Music Diversity At Its Best At Rainforest Festival

KUCHING (Sarawak, Malaysia), July 9 (Bernama) -- The 78-member Sarawak Percussion and Ensemble will showcase the ethnic music of the East Malaysia state's communities, ranging from the Iban to the Bidayuh, to the Orang Ulu and Melanau, at the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF 2012) over the weekend beginning Friday at the Sarawak Cultural Village near here. Led by home-grown music director Narawi Rashidi, these local musicians and artistes will perform rare forms of traditional music and dance on stage as well as on the ground at the same time. "Their music and instruments are as diverse, lush and poly-layered as the Sarawak’s rainforests and, other than showcasing the famous warrior dance, seldom-heard tunes such as ethnic chanting and melodies from various communities will also take place," said a statement issued by the event organiser, Sarawak Tourism Board, here on Monday. Sarawak is one of the two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Music fans are asked to make a date with them on the second and third night of the festival, where the group will entertain with all metal-based music instruments and all drums and bamboo-based instruments, respectively. The festival will also showcase other renowned bands from all corners of the world, such as Mamadou Diabate from Burkina Faso, Le Trio Joubran from Palestine, Khusugtun from Mongolia, Raiz De Cafezal, a group of Brazilian Amazonian Indians, Oreka TX from Spain, La Zikabilo from France, String Sisters comprising fiddlers from the Scandinavian countries, Scotland, Ireland and the United States, Kanda Bongo Man from Congo, Cankisou from the Czech Republic, Daniel Waro from the Reunion Island and HATA, comprising musicians from Malaysia, South Korea, Turkey and Taiwan. They will also be joined by Malaysian musicians like Samuel Dass and Prakash, Diplomats of Drum as well as Sarawak's very own Rhythm of Borneo. Taking place at the same venue will be the Rainforest World Craft Bazaar (RWCB), which features prominently as an important fringe event. -- BERNAMA