{
  "id": 17898024,
  "title": "Rining's dedication keeps Lun Bawang musical tapi tradition alive",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/03/rinings-dedication-keeps-lun-bawang-musical-tapi-tradition-alive",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-03T02:23:55.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/news/regional/2026/11/1569567/rinings-dedication-keeps-lun-bawang-musical-tapi-tradition-alive"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In Kuching, as the city's nightfall approaches, musician Rining Peter Paris comes to life in his backyard workshop, crafting the tapi, a Sarawak's Lun Bawang community's traditional two-stringed instrument. Originally from the Ba kelalan highlands, Rining is one of the few remaining tapi makers in Malaysia, working late into the night to preserve an ancestral craft through intricate carvings on pulai wood. Despite traditional stringed instruments from Malaysian Borneo often being linked to Orang Ulu communities, the tapi holds a unique place in Lun Bawang heritage.\n\nRining's work involves ten main stages, from cutting and shaping the wood to intricate carving and smoke treatment, using pelai wood sourced from the Ba kelalan hills. The process can be challenging, with wood sometimes cracking, but Rining believes in making the most of each piece, crafting smaller instruments from leftovers. With an aging craft and health concerns, Rining plans to train young Lun Bawang artisans and fully dedicate himself to making the instrument by 2028.\n\nRining's efforts have gained recognition beyond Malaysia, with the tapi attracting interest from a German woodworker and introduction to international audiences by musician Belle Sisoski. Over 66 tapi instruments have been sold at an average price of RM1,100 each, proving the tapi's cultural and commercial value. Rining encourages villagers to learn the craft, starting with basic tasks and progressively moving to more intricate work, hoping to ensure the instrument's continued resonance with future generations.",
  "summary": "KUCHING: As the clock approaches 10.30pm and the bustle of the city begins to fade, Rining Peter Paris’s creative world comes alive.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Bernama",
        "title": "General : Rining's Dedication Keeps Lun Bawang Musical Tapi Tradition Alive",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/03/general-rinings-dedication-keeps-lun-bawang-musical-tapi-tradition",
        "published": "2026-11-03T01:13:51.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}