Sabah International Folklore Festival 2016: A night to remember

KOTA KINABALU: Dance troupes from all over the world staged an array of stellar performances at the Sabah International Folklore Festival (SIFF) 2016 International Folklore Dance Competition, to the delight of a capacity crowd gathered at the Sabah Cultural Centre to watch one of the most awaited events of the year.

In yet another exciting show putting the spotlight on the melting pot of cultures, dance groups from 11 participating countries took to the stage to deliver their traditional dances based on their interpretation of this year’s SIFF 2016 theme “The Warrior”.

Bringing elegance and grace to the stage, dancers adorned in their South Korean folk dress presented a breath-taking cultural dance which captivated the audience.

The dance which was presented by the Kim Mija Dance Company, was traditionally performed for generals and soldiers returning from battle.

Among those at the festival were Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun who also launched the event on behalf of Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Hj Aman, as well as Mayor of Kota Kinabalu City, Datuk Yeoh Boon Hai.

The festival next headed to South Asia, putting the spotlight on Sri Lankan culture with young dancers from the RanRanga Dance Academy presenting a graceful starting performance before their older counterparts dazzled the crowd with an exhilarating traditional dance medley.

Irish group – the Gaellic Girls Dancing Troupe were clear crowd favourites of the night who performed a medley of exciting toe-tapping music of traditional Irish Jigs and reels in a dance based on an old Irish folklore about the mysterious Selkie, a mythical creature. According to Irish folklore, Selkies are said to live as seals in the sea but shed their skin to become human on land.

Members of the audience cheered the host country took to the stage who delivered a hauntingly fascinating cultural Kelantanese dance which was traditionally performed for kings and warriors during the olden days.

Among the many fascinating shows of the night include the exciting Bhangra Desire Folk Art Club of India who really set the stage alive with their vibrant and lively Punjabi Warrior dance. The dance group of the Philippines also staged an exciting cultural performance of the Visaya tribe which drew loud cheers from the crowd.

Continue reading at: Sabah International Folklore Festival 2016: A night to remember

.
.

Korean dance kicks off Sabah International Folklore Festival

KOTA KINABALU: Eleven countries performed at the opening night of the 11th Sabah International Folklore Festival here yesterday.

The first performance was by the ensemble from South Korea. The all-female Korean dancers performed the Jango dance, a traditional welcoming dance for warriors after a battle.

It was followed by the Sri Lankan dance performed mainly by young children and the Russian acrobatic performance from the Republic of Sakha Yakuthia.

Malaysia was represented by a dance ensemble from Peninsular Malaysia which performed a Kelantanese dance.

One of the favorites at the show was the traditional Irish dance which tells of the traditional folklore story of the Selkies, a seal like creature that lives in the Irish sea.

When the Selkies leave the water they shed their seal skin to become beautiful young women and dance to the Irish dancing steps.

The performers perform in both soft and hard shoes and are accompanied by an all-male musicians also from Ireland.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Korean dance kicks off Sabah International Folklore Festival

.
.

Murut ethnic clothes for Sabah International Folklore Festival participants

KOTA KINABALU: Exchanging ethnic clothes and KK City Folklore Parade were the highlights on the third day of 11th Sabah International Folklore Festival (SIFF), yesterday.

Chairman of Sabah Cultural Board, Tan Sri Wences Angang, said the exchanging of ethnic clothes was one of efforts to educate local people about the diversity and uniqueness of the ethnic clothes from other countries.

This year, Sabah has chosen the ethnic clothes of the Murut people, to be given as a gift to the countries involved, and they would also reciprocate with their respective ethnic attires.

“With the ethnic clothes given, we are promoting Sabah to the world, especially to the participating countries,” he added.

Eleven countries are participating in this year’s in SIFF, namely Australia, Estonia, Ireland, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, the Philippines, Russia, South Korea, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

After the exchanging of ethnic clothes ceremony was held at Sabah Art Gallery in Penampang, dancers from all participating countries paraded from Suria Sabah shopping mall, showcasing some of their dance moves at Dataran Deasoka before ending the third of the nine-day event for Folklore High Tea Ceremony at Kota Kinabalu City Hall.

