:: The Nose Flute ::
CHARACTERS:I) Father - Olu
II) Mother - Tindai
III) Son - Otu
COMMUNITY: Kadazan people
BACKGROUND: Village near mountain and at Olu’s house area.
:: Script ::
Narrator: The nose flute of the Tuahi originated since the time of our forefathers. It is played by bringing the flute to the nose and gently breathing air into it. The flute then makes a similar sound to that of any flute but still the sound is quite distinctive. The nose flute is played to inform others of the passing away of another. This is the story of how the nose flute came to be.
A long time ago, all our ancestors lived together at the foot of a mountain. They built their homes on higher levels and used the lower levels or valleys to farm. They planted hill rice, onions, vegetables and many others. Over time, the Kadazan race grew populous. There were few lands left for farming and food had become scarce. Very soon, there was no farming land left or even land to build homes.
One day, a family decided to move away and look for their own living. The name of the father in the family was Olu’ and his wife’s name was Tindai. They had only one child, a boy whose name was Otu.
Olu : Tindai…….
Tindai : Yes hubby?
Olu : I decided to move away from this place and look for our own living.
Tindai : Wow hubby, that’s a good idea!
Olu : Hmmmm…tomorrow I will move and by today we must pack our things.
Otu : Mom, are we going out tomorrow?
Tindai : (Smiled ….) Yes, we are going out from this place forever Otu.
**Otu’ was still a very young boy when he moved away with this parent. Olu’ and Tindai found a suitable place to settle down and started cultivating their plot of land for rice and other vegetable plants.**
**They lived in their new home for ten year without ever having gone back for a visit.**
Otu : Dad, Mum….. It had been 10 years we didn’t visit our village. Why don’t we go back and have a visit there.
Tindai : Otu, our village is too far and there are no roads to go there.
Otu : But mom…..
Olu : Not only that, there are head-hunters around the area. It is not safe for us to go there!
Otu :Hmmmmmm……… (Disappointed)
**Time passes……. Olu and Tindai are getting older. One day....**
Olu : Otu…….time passed to fast and I’m getting old now. Please take good care of our family after me.
Otu : Dad, I know well my responsibility, don’t worry.
Olu : (coughing….) I’m proud of you my son! (No reaction…)
Tindai and Olu: (crying………….)
**That was the last word. Olu died! With that, life grew lonely for both Tindai and out.**
Tindai : Otu, I also growing older and the time for me to pass away is growing nearer.
Otu : But Mom….who is look for me after that?
Tindai : Otu….you should not be like this. You had grown up! I will teach you how you should manage when you are own later.
Otu : You had put so much trust on me, mom! I promise to do my best in the future even though you are not here anymore.
**As time passes, she began to give final instructions to Otu’. She told him of many things regarding with their culture and also advice on how he should manage when he was on his own later. Not so long after that, Tindai died. Otu’ was to overcome by the grief when he realised that he had now lost both of his parents. He felt completely alone by himself. Otu’ wondered how he could express his sadness over his mother’s death.**
Out : I could not cry to express my sadness because man was not allowed to weep for this. What should I do now?
**Otu’ continued to think about this when he saw a stand of thing bamboo in the area around his house. Suddenly, he had an idea. He took a piece of the bamboo and started to smoothen it. He then made small holes in the bamboo stick. Very soon, the piece of bamboo in his hands turned into a flute.**
**He brought the flute to his nose and breathed out into the holes of the bamboo and a nice tune came out. He adjusted the bamboo carefully breathed out into the holes again. The flute made a plaintive and mournful tune.**
Otu : I can’t stop playing the flute because this is the only way I can express my grief for you, Mother!
**The music from his flute went out from the house and was heard by people in the neighbouring village. They were amazed to hear it because they had never heard any other sound quite like it before. The people from the villages went out from their homes to have a look for the source of the sound. They looked hard for it until they came to the very doorstep of Otu’. There, they saw his mother, Tindai, who was still unburied.**
**From this came the tradition of the Kadazan people, to use the nose flute to convey news that someone has departed from this world.**
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