Linge: Belawan - An Immersive Exhibition

About This Event

Linge: Belawan is an immersive exhibition which aims to let visuals move with the rhythm and texture of the poetic storytelling of the Kayan people, Takna'. The story of Belawan, the spirit hero of the Kayan people is infamous for his formidability, prowess, cunning and charm of the Kayan man figure.

Takna' Belawan or Long Belawan, known also as Takna' Lawe' in Mendalam Kalimantan Kayan communities, is one the most told and known oral tradition amongst the Kayan communities. The tales tell of Belawan's adventurous journeys with his companions, seeking power, boasting his splendor and strength upriver the Keliman.

Among the Kayan, the Takna' Belawan is not simply told - it is sung, often over the course of several days, by practitioners chosen by the spirits, to carry its melodic and narrative weight inside the longhouse. It is a cultural expression form built for a specific audience and a specific kind of time. This November to December, that form meets another one.

The title Linge loosely means reflection or silhouette in the Kayan language.

For the first time, this story is presented in a manner in which visitors from outside the Kayan community, with no knowledge of the language, can still track Belawan's journey - sensing tension, movement, and resolution through what they see, layered against what they hear.

This project led by Adrian Jo Milang, a Kayan oral tradition practitioner of the Parap and Takna’ who also serves as creative producer, has held onto this idea for over five years. Adrian was told by his elders that Belawan is his own spirit companion - a personal lineage to the story that has shaped his long-standing interest in finding it a wider audience.

Adrian received early-stage funding to develop this from the Sarawak Youth and Creative Industry Fund (SYCIF), under the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Sarawak.

Other key supporters include The Tuyang Initiative, Telang Usan Hotel, Filamen, Blend Visuals, Sonia Luhong Wan, Ta'Dan and more.