Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival: Forest gig

Imagine a music festival where it is easy to buy a drink and there is plenty of space to wander around markets and food stalls. A concert where there are no queues for toilets and a beer costs 8RM ($2.50).

Far from the Australian festival scene, the Rainforest World Music Festival is a three-day event held annually in Sarawak, Malaysia.

I head along to the first night of the festival, at the base of Mt Santubong, a 45-minute drive from the city of Kuching.

Held at the Sarawak Cultural Village, the festival is in the middle of the rainforest.

Although nearly 30,000 people flock to it each year, the festival has a surprisingly chilled-out vibe.

During the day there are musicians' workshops, jam sessions and a craft bazaar, and as the light fades, these give way to the main concert performances.

Many of the festival-goers I meet are content to sit on a grassy hill under trees lit up with beams of coloured light while the artists play.

Some visit market stalls to have intricate patterns cut into their hair while others relax in bars set up away from the main stages and watch all the action on big screens.

It is just the kind of place that makes me feel like getting a henna tattoo.

Despite the laid-back attitude of Rainforest World Music Festival fans, or perhaps because of it, the event has been rated one of the best 25 international festivals by British world music magazine Songlines.

We arrive about 7pm, in time to see a huge Malaysian band perform a show packed with more colour and smiles than a musical at Disneyland.

Next up are a group of Canadian singers, who in my ignorance about world music sound a little too much like wailing.

All night, the heavens threaten to open and turn the event into a giant mud puddle dotted with people in plastic sheets but, thankfully, the downpour holds off.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival: Forest gig

.
.

Family Adventure Vacation at Sarawak Cultural Village

The following article is from our archive for your reading pleasure. It is for families or those who want to explore the best of Sarawak in half a day. The Sarawak Cultural Village, the venue of the annual Rainforest World Music Festival since 1997, will showcase Sarawak's cultural heritage and colourful cultures, which boasts 27 ethnic groups.

Click on Image above for a larger view

The Sarawak Cultural Village is a MUST visit destination for anyone who is visiting Sarawak, Malaysia Borneo, especially on a Family Adventure Vacation.



Located about 35km from Kuching city and tucked away on the foothills of legendary Mount Santubong, the Sarawak Cultural Village is built on a 14-acre site of equatorial vegetation, next to a scenic man-made lake.



Sometimes referred to as a living museum, the Village depicts the heritage of the major racial groups in Sarawak and conveniently portrays the respective lifestyle.



The village boasts seven ethnic houses representative of the Malay, the Chinese, the Penan and the longhouses of the Bidayuh, Iban, Orang Ulu and the Melanau.



Take a stroll around the village and observe the inhabitants of the various houses displaying their skills in making traditional handicrafts such as beading, wood-carving, bamboo-carving, pua-weaving, etc. You can also view traditional methods of making sago, and crushing sugar cane.



One of the highlight is to take a look at how the Penans make blowpipes and other hunting instruments, and try out your blow piping skill..., aimed normally at a balloon from a distance.



Another highlight is the 45 minutes live cultural dance show at the theatre. You will be entertained in the comfort of the air-conditioned mini-theatre where award-winning dancers and musicians present their famous multi-cultural performances.



Continue reading at: Family Adventure Vacation at Sarawak Cultural Village

Recommended Tour Package:

• Half-Day Sarawak Cultural Village

.

.

Sounds from the Rainforest

Festival rocks with song, dance and jam sessions

After a year's absence, the World Beat team headed down South to the jungles of Borneo for the 14th Rainforest World Music Festival last week for three days of music, dancing, workshops and mad jam sessions by musicians after each night's concert.

The event is held annually at the Sarawak Cultural Village, about 35km outside Kuching, the capital of Sarawak state, in Malaysia. The festival site is set at the foot of Mount Santubong, where a collection of longhouses surround a small lake - it's an idyllic place for a festival.

After heavy rain at the past two festivals, the organisers have put in better drainage in front of the stage, rebuilt the second stage and one of the longhouses. And with full corporate sponsorship, the site had become better organised. The second stage no longer features short skits from comedic musical acts - and I must admit I missed these wacky, zany bands - but rather concerts by trios and quartets.

As with previous years, a highlight was the varied workshops held in the afternoons, in two sessions, which offered fans the chance to see performers up close. Percussion sessions like "Drum Dance", "Beat Guru" and "The Rhythm Method" drew packed (long) houses, as did the fiddle workshop, "Femme Fiddles". Two workshops that stood out for me were the string-themed "Flying Fingers" and a bagpipe special (I had no idea there are so many kinds of bagpipes) called "My Main Squeeze".

