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Malaysia Travel Guide

RWMF CLOSES WITH 23,650 FESTIVAL-GOERS

KUCHING – Sarawak’s headliner tourism attraction, the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) has proven that it is more than just a music festival if this year’s sell-out crowd is anything to go by. A capacity crowd of 23,650 from all parts of the world attended the three-day festival.

rainforest world music festival (rwmf) 2019 finale

RWMF performers, musicians with volunteers cheering on the stage during the final night of RWMF 2019 held at the Sarawak Cultural Village.

This year’s nightly concert was artfully arranged in a seamless and flawless sequence. The 2019 line up featured 30 bands and over 200 performers. From the Chilean island of Rapa Nui in the South Eastern Pacific Ocean, Ballet Folcloric De Chile Bafochi showcased their spectacular costumes and sensual dance moves. From the South West Pacific Ocean, Wai from New Zealand gave mesmerizing performances at the Theatre Stage and at the mini sessions throughout the three-day festival.

Five Sarawakian bands, more than any of the years before, were featured this year. At Adau brought their legions of fans who danced along with their vibrant performance, fusing ancient melodies and rhythms of different tribes. Kemada featured traditional Iban music, games and culture while Suku Menoa presented Iban music, rituals and chants. Staak Bisomu provided a glimpse of the Bidayuh cultural heritage and Suk Binie’s performance was an energetic mix of traditional melodies from various ethnic communities of Sarawak. Darmas, from Malaysia, comprising of six young musicians got the crowd dancing to the rhythms of traditional Malay classics.

While the evening concerts draw in the crowd year in and out, this year saw an increase in audience for the afternoon interactive and education workshops. The same goes to the jamming sessions and mini concerts. There were more than 30 mini sessions held at the Iban longhouse, Bidayuh Terraces and Dewan Lagenda. These traditionally designed venues added to the diverse mix of musicians, to create a unique experience of jam sessions for the audience.

rwmf workshop

The diversity of culture and the instruments created at a rwmf workshop is a crowd favourite.

The Emerging Band Stage this year featured nine local bands over the course of the 3-day festival. Their performances were well-received by both local and foreign fesitval goers. Side activities held during the day. The RWMF partners include Friends of Sarawak Museum, Rainforest World Crafts Bazaar and Sarawak Biodiversity Centre.

What About Kuching (WAK) @ RWMF made their debut this year as artists, artisans, poets, sports trainers, and filmmakers from the Kuching community liven up the atmosphere at Damai Central. This multi-purpose recreational complex is located right next to the Sarawak Cultural Village. Certainly, the Sunset Stage was a big draw with a multitude of local bands entertaining the festival goers.

Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) intensified their greening initiatives this year. The biggest impact among these iniatives was from discouraging the use of plastic bottled water. An estimated twenty thousand plastic bottles were saved from the rubbish tip. Festival goers brought their own empty bottles which they could fill from water dispensing stations supplied by Cuckoo. For its waste management strategy, STB worked with Trienekens (waste management authority) and partnered with Spativate (a social enterprise) in coming up with eye-catching designs on waste bins. Biji-Biji, an social enterprise, was on hand to make sure waste was collected for composting. STB also continued the tradition of tree planting and this time, the site was at Pantai Puteri, Santubong Village.

cuckoo water refill station rwmf 2019

One of the many water refill stations dotted around festival ground.

rwmf urbins by spativate

Specially designed garbage bins to encourage proper disposal of litter.Twenty two years ago, the RWMF began as a very small gathering of 300 people. Fast forward to 2019, the festival has gained worldwide recognition and won multiple awards. For the three days at least it was a little too easy to forget that there’s a world outside the festival site.

Next year’s edition of the RWMF will be held from July 10 to 12, 2020.

STB is a winner of the Asia Pacific Excellence Awards 2016 by Asia-Pacific Association of Communications Directors (APACD) and has received the ASEAN PR Excellence Award 2015 Gold Award. The Rainforest World Music Festival is a five-time Top 25 Best International Festivals recognised by Songlines World Music Magazine (2011 – 2015) and won the Golden City Gate 2019 five-star award for the Rainforest World Music Festival’s (RWMF) promotional video.

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Malaysia Travel Guide

RWMF Promoting Sarawak’s Musical Heritage

KUCHING:  RWMF 2019 will feature five Sarawak Bands who will play alongside some of the most prolific world music bands from all parts of the world.

The wildly popular At Adau brings the ancient melodies and rhythms from the different tribes in Borneo to the 21st century by fusing it with contemporary elements.  The seven member group combine sape’ tunes and traditional percussion from the Bidayuh and Iban with their own arrangements to present a pop-folk medley of songs which have made them a big cult figure in the local music scene in the last few years.

Kemada from Sibu in Northern Sarawak are dedicated to preserving traditional Iban music, games, culture and the gendang pampat, a traditional drum usually played during rituals and important celebrations such as Gawai Dayak. In the old days, the permission to use the gendang pampat was limited and sacred. Often they were prohibited which made them more precious to preserve yet at the same time, risking extinction because they were not allowed to be used often.

