THE GAMES OF SINGING A LULLABY - DODOI ANAK BIDAYUH SINGAI

Dodoi Anak means singing for a baby’s bedtime.   Hence this game is played in the form of singing a lullaby in groups by mothers to lull their babies to sleep. Back then, the lullabies were a mixture of Bidayuh and Malay languages. However, at present, this mixture is not well understood by many, but it is said that it renders a deep meaning.

The lyrics of the lullaby, usually sung by the Bidayuh Singai in Sarawak, are as follows:

N’er An’er (n’or An’or)

N’er an’er jan tata

Siwok masu tiboyan toring

Sino nyaa maad mowah

Ngojit tadu babang biring

Ner An’er

Sa tokang nang birarang

Sa dipeh nang biradin

Maa moret ke aron koih

Koih nigang tana sigon

G’on ag’on bitou pop’eng

Pop’eng giriet paya a’maa

P’eh podi a’maa in’ong

In’ong diram bisama subam

Ner an’er

Sikait rogang gasuor

To ngait dowen timun

Dowen timun dowen dodap

Sunih nyadap dio muun

Ner an’er

Tuak masuom mo ni godug

Tuak mosea mo ni kapuong

Stayea nyopuong butan

Butan tu’uh bulan onguod

Ner an’er

Translated by Dr. Megawati Omar, PhD