Monday, May. 30, 2005
From July 8-10, the jungle-clad foothills of Sarawak's Mount Santubong will come alive with a gorgeous cacophony of sounds. Once again it won't be the cawing hornbills or chattering silvered leaf monkeys that are responsible, but the three-day Rainforest World Music Festival (
rainforestmusic-borneo.com), now in its eighth year and attracting some 20,000 attendees annually to the east Malaysian state. Aside from the spectacular equatorial setting, the event has an impeccable musical pedigree; and this year's bill features 16 acts, from Roma (or gypsy) minstrels to Mongolian throat singers to percussionists from the Ivory Coast. Among the must-see musicians are Pakistan's Faiz Ali Faiz, whose trance-inducing
qawwali rhythms draw deeply on Sufi traditions and Indian raga, and Florencio Mess, the rootsy Belizian harpist who personally crafts new instruments for each new performance. As well as the eclectic international fare, you can pick up on some local culture: the festival is held on the seven-hectare grounds of the Sarawak Cultural Village, a 45-minute drive from the state capital, Kuching. The venue features a wealth of traditional buildings, lovingly reconstructed in the styles of Sarawak's 27 indigenous tribes. Find a good spot, knock back a glass of
tuak (the local rice wine), and enjoy.
- Lim Li Min
- Malaysia's Rainforest World Music Festival offers musical talent amid the trees