Suku Menoa comprises of five dedicated musicians preserving the culture and identity of the Iban tribe. They will bring to the world stage, their rituals, music and chants to provide a glimpse into how integrated all these are in their daily lives, even today.

From the Bidayuh community of Kampong Atas Singai in Bau come Staak Bisomu who will provide a fascinating look at the old and hidden rituals still practised by the tribe.

Winners of the Waterfront Music Festival 2017, Suk Binie’ are 7 musicians from Bau.  They play arrangements of traditional melodies from the ethnic communities of the Bidayuh, Iban and Orang Ulu.

Many forms of performing arts are under threat today and although Sarawak has been diligently promoting and preserving its cultural heritage, many traditional practices have been abandoned.

Music is perhaps one of the best examples of this but with the popularity of ‘World Music’ at the RWMF in Sarawak and many other parts of the world, there has been a resurgence in cultural heritage promotion. Festivals like RWMF performs an important role in cultural exchange and encourages creativity that enriches the international art scene and is mostly intended to promote tourism.

Today, more effort is spent on safeguarding measures for traditional performing arts such as transmission of knowledge and techniques of playing traditional musical instruments and research, recording and documentation are being carried out.

In the last few years RWMF has played a crucial role in ensuring the viability of traditional forms of performing arts by developing audiences and raising awareness amongst the general public as well as to an international audience.

Meanwhile the Rainforest in the city (RITC) will take place from July 2 – 11 at Kuching Amphitheatre from 8.00pm till 11.00pm daily, hosted by Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Sarawak, in collaboration with Sarawak Tourism Board.  Entrance is free and open for public.

RWMF2019 AT ADAU

The Rainforest World Music Festival takes place on July 12-14 at the Sarawak Cultural Village and is organized by the Sarawak Tourism Board, endorsed by Tourism Malaysia and is supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Youth Sports Sarawak.

For further information on tickets, festival activities and logistics, please log on to https://rwmf.net/

 

 

 

 

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Categories
Malaysia Travel Guide

RWMF Promoting Sarawak’s Musical Heritage

KUCHING:  RWMF 2019 will feature five Sarawak Bands who will play alongside some of the most prolific world music bands from all parts of the world.

The wildly popular At Adau brings the ancient melodies and rhythms from the different tribes in Borneo to the 21st century by fusing it with contemporary elements.  The seven member group combine sape’ tunes and traditional percussion from the Bidayuh and Iban with their own arrangements to present a pop-folk medley of songs which have made them a big cult figure in the local music scene in the last few years.

Kemada from Sibu in Northern Sarawak are dedicated to preserving traditional Iban music, games, culture and the gendang pampat, a traditional drum usually played during rituals and important celebrations such as Gawai Dayak. In the old days, the permission to use the gendang pampat was limited and sacred. Often they were prohibited which made them more precious to preserve yet at the same time, risking extinction because they were not allowed to be used often.

Suku Menoa comprises of five dedicated musicians preserving the culture and identity of the Iban tribe. They will bring to the world stage, their rituals, music and chants to provide a glimpse into how integrated all these are in their daily lives, even today.

From the Bidayuh community of Kampong Atas Singai in Bau come Staak Bisomu who will provide a fascinating look at the old and hidden rituals still practised by the tribe.

Winners of the Waterfront Music Festival 2017, Suk Binie’ are 7 musicians from Bau.  They play arrangements of traditional melodies from the ethnic communities of the Bidayuh, Iban and Orang Ulu.

Many forms of performing arts are under threat today and although Sarawak has been diligently promoting and preserving its cultural heritage, many traditional practices have been abandoned.

Music is perhaps one of the best examples of this but with the popularity of ‘World Music’ at the RWMF in Sarawak and many other parts of the world, there has been a resurgence in cultural heritage promotion. Festivals like RWMF performs an important role in cultural exchange and encourages creativity that enriches the international art scene and is mostly intended to promote tourism.

Today, more effort is spent on safeguarding measures for traditional performing arts such as transmission of knowledge and techniques of playing traditional musical instruments and research, recording and documentation are being carried out.

In the last few years RWMF has played a crucial role in ensuring the viability of traditional forms of performing arts by developing audiences and raising awareness amongst the general public as well as to an international audience.

Meanwhile the Rainforest in the city (RITC) will take place from July 2 – 11 at Kuching Amphitheatre from 8.00pm till 11.00pm daily, hosted by Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Sarawak, in collaboration with Sarawak Tourism Board.  Entrance is free and open for public.

RWMF2019 AT ADAU

The Rainforest World Music Festival takes place on July 12-14 at the Sarawak Cultural Village and is organized by the Sarawak Tourism Board, endorsed by Tourism Malaysia and is supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Youth Sports Sarawak.

