Travels in Borneo, the land of the orang-utan

IT was somewhere between a refreshing beer and just before the drum beats of Canadian band Iskwew that I looked around and realised how at home I was in a remote cultural village in the middle of Borneo.

It was the three-day Rainforest World Music Festival - a tribal Big Day Out - that hooked me on Malaysia.

It only took an hour to drive from the bustling city of Kuching to the Sarawak Cultural Village where the festival was in full swing with music workshops, sizzling food stalls and performers tuning up.

We stayed at the Kuching Hilton, an imposing hotel of 315 guest rooms perched on the Sarawak River.

The city was laid at our feet and we could explore the waterfront, pose with the city’s bizarre giant cat statues and brush up on local history in the Sarawak Museum.

A leisurely 275km journey, with stops at rubber, cocoa and pepper farms and a short boat ride, took us to the Batang Ai Longhouse Resort, managed by Hilton, its only jungle property.

Its 11 accommodation blocks are based on traditional Borneo longhouses.

Tours upstream the Ulu Air river in motorised longboats led us to the start of a humid but memorable trek under the rainforest canopy of the Batang Ai National Park, home to protected wildlife like orang-utans, hornbills and gibbons.

We were on the lookout for the notoriously shy ‘rangas’, but the only sign of them was their droppings in the middle of our track. Still, it was nice to know they were there, high up in the trees, watching us.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Travels in Borneo, the land of the orang-utan

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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

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Direct flight from Korea to Kuching a possibility

KUCHING: There is a possibility that the state will have a direct flight from Korea through the local tourism industry network with the country.

According to an officer from the Korea Institute of Tourism and Culture, Dr Kim Dock Key, the possibility would be given serious consideration to further enhance existing bilateral relationships between Sarawak and Korea.

“Korea now has a direct flight to Kota Kinabalu and we will consider having a direct flight to Sarawak to further promote tourism here.

“Besides that we also intend to enhance cooperation among the industry players in both Sarawak and Korea,” Kim said during a visit to Tourism Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg here yesterday.

Kim, who led a delegation to meet Abang Johari added that the group was attracted to the tourism products in the state.

He mentioned Bako National Park, which he described as a natural tourism product with beautiful tropical forest and scenic views.

A group of 16 delegates from the Korea Institute of Tourism and Culture joined in the visit; they will also be visiting Sarawak Cultural Village.

Continue reading at: Direct flight from Korea to Kuching a possibility

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Promoting authentic Sarawak dishes

KUCHING: Damai Beach Resort and Sarawak Cultural Village recently launched their Sarawak Authentic Cuisine Promotion.

It aims to promote authentic Sarawak cuisine to local and foreign guests. Assistant Minister of Tourism Datuk Talib Zulpilip launched the promotion at the resort’s Treez Restaurant.

“Sarawak boasts a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural society. This rich diversity is also reflected in the cuisine of the state,” said Talib, who is also Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) chairman.

“Eating out is an experience; here, you will find varieties of eateries that range from deluxe and exquisite restaurants to roadside and hawker stalls.”

Meanwhile, Damai Beach Resort resort manager Zulkifli Othman said the resort had always striven to preserveSarawak’s heritage in its everyday operations.

“From details such as room decor and lobby layout, to our recreational activities and even resort signage, this preservation of ethnicity is one of our strongest selling points.

Continue reading at: Promoting authentic Sarawak dishes
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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

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Sarawak - Take it to the streets

IT'S dusk on the Sarawak River. Crouched in a longboat, a fisherman unravels his tattered nets, his lined face lit by the flickering flame of a paraffin lamp. The ropes cause scarcely a ripple as they hit the water's surface and from across the river, the call to prayer echoes from a nearby mosque. Tonight, the fisherman could be in for a long wait but in these parts, no one seems in too much of a hurry.

Despite its status as the capital of Sarawak, a visit to Kuching is a reminder of a time when Asian cities were far less hectic. Until about 150 years ago, Sarawak was the name of the tidal river cutting through a province initially ruled by the Sultan of Brunei. In 1872, the city earned its present name under the second white Rajah, Charles Brooke.

Kuching literally translates to "cat" and while there are numerous theories as to how the name came about, the most likely explanation stems from the Indochinese word cochin, meaning port.

