This rare, long-necked lute or sundatang belongs to a group of musical instruments from the Raffles Museum's Borneo collection. Made from a soft, light wood such as jackfruit, it resembles an elongated guitar with three strings. It resembles the 'kudlung' boat lutes from the Philippines.This instrument was played either by the Dusun or the Murut communities in Sabah, who have very similar cultures as they live in close proximity. The sundatang can be played for personal entertainment or as a dance accompaniment and sometime even played in pairs.
