KUCHING: Sarawak Cultural Village will be hosting the Sarawak Harvest and Folklore Festival (SHFF) for the 16th time from April 26 -28 this year.
Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah yesterday congratulated Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) and Sarawak Cultural Village for organising the colourful and vibrant ethnic festival which also served as a prelude to the statewide “Gawai Dayak” celebration in June.
He commented that the staging of SHFF was timely as Sarawak would also be hosting the Asean International Films Festival and Awards (Aiffa) from April 24 to 27.
“This will be great for tourism as during that period of time, there will be a lot of visitors in Kuching City to participate in these events,” he told a press conference yesterday at Grand Margherita Hotel here.
He added that the state government would continue to support the organising of culture and arts festivals which showcased the rich traditional treasures that the local communities had preserved and practised for many generations.
“It is also heartening for us to see that SHFF aims to celebrate the unique cultural diversity of Sarawakians who come from different ethnicities but stand united with their brothers and sisters from different ethnic groups and cultural backgrounds,” added Karim.
“This is the uniqueness of Sarawak. The festival can showcase and show others that together as Sarawakians, we can still live in perfect harmony and this tradition will be passed on to future generations.”
SHFF 2019 organising chairman Jane Lian Labang said besides celebrating the diversity of different ethnic groups in the state, the festival would help the locals and foreigners enhance their understanding of Sarawak’s cultures and other cultures in the world.
She added it was an ideal place for people of different backgrounds to meet, discuss and compare notes on traditional cultures through the exchange of ideas, portrayal of dances, music, arts and crafts.
Meanwhile, highlights of the festival include a musical drama based on a Bisaya folklore entitled “Dang Buncu – the mystical beauty of Bukid Batu Barit”.
It will be staged on Saturday, April 27, at 8pm at Sarawak Cultural Village. The drama is about the mystical journey of a young maiden of great beauty and grace by the name of “Dang Bunsu”.
The grand finals of the Miss Cultural Harvest Festival 2019 ethnic beauty pageant will be held on Friday, April 26, at 8pm. All 12 finalists will also participate in the “Miss Cultural Harvest Festival 2019 Talent Show” on the same day.
The preliminary round of the Sape World Competition & Workshop 2019 will be held on April 20 at the Sarawak Cultural Village while top seven players will be competing in the final competition on April 27. The competition is open to any individual regardless their age, gender and origins.
The sape workshop, which will be held in the day during the festival duration, is open to the public.
This festival organised by Sarawak Cultural Village is supported by the state government and SEDC in partnership with Institut Teknologi Maklumat Nusantara (NIIT College), Sunsilk, Riverside Majestic Hotel, Grand Margherita Hotel, Damai Beach Resort, Sara Urusharta Sdn Bhd, Riverside Shopping Complex, Kuching Waterfront, Karuna, Mydin, Eyesight Optic Sdn Bhd, Haus of Shamsul and Sally’s House Tailoring.
Tickets are priced at RM60 each for adults and RM30 each for children. Members of the public can purchase the tickets directly at Sarawak Cultural Village or online at www.sarawakharvestfestival.com.my.
