you and me and you and i and you and you
Yee I-Lann
Borneo Heart
2019
off-set print
59.4×84.1cm (A1)
2nd edition of 100
Yee I-Lann
Measuring Project: Chapter 1
2021
Digital inkjet pigment print (Giclée) on Hahnemühle Photo Rag paper
29.7 x 42 cm (A3 x 4)
Edition of 8
The Bajau Sama DiLaut community at Omadal don’t use feet or inches to measure. Seven feet (kaki) means the mat weaver’s foot multiplied seven times, toe to heel.
Measuring a foot’s length is more than just counting steps, it’s the life you embed in the mat. When you take the first step, you say aloud, “Hidup!” (“Life!”). When the next heel touches the previous toe, you say aloud, “Mati!” (“Dead!”). Then with the next foot you say, “Hidup!” then “Mati!” and onwards. You must start with hidup and end with hidup. And the foot used to measure must belong to the principal or collectively nominated weaver.
– Yee I-Lann
Yee I-Lann, with weaving by Kak Kinnuhong, Kak Sanah, Kak Budi, Kak Roziah, Kak Goltiam, Kak Kuluk, Macik Rerah, Macik Appay, Adik Darwisa, Adik Alisya, Adik Enidah, Adik Dela, Adik Erna, Adik Norsaida, Adik Asima, Adik Aline, Adik Dayang, Adik Tasya, Kak Solbi, Kak Anjung
Tikar Emoji
2020
Bajau Sama DiLaut Pandanus weave with commercial chemical dye
488 x 396 cm
Yee I-Lann, with weaving by Lili Naming, Siat Yanau, Shahrizan Bin Juin, Juraen Bin Sapirin and S. Narty Raitom
hello from the outside
2019
Split bamboo pus weave with kayu obol black natural dye, matt sealant
225 x 364 cm
Yee I-Lann, with weaving by Lili Naming, Siat Yanau, and Shahrizan Bin Juin
Dusun Karaoke Mat: Ahaid zou noh doiti
(Malay trans: Lama sudah saya disini / Eng trans: Ive been here a long time)
2020
Split bamboo pus weave with kayu obol black natural dye, matt sealant
221 x 317.5 cm
Song lyrics in the original Kadazan or Dusun language
(trans. Bev Joeman, Loriot Moujing, Didy Maison, Charles Darwin)
“Sayang Kinabalu” by Kimin Mudin
Sabah Malay: Tinggi tinggi gunung Kinabalu / tinggi lagi sayang sama kamu / biru biru hujung Kinabalu tengok dari jauh / hati saya rindu
English: So high is Mount Kinabalu / my love for you (Kinabalu) is higher / so blue is the edge of Kinabalu seen from far / my heart is longing
2) “Jambatan Tamparuli” by Justin Lusah
Dusun: Pak pak kang ku doh sumunsui doh jambatan jambatan doh Tamparuli bakasut tinggi oku / sumunsui doh jambatan jambatan doh Tamparuli pak pak kang ku doh bakasut tinggi oku
English: i make a “pak pak” sound as i walk along the bridge the Tamparuli bridge in my high-heeled shoes / as i walk along the bridge the Tamparuli bridge i make a “pak pak” sound in my high heeled shoes
3) “Proton Saga kalabu” by jokteo akang
Dusun: Gaji enam ratus satu bulan / amu kosukup makan / sebab mata duitan / apandai do makan jalan / mintanud nopo kodilo proton saga kelabu
Sabah Malay: Gaji enam ratus satu bulan / tak cukup untuk makan / sebab mata duitan / (wanita) pandai cari jalan / asyik mengikut kereta proton saga kelabu (diaorang la ba ni selalu ikut2 lelaki yg berlainan)
English: Salary of 600 a month / is not enough to eat / with eyes just for money / (woman) clever to look for ways / busy following the gray Proton Saga (following many different guys – following wealth or status)
4) “Kaandaman doid kampung” by Irene Thaddeus (singer) music & lyrics by Gundohing Thaddeus Majakul
Kadazan: Kaandaman ku doid kampung / ahaid zou noh doiti / pomogunan gia do vokon / koondom zou do muhi
Malay: Teringat saya di kampung / lama suda saya disini / tempat orang lain / saya teringin mahu pulang
English: Memories of the kampung / I’ve been here a long time / this place belongs to others / I want to go home
5) “Tanak Kampung” by Jimmy Palikat
Sabah Malay: Tiada keretaku bawa kau jalan-jalan / rumahku pun tiada ada pun bapa punya / apalagi belanja mahu bayar berian / kahwin sama kamu
English: Don’t have a car to take you driving / don’t have a house that’s not my father’s / what’s more paying a dowry / to marry you
6) “Kosorou kopo nangku doho” by Jestie Alexius
Dusun: Id tanga tuong / okito ku tulan rombituon / kopurimanan ku osongulunan oku / do inggino ko koupusan // Intanganku posorili / anawau binabang tulan / kinotu ku iso tusak bunga / li minungkalad tanga tuong
Malay: Di tengah malam / ku lihat sinaran bulan bintang / tersedarlah ku kini kesorangan / ditinggal pergi yang tersayang // Ku pandang di sekitarku / diterangi cahaya sinaran bulan / ku petik pucuk setangkai bunga / mekar berkembang di tengah malam
English: In the middle of the night / I see lit by the moon and stars / aware of being alone / left by the beloved // I look around me / illuminated by moonlight / I pick a flower / blossoming in the middle of the night
7) “Kasakazan Bambaazon” by Datuk Claudius Sundang Alex
Kadazan: Kotobian do toun vagu doid songovian, ada tokou pogivovogu, ondomo kovosian // Toun haid tumahib au opiumanan, toun vagu noikot no gontob, tadau do kaamatan
Malay: Selamat tahun baru kepada semua, jangan kita ada irihati, tapi fikirkan yang terbaik // Tahun lepas sudah limpas tanpa disedari, tahun baru sudah sampai dengan penuh berkat tuaian.
English: Happy new year to everyone, let’s not be jealous, think of the good // The year went by without us realising it, the time has come for us to be thankful for the harvest
Sing along to these Dusun songs here:
Ahaid Zou Noh Doiti // Playlist
Yee I-Lann, with weaving by by Roziah Jalalid and Julitah Kulinting
Black Table
2018
Pandanus and bamboo pus with kayu obol black natural dye
Yee I-Lann, with weaving by Roziah Jalalid and Julitah Kulinting
Women Must Be At The Table (Women’s March Kota Kinabalu, 9 March 2019)
2018-2019
Pandanus and bamboo pus with kayu obol black natural dye, reflective ribbon
Yee I-Lann, with weaving by Lili Naming, Siat Yanau, Shahrizan Bin Juin
TAMU, BANGUN, PEMUDA PEMUDI, DAMN MAHAL
2020
Bamboo pus with kayu obol black natural dye
29.7 x 21 cm (A2)