same time, Sabah’s Murut tribes were at the height of their fearsome
headhunting campaigns. The warriors needed to demonstrate their manhood. All men had to
capture a head before they could marry. Headhunts were a standard part of village life. As the
warriors returned, the villagers performed the Magunatip to welcome the victorious warriors.
The sounds of clapping, gongs and cheering made the blood of villagers in nearby areas run
cold.

The modern-day bamboo dance mostly takes place at ceremonies and cultural shows. Rural
communities still dance the Magunatip at special events, including engagement ceremonies
and weddings. It’s a common sight during Sabah’s Harvest Festival and at some of the
classier restaurants too. Bamboo dances are no longer associated with pagan spirits and
warriors. Instead, they combine a glimpse into ancient pagan rites and a spectacular
performance found nowhere else in Malaysia.
Maningkawot
 Introduction
Maningkawot is another tradisional dance of Murut which participants leap up to showcase
their aerial gymnastics skills. In the absence of targets to reach for, the murut acrobats would
jump to do a somersault and attempt to land back on their feet. Maningkawot is a dance
performance showcases a great deal of teamwork, as everyone in the team would have to
jump on the lansaran together in sync (to build up momentum) before each team member
takes a turn to leap and perform an acrobatic stunt. The dance us usually accompanied by the
playing of traditional musical instruments such as gong (an idiophone made of brass) and the
togunggak, which is a set of musical instruments made of large bamboo culms.

Long before the western technology came to this part of the world, the Murut community in
interior of Sabah had come up with their version of the bouncy trampoline called the
lansaran by Murut people. Made of wood and plank flooring, it is constructed in a way to
allow it to bounce. The planks are properly arranged and tied with rattan to allow flexibility.
It is supported at the edges so the middle part can bounce easily. Sometimes, the lansaran can
take as many as 20 people. The creation of lansaran has contributed to the art of jumping
called maningkawot (one must jump as high as possible to get the target tied above the
lansaran). The lansaran is also done to test the craftsmanship needed in making it.
Maningkawot can also be a type of dance in which participants leap up to showcase their
aerial gymnastics skills. In the absence of targets to reach for, the murut acrobats would jump
to do a somersault and attempt to land back on their feet. Maningkawot as a dance
performance showcases a great deal of teamwork, as everyone in the team would have to
jump on the lansaran together in sync (to build up momentum) before each team member
takes a turn to leap and perform an acrobatic stunt. The dance us usually accompanied by the
playing of traditional musical instruments such as gong (an idiophone made of brass) and the
togunggak, which is a set of musical instruments made of large bamboo culms. The second
one is Lansaran dance. The word lansaran itself can be called as a type of dance where at
the same time a group or a person (depending how the competition is held) will jump called
as "maningkawot" to get the kinkilat (prize). The platform is strong enough to support 20 to
40 people in the energetic, unique Murut dance. ‘Lansaran’, a popular pastime dancing on
the wooden platforms built on bamboo springs in the longhouses of Indigenous Murut, is
a typical of a trampoline used during festivities.

The platfrom is strong enough to support 20 to 40 people in the an energetic, unique

Murut dance. Wooden concussion platform of the Murut people of Sabah,
Malaysia. This unusual idiophone is a special dance floor some 3 metres
square, made of flexible wooden boards. It springs vertically about 30 cm
or more when set in motion by dancers, producing regular crashes as it
hits wooden support beams below. It is usually located in the village
community house. The dancers sing and move rhythmically, shifting their
weight to move the floor. The rhythm of the crashes and the tempo of the
song sometimes move gradually out of phase because of the difficulty of
breathing and dancing at the same tempo. The use of the lansaran and
the singing of four-line verses (pantun) was formerly connected with
headhunting ceremonies, however nowadays it is used for celebrations in
the village and to welcome visitors.  ‘Lansaran’, where the men will jump
as high as they can to reach their prize which is hung on top of their head.
The Lansaran platform is bouncy, made from bamboos and woods in the
Muruts’ longhouse.