Vinorun is part of a wider a project, Rinait Soundscapes: Breath and Botanical Memory in the Sacred Chants of the Bobolian of Sabah by the Malaysian NGO Pertubuhan Kolektif Seni Budaya Sabah, supported by the University of Manchester, EarthSonic and the British Council. 

Today, as the effects of climate change through unpredictable rainfall, rising temperatures, extreme weather, and coastal salt water intrusion increasingly threaten agricultural predictability in Borneo, traditional rituals remain vital cultural and ecological tools. 

The rinait chants which accompany these rituals, ensure agricultural abundance even during difficult or unpredictable weather cycles, are led by Bobolian high priestesses and priests. They help transmit traditional ecological knowledge and demonstrate a deep reverence for plants.

Drawing directly on this rinait chanting practice are the songs of the Momogun peoples which feature in a musical collaboration between electronic music artist Paul Hartnoll and Bobolian apprentice and traditional Rungus musician Razif Ajip, with sound arrangement by Neil Bruce.

Their composition conveys a generational message about ecology and creation and includes references to the plants cultivated by the ancestors, connecting the past, present and future of their culture to the environment.

The composition, titled “Breath of Ancestors,” will be part of an installation “Vinorun” premiering at Amsterdam Dance Event 2026.‎ Vinorun refers to the natural world and all living things. It reminds us to respect, protect, and preserve nature for future generations.