Mayor Datuk Yeo Boon Hai said the SIFF would no doubt enable the people of Sabah, especially in Kota Kinabalu, to enjoy a sensational blend of ethnic dances as well as musical presentations from all participating countries.

Yeo said he believed the festival was not only to celebrate the heritage of different countries, but also a platform for cultural exchange.

“Thus, this festival would definitely benefit the people of Sabah through professional cultural dances from different parts of the world at our very own door step,” he said in his speech at the Kota Kinabalu City International Folklore Parade in conjunction with the 11th SIFF here yesterday.

Continue reading at: Murut ethnic clothes for Sabah International Folklore Festival participants

.
.

11 countries for Sabah International Folklore Festival

KOTA KINABALU: A total of 11 countries will take part in the 11th Sabah International Folklore Festival (SIFF) scheduled to take place on July 28.

The participating countries would be Australia, Estonia, Ireland, Indonesia, India, Philippines, Russia, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Malaysia, said Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun during a press conference held at his office yesterday.

He added that the participants were required to pay a fee of USD30 for each of their members.

The fee would go towards paying for the cost of organising the festival.

Meanwhile, the festival would be launched by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Haji Aman on July 28 at the Penampang Cultural Centre at 7pm.

The finale of the event would be held on July 30 and would be attended by Head of State Tun Juhar Mahiruddin and his wife Toh Puan Hajjah Norlidah R.M. Jasni.

He said a photography competition would also be held and photographers covering the events from July 25 to July 30 are encouraged to take part.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: 11 countries for Sabah International Folklore Festival

.
.

Promotion for Sabah International Folklore Festival launched

KOTA KINABALU: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman yesterday launched the promotion for the 11th Sabah International Folklore Festival 2016 (SIFF) at the compound of Wisma Innoprise here yesterday.

Eleven countries, including Malaysia, will be participating in the 11th SIFF to be held from July 24 to 30 at the Sabah Cultural Centre in Penampang.

The participating countries are Australia, Ireland, Indonesia, India, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Estonia, South Korea, Republic of Sakha Yakutia Russia and Malaysia.

Also those present were the three deputy chief ministers — Datuk Seri Yahya Hussin, Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah and Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan as well as Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun.

According to Sabah Cultural Board chairman Tan Sri Wences Angang at the launch of the promotion drive for the festival at Wisma Innoprise, they were also waiting for the confirmation from Kazakhstan to take part in the festival.

“If they join, then we will have 12 countries participating,” he said.

There are three main programmes in this year’s SIFF with the theme “Warrior”.

These include the KK City Folklore Parade on July 26 from 2pm to 5pm here; the Sabah Traditional Food and Handicraft Exhibition at the Sabah Cultural Centre in Penampang on July 25 to July 30; and the main event, the International Folk Dance competition from July 28 to July 30.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Promotion for Sabah International Folklore Festival launched

.
.

11th Sabah International Folklore Festival rebates and discounts

Kota Kinabalu: Sabah Cultural Board will consider offering rebates and discounts to countries which have difficulty in paying the advance fees for the 11th Sabah International Folklore Festival (SIFF).

Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said these rebates will be offered based on their previous record of participation as well as their distance from the State.

"I have discussed with State Cultural Board General Manager Datu Rosmadi Datu Sulai and so far, there are only seven countries who had registered…the participation is limited to 10 groups this year.

"And we realised that favourite participants like Kazakhstan have yet to confirm their participation.

"I was made to understand that among the reasons given were these countries can't afford to pay the advance fee of US$30 for each group member," he said during the launching of SIFF official website at Wisma Tun Fuad Stephens, here, Thursday.

Citing Kazakhstan, Masidi said the group has to take two days to reach Sabah and the implementation of the advance fee made the situation harder for them.

"We are willing to consider giving rebates and discounts to countries which had been consistent in their participation for SIFF.

"This is one of the ways to reduce their burden, especially those who come from far as it will involve big expenses."

He reiterated that Sabah Cultural Board does not gain any profit through the advance fees payment.

"The fees don't pose a significant impact on cost reduction to organise SIFF. We imposed the fees so that participants will take this event seriously.

