Jong Jong Inai

Jong Jong Inai is a Malay folk song about everyday life, with its origins from the state of Terengganu on East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Many communities in this state live by the sea and one would see children playing on the beaches. This Malay folk song is usually sung by children, passed down by their elders, while playing a game of tag. It is a hybrid story of nature, food, and a maiden’s incident. There are variations on the original meaning of this folk song, and this is one of them:

The song tells a story of a maiden, Mak Ipong (a maiden from the Rajawali village), who accidentally stubbed her big toe on the stump of the inai plant while bringing food to the Sultan.

This piece can be performed a semitone higher if needed.
-Tracy Wong