Mistranslations aside, to this day, Kuching retains a vaguely unhealthy obsession with cats. There are cat statues on roundabouts, outside temples, inside shops. There's even a cat museum. Resembling a flying saucer from the outside, it's a bizarre tribute to all things feline - there are figurines of every conceivable size, shape and colour, as well as displays charting their history in anything from movie posters to advertising campaigns, comic books to literature. One exhibit even displays photographs of owners who have tattooed their bodies with portraits of their beloved pets.

Cat obsessions aside, Kuching is a city with many attractions. Undoubtedly, one of the main drawcards is the Semenggoh wildlife centre, 24 kilometres south of the city. Though not as famous as the Sepilok centre in Sabah, Semenggoh acts as a rehabilitation facility for more than 20 of Borneo's injured or orphaned orangutans and the primates can come and go as they please within the 740-hectare forest enclosure. The centre comes across as a decently run enterprise where the animals' welfare takes precedence over the tourist dollar.

Within Kuching itself, there are numerous attractions. For an overview of the history, geology and wildlife of the region, the Sarawak Museum is a good bet.

Though stately from the outside, the interior - which dates to 1891 - is a little jaded but among the chipped cabinets and fading glass, some exhibits shine through. Some of the best include the gruesome headhunting history of the region and the origins of oil pioneering in the 1800s.

Also worth a look is the recently restored Fort Margherita on the banks of the Sarawak River. Built in 1879 to guard Kuching from pirates, it now houses the Police Museum and showcases interesting artefacts such as old cannons and a collection of "laughing skulls".

Other popular attractions include the much-lauded (though vaguely kitsch) Sarawak Cultural Village, with its daily dance routines and traditional longhouses, the Astana, which is now the official residence of the Governor of Sarawak, and the Chinese Museum.

While all these sights have merit, the best way to experience Kuching is simply to go walkabout. With a population made up of Malay, Chinese, Indian and indigenous tribal people, this is a city rich in cultural diversity. Its compact centre also means most areas of interest are easily accessible on foot.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Sarawak - Take it to the streets
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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
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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

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Cool Kuching

AMONG the many cities in Malaysia, many believe that Kuching is one of the coziest.

While Kuching may be the largest city in the state of Sara­wak, it is also one of the few cities that is best discovered on foot. Reserve a few days for the city and wander around the streets of the "Cat City", as it is fondly known.

Although many believe that the city got its name from the word 'kuching' (cat), it is more likely that it was derived from the Chinese word for port (cochin). Whatever the case may be, these days the name Kuching is often synonymous with the feline creatures.

One of the best ways to enjoy what Kuching has to offer is by browsing through the classic shops and cosy restaurants and taking time to find out what the city has to offer.

There are, however, many spots to visit to get to know Kuching and the surrounding areas better.

Some of the must-see places to include on your itinerary is the one-stop Sarawak Cultural Village. Known as a living mu­seum, the Sarawak Cultural Village is the epitome spot of heritage of the major ethnic groups in Sarawak.

Located 40 minutes driving time from Kuching, it showcases and celebrates the various lifestyles amidst 14 acres of land. The village is also the spot for the annual Rainforest World Music Fesival, held annually in the month of July.

This visit will offer a chance to see and experience Sara­wak's rich culture diversity - including the Iban, Melanau, Bidayuh, Orang Ulu, Penan, Malays and Chinese - all in a day. At the end of the cultural-centric visit, visitors will have the opportunity to witness cultural performance of songs, dances and entertainment in a 45-minute time-frame.

For those who like to know the historical aspects of the state, head down to The Sara­wak Museum.

Housed in a two-storey building completed in 1891, the museum displays local na­tive arts and crafts as well as a collection of local animals, said to be spearheaded by famous naturalist Alfred Wallace.

The ground floor of the museum hosts the natural his­tory collection and specimens of Sarawak's fauna and other animals, all professionally prepared and mounted for display.

The west wing compromis­ing of the Shell exhibition is where visitors can find out the history of petroleum in Sara­wak, while the first floor offers a display of ethnographic artifacts including models of longhouses of the many eth­nic groups in the state, musical instruments, various kinds of fish and animal traps as well as handicrafts.

