"Re Lekuah" is the first music video in the Kelabit language.

From Kelabit musician Alena Murang: The Kelabit people have a tradition of telling stories through song, the storyteller sitting for nights on the floor of the raised longhouse, singing an epic. The last two generations have lived through rapid transitions: from practising headhunting, ceremonial tattooing and animal sacrifices, to embracing Christianity in the 1930s; from having zero electricity to 24-hour solar-powered energy. Parallel to this was the introduction of formal schooling, money and deforestation. Whilst the storytelling traditions could not carry speed with the vast changes, one thing remained constant for the Kelabit: hard work.

Re Lekuah is an old song rich with figurative meanings, many of which are lost and open to speculation. Literally though, the song gives insight to the hard work that young women had to do in the village, and perhaps a desire and longing for something more. Placed in an urban, contemporary setting, life isn’t much different. Customarily, an elder would transmit the oral tradition to her children and grandchildren, but Alena’s grandmother didn’t live long enough to pass on her stories. Alena learnt this song from Tepu’ Do’o Ayu, asking her blessing to rearrange and to share the song outside the community - whatever it takes to make people listen, is the reply. Re Lekuah, the music video, presents dualities: drawing parallels and contrasts across time (old versus young; past versus present) and space (rural versus urban).