Pages - Menu

Friday, July 15, 2011

Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival: Gold mine in the making

FROM a humble beginning and now into its 14th year, our very own local tourism product, the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF), is now in its adolescent stage and fast gaining global recognition.

Conceived and incepted during the global meltdown amidst the worst haze ever engulfed the state in 1997, RWMF started off as a small music festival celebrated around the main lake at the Sarawak Cultural Village (SCV).

The then Minister of Tourism Tan Sri Dr James Masing said the initial three years of the festival was a simple gathering of local and foreign musicians.

“In the first three years of RWMF, most of the audience were seating on plastic chairs around the lake (at SCV), listening to the sound of tribal music from around the world,” Masing told The Borneo Post.

He said he dared to venture into his ‘new baby’ after he was inspired by a Canadian musician.

“Then I approached our Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud for an initial allocation of RM250,000 to kick-start the festival.

“He asked me whether I could guarantee its success, but I replied, sir, I can’t guarantee you its success, but I can guarantee you that it will not be successful if we don’t start it,” he reminiscenced.

For now, Masing who is an anthropologist by training, hoped that the festival would be well managed so that it will continue to bring both revenue and good music.

He also dismissed the idea for any change in the genre of music for the festival as any of such attempts would defeat its very purpose and objective.

“Ours is focus on ethnic and cultural music. We should maintain the present genre and not go pop. Otherwise we will kill the goose that lays the golden egg,” he warned.

It should now be managing success as anything less would not do justice to pioneers who have slogged it out and toiled all these years.

A Canadian performer said that the RWMF has now reached world standard especially those who managed it.

“I am astonished to find out that this RWMF is indeed of world class, especially on overall management, sound system, lightings and the presentation of musicians,” he said.

He disclosed that in Canada, the Montreal Music Festival could attract some two million people annually.

“So don’t worry, you are in the right track. It will take some time to grow. Yours is only 14 years old, so let it be that way. Just manage it well,” he advised.

As for a local visitor, she had expected the festival to be a flop as there were so many stories and bad experiences from her friends.

“But to my surprise, I had a great time as the concert provided relaxing atmosphere where many just danced to the tunes of the music. And to the vast majority, they just sat down and enjoy good music from all over the world,” she said.

Continue reading at: Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival: Gold mine in the making
.
.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Infolinks