In northern Bornco there are large, often magnificently cast dragon gongs, as they are called, doubtless patterned on those of China. The most noteworthy musical instrument amongst the Dayaks is the kledi, which is especially popular with the Kenja and Kayan tribes. This bagpipe-like instrument we have already seen depicted on the bronze drum from Hanoi mentioned in the section on Dong-Son Culture, as well as in a bas-relief oil the Borobudur. We are accordingly dealing here with a very ancient instrument:

it is by no means ruled out that the Dayaks already had the kledi when they arrived from Further India. This instrument consists of six or eight small narrow pieces of bamboo cane, from which the nodes have been removed. These bamboo canes are inserted at the bottom into an oval hollow gourd, to which a mouthpiece is attached and air blown in. These six or eight mbes have a reed which is 'suprajacent', so that they only Sound when the aperture is closed. Since the air pressure in the gourd can be regulated, a certain note can be sustained - the lowest, which then forms a sort of bagpipe drone.

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