If there is going to be a soundtrack for contemporary artist Yee I-Lann’s Borneo Heart exhibition in Kota Kinabalu, a Top 20 list of Sabahan karaoke favourites would certainly hit the spot. In fact, it feels like we already have one foot in the door, with one of the large-scale tikar works (woven mats) here featuring lyrics pieced together from well-loved tunes like Kimin Mudin’s Sayang Kinabalu, Jokteo Akang’s Proton Saga Kelabu and Justin Lusah’s Jambatan Tamparuli.
This particular artwork is titled Dusun Karaoke Mat: Ahaid Zou Noh Doiti (I’ve Been Here A Long Time), a split bamboo pus weave mat by Lili Naming, Siat Yanau and Shahrizan Bin Juin, three weavers from Keningau in Sabah.