The Engkerurai is an iconic musical instrument in the traditional music of the Iban community. It belongs to the aerophone category, which means its sound is produced by blowing or vibrating air within its cavity. In other words, the engkerurai is a wind instrument that must be blown to produce sound. This Iban musical instrument is made from a gourd and bamboo and is typically played solo.

A complete engkerurai is constructed using a tangkong gourd combined with seven bamboo tubes of varying sizes and lengths. To create the engkerurai, the root of a ripe gourd is separated from the fruit, and the inner contents are removed to form a hollow cavity inside. The hollowed gourd is then carefully dried until it becomes completely dry and hard. After this, the interior of the gourd is cleaned thoroughly until it is entirely empty. Once the gourd is completely dry and hardened, a hole is made at the top to allow the base of all seven bamboo tubes to be attached and inserted into the gourd. The neck of the gourd is then cut to serve as the mouthpiece.

The preparation and tuning of the ruding, or reed, are crucial for shaping the sound that the engkerurai will produce. For this purpose, a tumpa made from a mixture of silver and copper is used to create the ruding. Only six of the seven bamboo ends of the engkerurai are fitted with a ruding to produce different sound notes, while the seventh bamboo serves as a support and stabilizer for the other tubes tied around it. All seven bamboo tubes are inserted together in a strong bundle into the gourd. However, the ruding must not touch the bottom base inside the gourd. The perimeter of the gourd's hole where the bamboo is inserted is coated and sealed with engkelulut, a type of natural adhesive or resin obtained from the kelulut bee's nest. This ensures that the air pressure inside the gourd, blown through the bamboo, does not leak or escape through the gaps around the hole.

After the crafting and assembly process is complete, the musician will blow the engkerurai to test and tune its sound. The engkerurai is generally played by the musician while sitting, blowing or inhaling air through the hole at the end of the gourd's neck to produce sound. Simultaneously, the musician's fingers touch the holes on the bamboo tubes to create the desired musical notes.