Fans and lovers of cats must not miss going to the Cat Museum. Initially displayed for show for the first time at the National Museum, Kuala Lum­pur in 1987, the cat artifacts were brought over to Kuching under the care of Sarawak Museum.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Cool Kuching
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Expecting the unexpected at the Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival

FROM its humble beginnings 14 years ago, the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) has grown into one of world’s best international festivals (as voted by music magazine Songlines) and the paramount attraction in Sarawak’s tourism calendar.

Surveying the motley crew of visitors, performers, volunteers and media in the audience of festival goers during the 14th RWMF last weekend, it’s easy to understand why the festival has spawned a unique culture all its own.

For most first-time festival goers, they are drawn by the promise of witnessing world-class music acts from around the globe against the unprecedented stage setting of a tropical rainforest. It’s the chance to flock together with other like-minded music lovers and immerse themselves in the exhilarating world of music where the traditional and the contemporary dovetail to form harmonious musical expressions which are at once familiar yet fresh and dynamic.

For returning festival goers, it’s all these things plus an annual pilgrimage of sorts – a time set apart in the year to enjoy good music and meet up with friends and acquaintances from far and near – with Sarawak Cultural Village (SCV), Santubong, as the point of confluence. It’s a time to renew old bonds and friendships.

But what all of these different groups expect is good music and a good time – something which is still very much a challenge for the festival’s organisers even with 13 festival’s worth of experience under their belt.

It could be said the success of the festival largely depends on balancing these different expectations of comfortable predictability with just the right amount of unpredictability, stemming from the pleasant surprise of new discoveries of new music, new acts, and new friends.

Magic of discovery

The afternoon workshop sessions, organised by themes such as instrument types, genres and geographical regions, demonstrate this delicate balancing act at work.

Afternoon workshop sessions are the defining attraction for many new and returning RWMF goers. In addition to giving them the opportunity to interact with performers in a fun and casual setting, it also provides performers with an intimate platform from which to share their unique knowledge, experiences and cultural background with other performers as well as audience members.

This successful formula of thematic workshops rarely changes from year to year but it does not always lead to the same outcome.

For example, this year’s ‘The Rhythm Method’ workshop. As the percussionists representing Afro Caribbean (Joaquin Diaz – Dominican Republic, Malike Pathe Sow – Senegal), bhangra-rock (Kissmet – UK), Eastern European (Warsaw Village Band – Poland) and gamelan (Agung Beat – Sabah) played in unison, it almost seemed possible that the venue was in danger of falling in on itself – such was the roar of appreciation from the crowd, clapping their hands and stomping on the wooden floor in time to the music.

A loud, rip-roaring good time is the outcome which the RWMF crowd have come to expect from the two or three percussions workshops organised every year.

But what they did not expect but, nonetheless, found themselves enthusiastically participating in was singing and dancing en masse in synchronisation to a bhangra rhythm led by the tabla, complete with familiar Bollywood-esquehand gestures thrown in for good measure.

Adding to the mix, the organisers also introduced twice daily 20-minute performance by Leweton Women’s Water Music – which was a stroke of ingenuity on their part as this group fast became a crowd favourite despite not having a performance slot during the main night concerts.

Dressed in traditional garbs hand-made from leaves, freshly plucked from plants around Sarawak Cultural Village (SCV), the group’s six female members began their moving performance with a swaying dance by the man-made lake at the centre of SCV before wading into its waters until water levels reached up to their waists.

Then, using only water as their instrument, these women astounded onlookers by producing a surprisingly wide range of sounds – from deep, resounding booms to light splashes reminiscent of fish splashing in shallow waters – beating the water with their bare hands while singing and dancing in time to the rhythms.

The festival marked their maiden trip outside their home country of Vanuatu to perform but these unassuming women with shy but ready smiles quickly won the hearts of many festival goers.

Magic of music

As for this year’s night concerts, probably the most unexpected thing to occur was that the weather stayed clear and the (in)famous muddy moshpit of years past did not make its usual showing – much to the disappointment of some festival goers who missed getting down and dirty.

This year, the organisers largely managed to achieve the right balance of contemporary and traditional world music acts, traversing the gulf between fans demanding world ethnic music versus festival goers who just wanted to party.