In between the workshops, festival-goers were treated to a rare and ancient tradition - water music from a lovely bunch of ladies from the Vanuatu islands in the Pacific. The Leweton Women's Water Music waded into the lake at the Cultural Village up to their waists and proceeded to beguile us all with percussive beats on the water that mimicked the sounds in their environment: The Sound of Rain on Water, Waves Breaking on the Reef and The Sound of the Dolphin, and so on. I enjoyed it so much I went back several times to watch how they made music using a material (water) that is fluid. Amazing.

Friday night kicked off the night shows with the soft, ethereal strings of the sape, or Borneo boat lute, played by the Masters of Sape - Mathew Ngau Jau, Tegit Asat and Asang Lawai. Matthew is a regular at the festival but I wondered what had happened to some of the younger players and bands we've had at previous festivals. In fact, with the next act, a gamelan ensemble from neighbouring Sabah, only two Malaysian bands played over the three days and there were no other bands from the region. That's something the organisers should look at.

The Friday night was, I thought, a bit flat, although the Victor Valdez Trio from Mexico livened up proceedings, as did one of my favourite bands from the festival, The Blue Canyon Boys from Kentucky, USA, who featured a fantastic banjo player, Jeff Scroggins, in their bluegrass music.

Europe dominated the early part of Saturday night, with The Shin from Georgia the pick and the pace picked up with a jaunty set from Ireland's The Paddy Keenan Trio, featuring Paddy himself on the uilleann pipes. The Warsaw Village Band then picked up the baton and whipped through a wonderful set of ancient Polish folk tunes, cranked up to the present day. The crowd was heaving by this point, ready to dance and Joaquin Diaz brought the place to fever pitch with his accordion-based merengue music from Dominica. You'll be hard pressed to find a faster dance music anywhere on the planet.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Sounds from the Rainforest
.
.

Discovering the hidden gems of Kuching

I HAVE always lamented coming back to Kuching for my semester holidays.

Aside from frequenting the cinemas or kopitiam, I have no idea where else to go.

But my first visit to the recent Rainforest World Craft Bazaar (RWCB) changed my perception about my hometown which actually has a lot to offer.

I was assigned to cover the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) 2011 for three days.

The Bazaar was held in conjunction with RWMF 2011 at Sarawak Cultural Village to showcase arts and crafts from around the globe.

As I read the word ‘craft’ on the festival programme, my eyes lit up – it’s a perfect excuse to satisfy my craving to shop for handicrafts.

It has been years since I went to the Sarawak Cultural Village.

As I walked toward the Melanau Tall House where the Bazaar was held, the view of the Village took away my breath and filled me with awe.

Lush green rainforest surrounds the village, guarded by pristine Mount Santubong.

The gorgeous view was reflected by the placid lake in the centre of the Village.

I whip out my camera phone to capture the moment.

At the Bazaar, the soothing sounds of sape, played by a local musician on a nearby stage, welcomed local and foreign visitors alike.

The laid-back tempo seemed to slow down time, and offered a relaxing ambience.

The afternoon sun was scorching hot but the visitors were protected by Mother Nature with the thick foliage of the rainforest.

Being at the Bazaar felt like reverting back to the old days.

Many traditional crafts and games were displayed.

There were Malay children in their traditional Baju Melayu expertly spinning the gasing (traditional wooden top) while an elderly Malay man was in deep concentration, sculpturing a wooden doll with a sharp knife. Nearby, two women were sitting on the wooden floor, busy frying kuih bahulu in a wok.

The apetite-whetting aroma of these cakes filled the air and placated my growling stomach.

As I browsed around to find good bargains, I realised the wide array of the local handicrafts was more than an excuse to shop.

They showed an amazing display of Borneo’s rich and diverse cultures.

Every ethnic group has different crafts, artworks and jewellery yet when displayed together, the beautiful resemblance is evident.

Borneo handicrafts use a lot of colours, and when put together on one table, they are an amazing sight to behold.

An explosion of colours lit up the place — sunny yellow ethnic jewellery, fire-like orange beads, ocean blue ethnic pendants, deep green bamboo coin banks and brown and red weave baskets — all arranged neatly at the display tables.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Discovering the hidden gems of Kuching

.
.

Sarawak Rainforest World Craft Bazaar continues to shine

SANTUBONG: The Rainforest World Craft Bazaar (RWCB) was a big hit among locals, especially female entrepreneurs, judging by both the crowd and gamut of goods sold during the 3-day extravaganza.

Among those participating at the RWCB, which was held in conjunction with the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) 2011, were four entrepreneurs sponsored by the Women’s Bureau of the Chief Minister’s Department.

