Botibas (Part 3) - Variations

Written by H. Joplin Mosiun 

May 13, 2023

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Sitaip Motinil of Kg. Maang in Penampang maintains that there is only one type of botibas. While there may be different variations, the primary beat and rhythm of the botibas, which results from the interlocking of the gandang and the first three gongs, remains the same. I have identified three variations of the botibas.

The first one is the most common one, which is played in areas from Kg. Maang to Kuai, Terawi, Hungab, up to Kg. Kepayan. 

At Kg. Maang, the botibas I had witnessed many years back was performed by a group of elderly folks, and was full of nuances or 'bunga-bunga'. Sitaip and the late Bisuil are two aficionados of the magagung botibas in Maang. The following is a music transcription of the botibas with all the nuances based on Bisuil and Sitaip's knowledge and skill in the time-honoured craft of gong playing.

The tootongon here does all the work of providing nuances to the botibas. However, at Terawi and Kuai, the tatavag (deepest sounding gong) at times is played a double beat as heard in the following audio of Kg. Kuai's performances in 2005 at Buhavan Square.

Another expert on the botibas and martial arts is the late George Doivin from Kg. Terawi. His advice when it came to playing the fifth gong in botibas, players should take care not to make it sound like dunsai, the funeral gong music. The following is a transcription of the Kg. Kuai and Terawi botibas.

The following audio is a fast-paced botibas performed by Terawi youths in 2005, trained by George Doivin. The botibas is not normally played fast, but a fast and up-tempo rhythm appeals to the youths giving less attention to nuances. 

To be continued