"Should we make it easier to be participated, then the risks of getting low quality participation is higher.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: 11th Sabah International Folklore Festival rebates and discounts

.
.

Sabah International Folklore Festival to feature legendary warriors

KOTA KINABALU: The 11th Sabah International Folklore Festival (SIFF) 2016 will bring the cultural heritage of the state and world’s legendary warriors centre stage, from July 24 to 30.

Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun said SIFF’s annual rotating theme usually showcased some of the local and world’s dance performances, exhibitions and other programs around a specific cultural aspect to the public and foreign visitors.

“Every year we try to change the theme. Last year was ‘marriage’, this year is ‘warrior’. Actually in this world, there is diverse cultural heritage; it is just we do not know,” said Masidi at a press conference after the first SIFF 2016 meeting here yesterday.

“We feel there is a lot that we can learn from the heritage among warriors of many cultures in the world. In a way, it is something to educate every one of us and to showcase the rich cultural heritage that is related to warriors of cultures in the world,” he added.

The minister added that although Murut warriors were prominent and synonymous in the state’s tourism scene, many other warriors are also found among Sabah’s vast and diversified cultural background itself.

Among the major programs in this year’s SIFF are the KK (Kota Kinabalu) City Folklore Parade here on July 26, 7th Folk Art Exhibition at the Sabah Art Gallery Conservation Centre (SAGCC) between July 25 to 30, Sabah Traditional Food and Handicraft Exhibition at Sabah Cultural Centre, Penampang between July 25 and 30, and the 8th Tugu Budaya Local Folk Dance Competition at Sabah Cultural Centre, Penampang on July 26, 27 and 29.

“As usual, SIFF will once again invite primary and secondary schools to participate. We find, through experience, that this event is among the most spectacular event because schools really care to ensure a good presentation of their performance,” said Masidi.

Continue reading at: Sabah International Folklore Festival to feature legendary warriors

.
.

Magnificent finale to Sabah International Folklore Festival

PENAMPANG: The packed venue at the Sabah Cultural Centre near here was treated to a magnificent and colourful performances of 16 dance ensembles performed by dancers from many parts of the world during the final night of the 10th Sabah International Folklore Festival on Saturday.

They entertained and wowed the audiences with a variety of performances that highlighted the unique diversity of the world’s culture in the celebration of wedding occasions of the respective countries where they came from.

Their costumes were so distinct from one another that the audiences were awe-struck and enthralled by the beauty of it all.

The performers were from the Badan Kebudayaan Pesaka of Brunei Darussalam, Velreiz Dance Group of Latvia, the Indonesian Svadara Dance Group, Abyichaana Dance Ensemble from the Republic of Sahka Yakutia, China’s Quan Zhou Gao Jia Opera Heritage Centre, South Korean’s Gwacheon People Artist Federation, Kazakhstan’s On AltyKyz Folk Dance Troupe, Sining Palawan Dance Troupe of Palawan State University, Bngsagar Performing Arts group from India, Kyrgyzstan’s KauharSanat, Slovakia’s “MLADOST” University Folklore Ensemble, Hui Fong Dance Group from Taiwan, Hoytad of Turkey, University of Guadalaraja of Mexico, Russia, and performers from the National Department of Culture and Arts Sarawak.

Sabah Head of State Tun Juhar Mahiruddin and his wife graced the event together with Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun, Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Kamarlin Ombi and Community Development and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Jainab Ahmad Ayid.

The Overall Champion Prime Award was won by Russia, followed by the Philippines which was awarded the Chief Minister’s Award. The Cultural Minister Award went to Slovakia with their dance depicting the wedding tradition of folks residing at the country which was very merry and lively.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Magnificent finale to Sabah International Folklore Festival

.
.

Russia takes crown at 10th Sabah International Folklore Festival

PENAMPANG: Russia has been crowned the overall champion at the 10th Sabah International Folklore Festival this year.

Apart from winning the premier award presented by Head of State, Tun Juhar Mahiruddin, Russia also bagged three awards for the best choreography as well as best male and female dancers.

Second place or the winner of the Chief Minister’s Award went to the Philippines and the third place or the Cultural Minister’s Award was won by Slovakia.