For further information on tickets, festival activities and logistics, please log on to https://rwmf.net/

 

 

 

 

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Malaysia Travel Guide

RWMF PROMOTING SARAWAK’S MUSICAL HERITAGE

KUCHING:  RWMF 2019 will feature five Sarawak Bands who will play alongside some of the most prolific world music bands from all parts of the world.

The wildly popular At Adau brings the ancient melodies and rhythms from the different tribes in Borneo to the 21st century by fusing it with contemporary elements.  The seven member group combine sape’ tunes and traditional percussion from the Bidayuh and Iban with their own arrangements to present a pop-folk medley of songs which have made them a big cult figure in the local music scene in the last few years.

Kemada from Sibu in Northern Sarawak are dedicated to preserving traditional Iban music, games, culture and the gendang pampat, a traditional drum usually played during rituals and important celebrations such as Gawai Dayak. In the old days, the permission to use the gendang pampat was limited and sacred. Often they were prohibited which made them more precious to preserve yet at the same time, risking extinction because they were not allowed to be used often.

Suku Menoa comprises of five dedicated musicians preserving the culture and identity of the Iban tribe. They will bring to the world stage, their rituals, music and chants to provide a glimpse into how integrated all these are in their daily lives, even today.

From the Bidayuh community of Kampong Atas Singai in Bau come Staak Bisomu who will provide a fascinating look at the old and hidden rituals still practised by the tribe.

Winners of the Waterfront Music Festival 2017, Suk Binie’ are 7 musicians from Bau.  They play arrangements of traditional melodies from the ethnic communities of the Bidayuh, Iban and Orang Ulu.

Many forms of performing arts are under threat today and although Sarawak has been diligently promoting and preserving its cultural heritage, many traditional practices have been abandoned.

Music is perhaps one of the best examples of this but with the popularity of ‘World Music’ at the RWMF in Sarawak and many other parts of the world, there has been a resurgence in cultural heritage promotion. Festivals like RWMF performs an important role in cultural exchange and encourages creativity that enriches the international art scene and is mostly intended to promote tourism.

Today, more effort is spent on safeguarding measures for traditional performing arts such as transmission of knowledge and techniques of playing traditional musical instruments and research, recording and documentation are being carried out.

In the last few years RWMF has played a crucial role in ensuring the viability of traditional forms of performing arts by developing audiences and raising awareness amongst the general public as well as to an international audience.

Meanwhile the Rainforest in the city (RITC) will take place from July 2 – 11 at Kuching Amphitheatre from 8.00pm till 11.00pm daily, hosted by Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Sarawak, in collaboration with Sarawak Tourism Board.  Entrance is free and open for public.

RWMF2019 AT ADAU

The Rainforest World Music Festival takes place on July 12-14 at the Sarawak Cultural Village and is organized by the Sarawak Tourism Board, endorsed by Tourism Malaysia and is supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Youth Sports Sarawak.

For further information on tickets, festival activities and logistics, please log on to https://rwmf.net/

 

 

 

 

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Malaysia Travel Guide

EXPLORE EXOTIC FACETS OF MOROCCO’S MUSICAL HERITAGE

Music is fundamental in the Moroccan daily life and it is at the heart of this nation’s cultural heritage. At this year’s RWMF, festival goers will have the rare opportunity to experience the music of Mehdi Nassouli whose passion for preserving Moroccan music is matched by his energetic and engaging stage presence.

Born in Taroudant in southern Morocco, Mehdi experienced the rhythms and sounds of traditional Moroccan culture while growing up. This inspired him to dedicate his life to studying instruments and the voice of his people. He immersed himself in the rhythms and spiritual trance of “Gnawa music practised by his ancestors.

Mehdi was also enamoured by the Malhoune poetic arts and deqqa, a traditional form of art from Taroudant and spent the better part of a decade learning several traditional musical styles across Morocco.

Drawn intrinsically to new rhythms, he took up the guembri, a percussive stringed instrument that is the foundation of Gnawa music and learned to master it from great musicians.

Launched into the international scene by festival director Brahim El Mazned, Mehdi now has many projects and international collaborations where he pushes those traditions ahead with enthusiasm. As a fusion artist, he has collaborated and shared the stage with many international artists. Mehdi was featured on French guitarist Titi Robin’s album Les Rives in 2012 and the two later collaborated on a joint album, Taziri in 2015, with both albums yielding extensive international touring. His collaboration with other genres, such as jazz and hip hop has earned him legions of followers.

Watch him perform at the RWMF 2019 – leading his traditional 5 piece, dazzling the crowd with mesmerizing dance and gnawa percussion, and endearing himself to the audience with his irresistible smile.

RWMF2019 MEHDI NASSOULI

The Rainforest World Music Festival takes place on July 12-14 at the Sarawak Cultural Village and is organised by the Sarawak Tourism Board, endorsed by Tourism Malaysia and is supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Youth Sports Sarawak.

For further information on tickets, festival activities and logistics, please log on to https://rwmf.net/

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