KaDuSViLLe

Twenty-five-year-old Mark Mojitoh learnt to speak his mother tongue by singing Jestie Alexius’ hit song, Kosorou Kopo Nangku Doho (Do You Still Remember Me).

“My Kadazandusun was not good. In 1999 when I heard Jestie’s song, I liked it as it had a powerful melody and touching and meaningful lyrics,” explains the Penampang boy.

Curious about the meaning of the lyrics in Kosorou Kopo Nangku Doho, Mojitoh asked his parents and friends to explain the Kadazandusun words that he did not understand. Within two years, he expanded his vocabulary by listening to other Kadazandusun songs and speaking to his elders.

“The Kadazandusun culture is in me. I can’t run away from it. In the 1980s my father, Christopher, sang Kadazandusun songs on RTM’s radio station and my mother, Veronica, was Miss Harvest Festival 1978,” says the freelance computer technician.

Interestingly, he adds that his father’s songs are back on the airwaves.

In June 2005, his interest in the Kadazandusun songs led him to start a website, kadusmusic.tambalut.com, to promote his community’s music.

“My generation of Kadazandusun youths are only interested in songs by Eminem and Linkin Park. That is okay but they should not forget about their own songs,” he explains. “But for most of them, Kadazandusun music is old stuff from the past.”

Mojitoh, who spends two to three hours a day on his website, listens to Aerosmith, his favourite band, and Bon Jovi too. But these musicians, he says, are beyond his reach.

”I don’t think I will ever meet Jon Bon Jovi but I’m able to meet in the flesh the Kadazandusun singers. I’m able to interview them and write about them on my website,” says Mojitoh who is a fan of local heroes Aldro John Gaisah and Danny F. Malanggi.

Mojitoh is now moving beyond being just a fan – he is managing new Kadazandusun artists – Ally Gairus and Donna Cyhnthia.

KaDuS Bilang:
Macam kenal. ni ah hasil yang sia kana interview oleh topbinai Philip Golingai dari The Star newspaper! Its good juga, kunu-kunu dapat juga kasi introdius ni music kadus sama smua urang di Malaysia. although sia pinya part kici ja, tapi sia puas ati juga lah... wekekekekeke

Link untuk ni story, selain kluar di The Star Online, sama Kadusmusic.com, dia kluar juga di:
-http://allmalaysia.info/news/story.asp?file=/2006/3/26/state/13687840&sec=mi_sabah
-www.theramonitor.com/Lic-to-Lio/linkin_park.php