The Sabah Cultural Board made the five-day festival a little bit different this year with its theme centred on marriage.

As the festival ended on Saturday night here at the Sabah Cultural Centre in Penampang, the 16 participating countries including Malaysia amazed the crowd with performances that featured their respective cultures and traditions in a marriage ceremony.

Russia, did not just win the hearts of three judges headed by Dr Joseph Gonzales from ASWARA Dance Company Malaysia and consisted of Hamid Chan and Yana Samsudin, but the crowd was wowed throughout their performance.

Set against the backdrop of an upbeat tempo, the troupe successfully staged a wonderful wedding celebration in a dance, the Russian way.

Everyone was so immersed in the performance, many did not notice the female dancers had a quick costume change in the middle of the show at centrestage.

The audience only realised the quick costume change when the female dancers did a change the second time.

Continue reading at: Russia takes crown at 10th Sabah International Folklore Festival

.
.

Colourful sneak preview of Sabah folklore festival

KOTA KINABALU: Colours and cultural music filled the city’s streets as teams of folk dancers rehearsed for the 10th annual Sabah International Folklore Festival here.

The teams practised at the Lintasan Deasoka area while roads were temporarily closed to make way for the annual competition that includes a parade.

A total of 17 teams will vie for the top spot in the International Folk Dance Competition, scheduled to be held from today to Saturday at the Sabah Cultural Centre in Penampang.

Mayor Datuk Abidin Madingkir said the festival would act as a platform for cultural exchanges and bring people of different ethnic backgrounds together.

He said it was also a positive sign that there were more than 320 contestants this year, compared to 150 participants previously.

“I hope this festival will continue to be held in Sabah every year and with more participating countries so that our tourism industry will benefit,” he said.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic and Vid) at: Colourful sneak preview of Sabah folklore festival

.
.

Language not barrier at Sabah International Folklore Festival

KOTA KINABALU: Language barrier has not stopped the participants of the 10th Sabah International Folklore Festival (SIFF) from forging new friendships and ties with those from other nations.

Yesterday, participants from Indonesia danced to the tune of an Indonesian melody together with the participants from India, and other countries.

Another participant from the Republic of Sakha Yakutia who spoke very little English, described the performers from Slovakia as his ‘brothers.’

This was clearly what Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun meant when he said the aim of having SIFF was not really to select the best performing country but more towards promoting peace and making new friends.

“The Sabah International Folklore Festival is a symbol of peace in the world. The 16 participating countries are symbolically showcasing this message,” he said when launching the event.

The countries participating are China, Russia, Indonesia, South Korea, Latvia, Kazakhstan, the Philippines, India, Kyrgyzstan, Brunei Darussalam, Slovakia, Taipei, Turkey, Mexico and Malaysia.

Mexico, Turkey and Sakha Yakutia Republic are joining the festival for the first time this year.

Some countries have been supporting the event from the start and they comprise of Kazakhstan as well as neighbouring countries Brunei Darussalam, the Philippines and Indonesia.

Masidi welcomed the participants and hoped they would continue to support the event.

At yesterday’s event, the participants were given the opportunity to showcase their culture and tradition to the folk of Kota Kinabalu.

They were flagged off at Wisma Budaya and they walked under the sweltering hot weather towards Lintasan Desaoka and later to join Mayor Datuk Abidin Madingkir at the Kota Kinabalu Community Hall.

Their colourful costumes were an attraction to the local folk and many were seen ready with their cameras and smartphones to snap photographs of the participants at the parade.

Some, like the participants from South Korea, were clad in very thick costumes and one wondered how they could endure the hot and humid weather.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Language not barrier at Sabah International Folklore Festival

.
.

Sabah International Folklore Festival 2015 features beauty, uniqueness of world cultural dances

KOTA KINABALU: The upcoming 10th Sabah International Folklore Festival (SIFF) 2015 is something not to be missed as it features the beauty and uniqueness of cultural dance performances by various ethnic groups of the world.

The extravaganza festival scheduled on August 10-15 will showcase the cultural rendezvous of East-West in promoting peace through culture and Sabah as a prime tourism destination in Asia.

