The Sompoton is Sabah’s native musical instruments of the Kadazandusun. The instrument’s name closely derives from the word Miampot, which means in unison by blowing or sucking the mouthpiece. This mouth organ is the most fascinating of the Sabah native musical instruments. Sompoton consists of eight pieces of bamboo pipe inserted into a dried gourd, which are arranged in two layers of raft-like configuration. Seven of the bamboo pipes are named according to local terminology and they are lombohon, monongkol, suruk, baranat, randawi, tuntuduk and tinangga. One of the pipes has no sound, but merely balances the bundle. By blowing or sucking the gourd’s mouth, the player can produced a soft sweet harmonious sound. A small lamella of polod palm (like tiny bungkau) is inserted in the side of each sounding pipe near its base. The pipes are fitted into a hole on one side of the gourd and sealed with bees wax. The lamellae lie inside the gourd and provide the sound of the completed instrument. The pipes are bound with thin strands of rattan. While playing a sompoton, the player covers and uncovers the ends of three of the four shortest pipes with three fingers of his right hand and three small openings cut in the base of the front shortest pipe and front and back pipes of the longer raft with fingers of the left hand. The sompoton can be played as a solo instrument for personal entertainment or in groups to accompany dancing. It is popular among the Kadazandusun.

Traditional knowledge and practices of making surnay – wind music instruments. Surnay is made with wood.

Traditional craft of making shoes and boots. Master has different tools and forms for preparation of skin for shoes.

Traditional knowledge and practices of making surnay – wind music instruments. Surnay is made with wood.

Traditional knowledge and practices of making surnay – wind music instruments. Surnay is made with wood.

A dried gourd is perforated on its surface and fixed with the bamboo sticks which are in different length. 7 holes are perforated on the longest bamboo stick, but not on the shortest one. It has to be played by blowing air through the open hole of dried gourd, while opening and closing the finger holes of bamboo stick with fingers. It is used to play the traditional music.\n-8 inches in the length of dried gourd\n-1 feet 4 inches in length of longest bamboo stick\n-1 feet in length of shortest bamboo stick

Four bamboos poles are fitted on the dry gourd. Two bamboo pipes which are covered with bamboo joints are fitted top of the dried gourd. Each of the bamboos is bored with holes. Two bamboo pipes which are covered with each of dried gourd are fitted at the bottom of dried gourd. According to the song, it has to be blown the air at the top of dried gourd and pressed the holes of the small bamboo pipes.\nDried Gourd\n-1 feet in length\n-1 feet 8 inches in girth\nUpper Two bamboos\n-1 feet 2 inches in length (1)\n-1 feet in length (2)\nFrom bamboo ( 1 ) to bamboo joint\n-3.5 inches in length\n-3 inches in girth\nFrom bamboo ( 2 ) to bamboo joint\n-7.5 inches in length\n-3 inches in girth\nLower two bamboos\n-1.1 feet 8 inches in length\n-2.1 feet 4.5 inches in length\nFrom top of bamboo ( 1 ) to Dried gourd\n-6 inches in length (3)\n-1 feet 7 inches in girth (4)\nFrom top of bamboo ( 2 ) to Dried gourd\n-3 inches in length\n-1 inches in girth\n-2 feet 8.5 inches in length of the dried gourd instrument\n-1 feet in height of the dried gourd instrument