As expected, the show stealers were mainly those able to get the crowd on their feet and dancing. Memorable sets included Grammy nominated zydeco-Cajun music group Lisa Haley and the Zydecats (USA), Australian folk music ensemble Kamerunga, bhangra-rock fusion group Kissmet (UK), Mexican music act Victor Valdez Trio, Latin-Caribbean music maestro Joaquin Diaz (Dominican Republic), and Paddy Keenan (Ireland).

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Expecting the unexpected at the Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival
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Rainforest World Music Festival

By George Francis

MIRI - There was no rain in Santubong last weekend despite its name tagged..Rainforest.. as it usually rains during this time of the year; there was no resounding rhythms of the rain but forest, yes! Thanks to the good weather for entire three-day of the 14th edition of Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) 2011, which offered more than 20,000 enthusiasts a fantastic concerts by top musicians.

There's nothing quite like the atmosphere of a music festival. Then again, there's nothing quite like the RWMF!

It was where people regardless of their ethnicities, cultural backgrounds and music interests came together to have a blast of musical fun.

The festival continued to grow and attracted attendees from around the world with more bands and artistes with bigger international names, said its organisers, the Sarawak Tourism Board.

Apart from main-stage night concerts, attendees were caught up with daytime musical workshops, sunset concerts or group jam sessions as well as delighted in cultural displays, craft displays as well as variety of food stalls.

Running from July 8 to 10 at the Sarawak Cultural Village, 35 km from state capital Kuching, under the imposing shadow of Mount Santubong in the midst of virgin rainforest the festival emphasised the use of traditional acoustic world instruments with of course, common electric instrument accompaniment. It really was reconnecting the world with nature once more through music and culture!

This year featured 22 bands including international names: Grammy nominated Lisa Haley and the Zydecats of USA, award winning Blue Canyon Boys of USA; famous world music IIgi from Latvia, Kissmet of UK and from Georgia, The Shin.

A special addition side performance this year, saw the Leweton Women's Water Music Group of Vanuatu. They performed daytime in the cultural village lake showing their beautiful percussive water music....as the water itself is the instrument. The water is beaten in rhythmic dance of bodies and waves producing a wide range of sounds intoxicating rhythms.

Among the myriad performers were Masters of Sape (Sarawak, Malaysia), AgungBeat (Sabah, Malaysia), DuOud of Tunisia/Algeria, Frigg (Finland), Iskwew (Canada), Joaquin Diaz of Dominican Republic, Kamafei (Italy), Kamerunga (Australia), Kenge Kenge Orutu System (Kenya), Malike Pathe Sow (Senegal), Mamak Khadem (Iran), Pacific Curis (New Zealand, Paddy Keenan (Ireland), Startijen (France), Victor Valdez (Mexico) and Warsaw Village Band of Poland.

The grand finale featuring all 22 bands on stage wrapped up a superb three-night concert; proven to be a hit with audiences with many foreign music lovers promised to come back next year.

RWMF has been voted for the second consecutive year as one of the Top 25 Best International Festivals by renowned world music magazine, Songlines, elevating its status in the international music scene as the festival, which has well and truly put Sarawak on the world tourism map.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin Weekend
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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

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Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival going through final preparations

KUCHING: Final preparations for the 14th edition of the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) are underway.

Project manager Pauline Lim held a meeting with the festival’s food and village market vendors yesterday to confirm their participation and brief them on the do’s, don’ts and the guidelines.

A total of 40 stalls will be set up for the festival at Sarawak Cultural Village of which 20 will offer food and drinks. Among the food on offer will be an assortment of western, Japanese, Middle Eastern and Thai cuisines.

Local food will also be available including Sarawak laksa, ayam pansuh, umai Sarawak, mee kolok and an assortment of Nyonya delights.

For children, there will be an assortment of finger food, French fries and ice cream. For those watching their diets, fresh juices and fruits will be in store.

Twenty others stalls will offer handicraft and festival memorabilia.

There will also be a stall doing airbrush ink and henna tattoos and another selling this year’s performer CDs and souvenirs.

The Rainforest World Craft Bazaar will feature handicraft items from various countries.

In line with the festival’s greening campaign, all vendors have been advised to use recyclable products while recycle bins will be provided on the festival grounds.

Food cleanliness and hygiene have been given emphasis and all food waste and regular rubbish is to be properly disposed of in the bins provided.