The international dance troupes to be figured this time around are from Slovakia, Latvia, Indonesia, Philippine, South Korea, Russia, Brunei, Republic of Sakha Yakutia Russia, Kazakhstan, Taiwan, India, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, Mexico and Bangladesh, said the Sabah Cultural Board in a statement issued here yesterday.

The people from all walks of life will also be entertained by our local school students and from neighbouring countries as they vie for the top honours in the local folkdance competition.

The teams expected to compete in the primary school category are SK Seri Gaya, St Agnes, St James, St Convent Bukit Nenas (Kuala Lumpur), SK Ulu Lubai (Sarawak), SK Sembulan, SK Lohan Ranau, SK Sapulut, SK (P) Methodist Kuantan (Pahang).

In the fray for the secondary school are SMK Rancha-Rancha, SM St Peter Telipok, SM Chung Hwa Tenom, SMK Medamit Limbang (Sarawak), SM Katok (Brunei), SM All Saints, SMK Kolombong, Sekolah Seni (Johor), SMK Ranau and SMK Narinang.

The festival will kick off with the KK City Folklore Parade on August 12 with the troupes marching from Wisma Budaya to Lintasan Deasoka starting from 2pm to 5pm and the 6th Folk Art Exhibition on August 11-15 at Sabah Art Gallery.

Continue reading at: Sabah International Folklore Festival 2015 features beauty, uniqueness of world cultural dances

.
.

15 countries to showcase ‘Folklore Weddings’ in Sabah International Folklore Festival

KOTA KINABALU: The 10th Sabah International Folklore Festival (SIFF) will be held from August 10 to 15 at the Penampang Cultural Centre near here.

The theme for this year’s event is ‘Folklore Weddings’.

Sabah Cultural Board manager Datuk Rosmadi Datu Sulai disclosed this after witnessing the launching of the 10th SIFF promotion at Wisma Innoprise by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Haji Aman yesterday.

The 15 countries taking part in the festival this year are Latvia, Indonesia, The Philippines, South Korea, Russia, Brunei Darussalam, Kazakhstan, Taiwan, India, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, Mexico, Slovakia and the Republic of Sakha Yakutia, Russia.

Rosmandi said the uniqueness of this year’s event was that each of the participating countries would showcase the dance and traditional wedding wear of their respective folklore wedding.

Continue reading at: 15 countries to showcase ‘Folklore Weddings’ in Sabah International Folklore Festival

.
.

Shorter Sabah International Folklore Festival to reduce costs

KOTA KINABALU: The 10th Sabah International Folklore Festival (SIFF) 2015 will be held for five days this year, instead of the nine days as in the previous years in support of the state government’s call for more prudent spending.

Efforts to reduce expenses also included seeking partnerships and sponsorships from corporate and government agencies, cancelling the premier show and limiting the number of participating countries.

Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun said the organizing committee would find ways to save on expenses without compromising the quality of the performances.

For the first time ever, SIFF 2015 will be held at Sabah Cultural Centre in Penampang which has recently been renovated in order to cater for prestigious performances such as orchestra or theatre. The event will run from August 11 to 15.

Masidi, who is also the organizing chairman, said the government had spent RM5.9 million to upgrade the audio system, lighting and seating of Sabah Cultural Centre.

Prior to SIFF 2015, Masidi said the Sabah Cultural Centre would be the venue for Era Sayang Sabah concert and performances by the Jesselton Philharmonic Orchestra and Korea Philharmonic Orchestra.

Speaking to the media after chairing the SIFF 2015 meeting yesterday, Masidi said the committee had identified 189 groups from various countries to invite to the festival.

To date, 27 countries have shown their interest to participate in SIFF 2015, including Slovakia, Australia, Bangladesh, Costa Rica, China, Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, New Zealand, Indonesia, India, the Philippines, Poland, Russia, Singapore, Johor, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Venezuela and others.

“There is no shortage of participants; the real issue is how we can afford to accommodate everyone.”

While the participants are required to purchase their own flight tickets, Masidi said the organizing committee was responsible for providing accommodation and food to the participants during their stay here.

“In support of the government’s call to reduce expenditure this year, we are only accepting 15 countries at the international level.”