The group’s representative Amal Hussain said this was the first time they participated in RWCB and they were thrilled to bits with the response from festival-goers.

“There are always customers at our booths and tourists just love our local handicrafts,” he said.

Amal said that he and his female friends did not want to miss the good business opportunity provided by the Women’s Bureau to promote their goods.

Among items sold at the bazaar were ceramics, traditional costume jewellery from various local ethnic groups and cakes.

“Most of the things we sold were purchased by foreign tourists because they said they wanted something that reflects the beautiful Sarawak culture.”

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Sarawak Rainforest World Craft Bazaar continues to shine

.
.

Polish and Kenya bands to perform at Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival

KUCHING: The Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) may be going into its 14th year, but the well-loved music festival still has the ability to dazzle.

Adding to this year’s musical arsenal are the Warsaw Village Band (Poland) and Kenge Kenge (Kenya).

Kenge Kenge, which translates into ‘fusion of small, exhilarating instruments’, explores the origins of benga, a musical style that is popular in Kenya the way rumba is in Congo or highlife is in Nigeria.

This is roots music from the JoLuo community of Western Kenya, with lyrical arrangements that reflect influences from the popular benga pop-music style.

Dense textures of rhythm and chant are overlaid with an unusual assortment of self-made traditional instruments: Nyatiti lyre, Bul drums, the Nyangile sound box, Ongeng’o metal rings, Asili flute and the Oporo horn. But the singing is in fact the central event and it is strong and generous, full of character and contrast.

From the opposite side of the world, the Warsaw Village Band formed itself to explore Poland’s musical traditions and took up Polish-rooted instruments rarely heard in modern music.

They effectively created a new cultural alternative, a new music for Polish youth. The Warsaw Village Band quickly stepped beyond their borders to bring their mix of ancient-modern Polish music to every corner of the world and have since become a template of cultural preservation and modernisation for countless bands from countless countries. Their excellent musicianship and artistry, combined with their cultural determination have now made them one of, if not the, most famous and most important bands of this genre in the world.

The RWMF will be held from July 8-10 at the Sarawak Cultural Village, which is located 35km outside Kuching and set against the magnificent backdrop of the legendary Mount Santubong.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Polish and Kenya bands to perform at Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival

.
.

Damai Beach Resort plans ‘ballroom by the sea’

Kuching’s Damai Beach Resort will soon begin its RM4.9 million refurbishment plan which will see it coming up with the country’s first “ballroom by the sea”.

The 25-year old beachfront resort, nestled at the foothills of Sarawak’s famed Mount Santubong, will also undertake the refurbishment of its rooms, main coffee house, kitchen, as well as its central lobby areas under the plan.

“We are aiming to get it all ready before next year July’s Rainforest World Music Festival here although the refurbishment of rooms is expected to be completed even earlier by October this year,” said Damai Beach Resort’ Director of Business Development Caroline Yeo.

The ballroom which will feature long, glass windows, giving the impression of being in the ‘middle of the sea’ to patrons, will be able to seat 700 people theatre-style and 500 people dinner-style, Yeo told journalists from Peninsular Malaysia on a familiarisation trip to Kuching organised by the Sarawak Convention Bureau recently.

Plans for the ballroom had been submitted and some revisions are being made for improvement in various areas, she said.

The hotel will also retain much of the natural flora and fauna around the beach area when building the ballroom.

“We do not cut any trees unless it is really necessary,” Yeo said.

The Damai beach resort is just five minutes’ walk from the Sarawak Cultural Centre which is the grounds for the annual Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival.

Also only 35 minutes away from Kuching town, the resort is a major ‘place to stay’ during the event which brings both artistes and music lovers from around the globe to this part of the world to celebrate the diversity of music and sounds amid the lush rainforest settings.

Continue reading at: Damai Beach Resort plans ‘ballroom by the sea’
.
.

15 strongmen to battle for Sarawak World Harvest Festival title

KUCHING: A total of 15 strongmen of the preliminary round qualifiers will battle for the next round of the Ironman competition held in conjunction with the World Harvest Festival (WHF) 2011 at Sarawak Cultural Village (SCV) on May 22-30.

In the next round they will climb mount Santubong.

The 15 are Mohd Firdaus, Wan Azahar, Fazri Sedi, Reinto Jamal, Syed Ahmad, Amir Hanafi, Mohd Ghadafi’ Syahrul Nizam, Mustaza Zaini, Mohd Hazlamie, Rizal Jamali, Jackson Michael, Roslan Ibrahim, Jury Amirul and Khairuddin Amir.

