Sunday, August 09, 2015

Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival awakens to rhythm of world beats


KUCHING: Music-lovers from the world over swayed to the rhythm of harmonious beats with the start of the first night performance of the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) 2015 on Friday.

The night started off with a traditional ‘miring’ ceremony before Sangpuy, the first performer, took to the stage.

An aboriginal singer from Taiwan, Sangpuy Katatepan Mavaliyw enchanted the audience with his beautiful voice and slow melodious tunes of the Pinuyumayan tribe, celebrating life and ancient traditions.

What made Sangpuy even more gripping for local festival goers were the similarities between the traditional costumes, dance and language of his tribe to Borneo’s own natives.

From smooth and easy, the night’s ambience then escalated to a more frenzied beat with Kobagi Kecak, which is short for Komunitas Badan Gila (Crazy Bodies Community).

Formed in 2008 in Bali, Indonesia, the band of 16 people developed a special performance style they coined ‘Angga Suara Murti’ which sees the group creating beats and sounds with nothing but their own bodies and voices as primary instruments.

Scottish fusion band Shooglenifty which celebrated its 25th anniversary this year was last to perform.

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