The theme of SIFF 2015 is ‘Marriage’, a concept to couple marriage ceremony in cultural dances.

Continue reading at: Shorter Sabah International Folklore Festival to reduce costs

.
.

Sabah International Folklore Festival a bridge of friendship

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun has described the annual Sabah International Folklore Festival (SIFF) as a bridge of friendship and goodwill between the participating nations.

Speaking at the welcoming dinner for the 9th SIFF 2014 participants here last night, Masidi said while the dance showcase may be minor in terms of importance compared to what is happening in the rest of the world, he believed it sent a message of peace and love to the world.

“We are sending a powerful message to the rest of the world that we are peace-loving countries.

And that is the reason some of the participants took the trouble to fly thousands of kilometres to show the world that we want peace and all the people in the world are brothers and sisters,” said Masidi.

He added that Sabah which has the most diverse cultures in Malaysia wanted to showcase its peace and harmony to the participating countries.

“Sabah has a population of over 3.2 million but there are 32 ethnic groups speaking more than 50 languages.

Race and religion have never been a problem and practically every Sabahan has relatives from the other side of the religious divide.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Sabah International Folklore Festival a bridge of friendship

.
.

Sabah International Folklore Festival 2013 - folklore promotion in schools mooted

KOTA KINABALU: Folklore and traditional music and dance will be widely promoted in Sabah if the ‘powers that be’ in the educational and cultural fields have their way.

Realising the importance to keep this tradition alive, Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun has proposed that the relevant authorities work closely with the State Education Department to ensure that the message gets across, especially to the young children.

“We will look for a way to work with the State Education Department on how we can incorporate the folklore and traditional music and dance into the system, It will not be absorbed as part of the curriculum but more like a friendly competition to instil the love and interest amongst the schoolchildren so as to keep our tradition alive,” he said.

Speaking to reporters after launching the 8th Sabah International Folklore Festival 2013 (SIFF) on Tuesday evening, he described Sabahans as natural when it comes to music.

“We are exposed to traditional music from young, and our interest builds up from there. But of course, we have to find ways to ensure that the interest can be expanded. Take the SIFF this year, for the first time, the Sabah Cultural Board has decided to focus on folklore and traditional music, this is a trial basis and if we see the potential, we will adsorb this event as part of the festival’s highlights, apart from the dancing, which has obviously lured a lot of enthusiasts since it was introduced,” said Masidi.

He said maybe in the near future, apart from luring more participation, they would also come up with other programmes that would attract more people to come in.

“Because the reason of having such event is to have people watching. It will be a failure if we do not have an audience. If an event is only held just for us to enjoy, then we would not have achieved our target, which is to educate, share and promote our tradition, culture and folklores for all to know,” he said.

He said SIFF is an avenue for both participants and the audience to learn the global folklores.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Sabah International Folklore Festival 2013 - folklore promotion in schools mooted

.
.

Sabah International Folklore Festival 2013 - Folk art exhibition to boost cultural awareness

KOTA KINABALU: The Folk Art Exhibition (FAE) held as part of the annual Sabah International Folklore Festival (SIFF) could be utilized as an effective platform for promoting cultural awareness and understanding, said Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun.

He said taking concerted efforts towards cultural awareness, especially among the younger generation was important as culture is the reflection of the identity of a community.

“My hope is that with event such as this, we can build the understanding and awareness towards other cultures in the hope that it can be an eyeopener to the local society to appreciate the value of our own unique culture, our heritage,” he said, launching the 4th FAE 2013 here, yesterday.

Masidi commended the Sabah Art Gallery, the organizing body of the event, for their initiative to bring in foreign artistes and their works this year.

Themed ‘Understanding Eastern Culture’ the FAE this year features 14 artistes, including from Japan, who will be showcasing their various works such as paintings, photography, bead weaving, pottery, calligraphy and music.

Hosted at the Sabah Art Gallery (SAG) building located near the National Department of Culture and Arts (JKKN) Complex at mile 2 Jalan Penampang, the exhibition will be opened to the public for free until June 30.

Continue reading at: Sabah International Folklore Festival 2013 - Folk art exhibition to boost cultural awareness

.
.