Twenty participants competed in the preliminary round held at Kuching Waterfront yesterday.

During the preliminary round, the might of the contestant were tested by requiring them to throw 15kg gunny sack, carrying 60kg wood block, carrying water gallons and pulling car.

Winner of the Ironman WHF will walk away with RM1,000, first and second runner-up will purse RM700 and RM500 respectively.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: 15 strongmen to battle for Sarawak World Harvest Festival title
.
.

Mount Santubong Climbathon to be an annual event

KUCHING: The Commission of Kuching City North (DBKU) has decided to make the ‘Santubong Mountain Climbathon’ an annual event starting this year due to overwhelming response.

Kuching North Mayor Mohamad Atei Abang Medaan announced this at the prize-giving ceremony of this year’s Climbathon held at Damai Beach Resort yesterday.

More than 500 people took part in three-category event.

Mohd Atei said he looked forward to closer cooperation from tourism players so that the event could be promoted to attract international participation. A brand name like Santubong could be a tourist product to be included in the state tourism calendar, he added.

Continue reading at: Mount Santubong Climbathon to be an annual event
.
.

Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival voted among top global festivals

KUCHING: Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) has been voted for the second consecutive year as one of the Top 25 Best International Festivals by renowned world music magazine, Songlines.

This most recent award added yet another feather to its cap and elevated its status in the international music scene as a festival which has well and truly put Sarawak on the world tourism map.

According to the editorial team at Songlines, this year’s selection of festivals was a broad representation of the quality and scope of music festivals around the world.

It ranged from city-based events to ones in remote locations such as the Rainforest World Music Festival in Sarawak and the Festival in the Desert in Mali.

The full list of all 25 international festivals will be published in the June issue of Songlines magazine.

Amongst the festivals lauded are Ulsan World Music Festival, Korea; WOMAD Adelaide, Australia; Chicago World Music Festival, USA; Essaouira Gnawa & World Music Festival, Morocco; Forde Folk Festival, Norway to name but a few.

On another matter, the line-up for this year’s RWMF, held annually in Kuching, Sarawak (Malaysia) has now been finalised.

Now well into its second decade, RWMF attracted more than 20,000 international and local music fans to the three magical days of daytime music workshops and action-packed nightly shows.

The event would be held from July 8 to 10 at the Sarawak Cultural Village, which is located 35km outside Kuching and set against the magnificent backdrop of the legendary Mount Santubong.

Music is not all about sound; music is an art, and with it comes culture, diversity, creativity, talent, and spellbinding performances. All this and more can be found at the Rainforest World Music Festival 2011.

Continue reading at: Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival voted among top global festivals
.

.

Flipflops Beach Carnival in Kuching

KUCHING: The Star is giving away 200 free tickets for the upcoming Flipflops Beach Carnival.

Events Horizon is organising the carnival, the first of its kind here, to provide exciting activities and non-stop entertainment for city dwellers and tourists alike. The Star is among the official media for the event.

To be held at Damai Puri Resort and Spa near here, the three-day, two-night (April 15 to 17) event offers beach and party-goers a retreat of beach activities, water sports, music, dance, art and festivities from day to night.

Readers can collect Stamp 1 and 2 published in The Star to redeem tickets for a mini concert at the carnival. The redemption can be done at The Star’s Sarawak 1st anniversary booth at The Spring’s North Court on March 20 from 2pm.

The tickets will be issued on a first come, first served basis. After the redemption, the readers can present Stamp 1 and 2 for a 5% discount on the purchase of more mini concert tickets.

The concert will feature Taiwanese music sensation Ding Dang, who will make her debut in Kuching on the first night of the carnival.

Events Horizon managing director and carnival organiser Jason Chew said yesterday that there was nothing better than to rock with this singer whose songs were among the most popular on KTV.

“Ding Dang will perform for an hour from 9pm. Prior to that, local band Mystical Mirage will take centre stage. After the concert, there will be an autograph-signing session and VIP ticket holders will be given priority,” he said.

The mini concert VIP tickets are priced at RM120 and standard tickets are RM80.

Chew said that a rave party would be held on Saturday night featuring international dee jays Co2an from Australia, Delizious Devina and Lee Ya (singer) from Indonesia, Davide Succi and Theron Welch (guitarist).

Tickets for the rave party are priced at RM80.

Chew said, during the day, the public could go for hot-air balloon rides priced at RM30 per adult and RM15 for children age 12 years and below.

“Grab the chance to rise some 20m in the air and have breathtaking views of the sea with Mount Santubong as the backdrop,” he said.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Flipflops Beach Carnival in Kuching
.
.