Continue reading at: Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival going through final preparations

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Catch Kamafei at next month’s Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival

KUCHING: Be entertained this July as the Kamafei graces the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) stage for the first time.

A five-piece musical powerhouse from Salento, South Italy, they play the traditional music style of that region called ‘pizzica-pizzica’ which is an Italian folk dance that dates back thousands of years.

While this traditional style is built on the frenzied rhythm of the tambourine, Kamafei will be combining it with modern-day influences of reggae, dub, rock, flamenco and hip-hop to create an infectious fusion of cultures and traditions.

Kamafei’s show promises to be enjoyable, intense and innovative.

Through their music, you will understand their bonds to tradition, their land, as well as their need and desire to discover other cultures and other musical experiences. So put on your dancing shoes and join Kamafei at the 14th edition of the RWMF on July 8-10 at the Sarawak Cultural Village.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Catch Kamafei at next month’s Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Sarawak World Harvest Festival 2011 to hold two pre-events this weekend

KUCHING: The organising committee of the World Harvest Festival 2011 (WHF 2011) will be holding two activities this weekend to create greater awareness on this annual festival as they gear up for the actual event to be held on May 28 and 29 at Sarawak Cultural Village.

First event to take place tomorrow will be the Preliminary Round of Ironman World Harvest Festival 2011 at the Chinese Museum’s compound in Kuching Waterfront from 8.30am until noon.

Participants of this competition will be put through various tasks to test their skills and strength such as lifting gunny sack weighing around 50kg, where the organising committee will select 15 strong men to enter the finals.

This Sunday, the 15 finalists of Miss World Harvest Festival 2011 will gather at the Sarawak Cultural Village for the Miss Photogenic World Harvest Festival 2011 photoshoot session. This photoshoot session is organised by The Collective and it is open to all photographers who are interested to enter the competition.

The winner for Miss Photogenic World Harvest Festival 2011 will received RM700, a sash, 16R photo size with frame and a portfolio album. The best photographer will also received cash price. The winners will be announced on the Grand Final of Miss World Harvest Festival 2011.

The photoshoot competition aims to enhance the publicity and ticket sales for the grand event.

Pre-event tickets are on sale at the Sarawak Cultural Village for RM25 per adult and RM15 per child before May 20.

Actual tickets prices are RM60 and RM30 respectively.

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Sarawak Rainforest World Crafts Bazaar is back

KUCHING: The Rainforest World Crafts Bazaar is back this year at the Sarawak Cultural Village from July 8-10.

According to a press release, the Rainforest World Crafts Bazaar is sited right within the Rainforest World Music Festival venue, a cultural event that needs no description — it is the best in the region by any standards!

Over 20,000 music fans turned up last year, many of them ‘repeaters’ who are sure to make their way again to Damai in July.

The Rainforest World Crafts Bazaar’s theme for 2011 is ‘Green Crafts’, with crafts made from natural, sustainable and/or recycled materials being featured and promoted.

Local institutions of higher learning will be showing the way when it comes to putting almost anything to creative use.

Special stress is laid on practical craftwork this year. A number of skilled artisans will not only demonstrate their traditional skills, but also give hands-on lessons to anybody prepared to try out something that is old in itself but new to the eager learner.

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Music from exotic Georgia at Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival

Kuching: In Georgian, ‘shin’ means being or going home. Over the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) weekend, The Shin from the Republic of Georgia will lead you through their home country with their interesting meld of jazz scat, funk, flamenco with Georgian-style vocal polyphony.

The Shin’s band members have composed original works for theatre, film, television and radio programmes around the world. They have also performed at international festivals and received significant critical acclaim for their unparalleled originality and musical appeal. Their concerts are known for being sophisticated, surprising, hip, humorous, and always exhilarating – even in their most subtle moments.

The Shin will also be joined at the RWMF by internationally-renowned Bulgarian Theodosii Spassov on the ‘kaval’, a traditional end-blown flute customarily associated with shepherds in the Balkans and Anatolia.

The exciting and eclectic line-up for this year’s RWMF has been finalised, with 21 bands making their debut appearance on the RWMF 2011 stage from July 8 to 10 at the Sarawak Cultural Village.

The three-day event is jam-packed with musical activities like informative workshops, ethno-musical lectures, jamming sessions and mini concerts.

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