Sabah International Folklore Festival different this time

KOTA KINABALU: The eighth Sabah International Folklore Festival (SIFF) is taking on a different concept this year, Sabah Cultural Board general manager Dato Rosmadi Sulai said.

This year, folk songs and music would be performed by the participants, including those from Sabah, he told reporters at the welcoming dinner for SIFF participants on Monday night.

“In the past it was about folk dances but the 8th SIFF focuses on folk songs and music and this is one of the reasons why the participation is less. This is also the first time we are trying to showcase folk songs and music of the participating countries.

“We took this step as the Sabah Cultural Centre, which is the normal venue, is being upgraded. God Willing, the work will be completed by next year and we will bring back the folk dances. At the moment we have received about 80 participation for the folk dance competition next year,” he said.

Rosmadi also said the concept change for SIFF was to ensure the continuity of the festival.

This year, the event is being held at the Jabatan Kebudayaan dan Kesenian Negara auditorium from June 25 to 26th.

“The auditorium’s capacity is for 600 and the stage is not big enough for dancers. That is why we have to change the concept this year,” he said adding that this year’s participants were from Sri Lanka, Japan, Korea and Sarawak.

Continue reading at: Sabah International Folklore Festival different this time

.
.

7th Sabah International Folklore Festival - A showcase of rich heritages

KOTA KINABALU: The 18 participating countries in the 7th Sabah International Folklore Festival (SIFF) 2012 prime show enthralled patrons with a plethora of fascinating folk performances during the launch of the event on Friday night.

It was indeed a rare treat featuring rich heritages by the participating dance troupes from the Czech Republic, Brunei Darussalam, Timur Leste, Finland, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Philippines, Poland, Thailand, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Papua New Guinea, Kuwait, Egypt, Nigeria, Taiwan and China.

The packed crowd at Magellan Sutera was intrigued with the performance of the Timur Leste troupe which presented a dance entitled, ‘Tarian berguru’, a dance that depicted hunting trips in the wild outdoors.

The Dayak Lundayeh folk from Nunukan, Indonesia, on the other hand, showed similarities in their costumes with the Murut folk in Sabah.

The Kazakhstan dancers showcased their beautiful maidens clad in flowing gowns of pastel colours.

Continue reading at: 7th Sabah International Folklore Festival - A showcase of rich heritages

.

.

Sabah International Folklore Festival - Justs can’t help smiling in Sabah

KOTA KINABALU: Justs Patrius Celms, a first-time visitor from Latvia, finds the friendliness of Sabahans so infectious that he just could not stop smiling since he set foot here.

Justs, 20, who arrived in the city three days ago to take part in the 7th Sabah International Folklore Festival 2012 with his dance troupe, said: “We are truly surprised how well organized the event is, and how kind and humble the people are.

“They smile everywhere, and we just can’t stop smiling.”

Interviewed during the KK City Folklore high-tea ceremony yesterday, Justs said it is his group’s first trip to Sabah though another dance group from Latvia had previously participated in the Festival.

He said they will be presenting five dance performances with different tempos and movements.

He said he is keen to see the performances of other countries, as it is a way to study and learn each other’s culture.

He is also keen to check out local handicrafts, and national costumes during the Festival.

Meanwhile, this is also the first visit by the dance troupe from the Czech Republic, whose journey to Sabah was a long one.

The 21 performers were divided into three groups, with two staying in Kuala Lumpur for eight and 10 days, while another transited at Hong Kong for two days.

The 21 performers are divided into two aged groups for the festival, one being aged 16 to 30, and the other from 30 to 60.

Veronica Hrnkova, 21, said she believes the Folklore Festival here will be one of the best festivals she has ever participated in.

“What we like is that we can compare different groups, different costumes, cultures, food… and everything!” she exclaimed.

Once again, the dancers commented on Sabahans’ friendliness.

“We can compare to Czech, we are a European country, we don’t smile to everyone, here the people are too warm and nice to us,” said Veronica.

“They are all smiling and asking us ‘How are you’ and asking us about our country,” she said as her dance mate Lucie Nepejchalova, 25, acted as her translator.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Sabah International Folklore Festival - Justs can’t help smiling in Sabah

.

.