KUCHING: Festival Gendang Sarawak is an important platform to highlight and promote the heritage of bergendang, bermukun and bertandak.
Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said the event is very meaningful as it is part of art and culture passed down from one generation to the next among the people of Sarawak regardless of ethnicity.
“This festival can nurture interest in the local community especially the younger generation to know, understand and appreciate the art of Gendang Melayu Sarawak which has been recognised as a national heritage in 2012,” she said.
She said this when officiating at the Festival Gendang Sarawak at Waterfront Kuching on Saturday (Feb 26).
The event organised by the National Department for Culture and Arts (JKKN) Sarawak in conjunction with the Citrawarna Keluarga Malaysia 2022 is one of the main highlights of the celebration.
Nancy stated that the main goal of the Festival Gendang Sarawak is to create and strengthen a network of cultural diversity in Sarawak, adding that it can foster better relations among the local community through this unique art and culture.
“Malaysia indeed has diversity in its art and culture that is supported by a diverse society. This is indeed an invaluable treasure to the country.
“As such, we need to showcase the local wisdom of Keluarga Malaysia through organisation of programmes like this to cultivate the love for art and culture,” she said.
Nancy added that the organisation of Festival Gendang Sarawak as a cultural tourism event has the potential to become one of the segments in tourist attractions.
“This event is also important to the local community in terms of preserving and encouraging cultural development to further diversify tourism products. This is in line with the fourth thrust in the National Cultural Policy (DAKEN) which is Cultural Development and Expansion,” she said.
Nancy also hoped cultural and art activities such as the Festival Gendang Sarawak can benefit and motivate all layers of the community, not only in terms of empowerment of human capital development but in generating income through cultural tourism.
“I would like to call for the organisation of Festival Gendan Sarawak to be done through strategic cooperation at all levels as the effort can certainly foster good relationships between government departments, private sector and non-governmental organisations (NGO) to promote art and culture.
“This effort is important in ensuring the Festival Gendang Sarawak can get highlighted and be a much-awaited event by art and cultural activities in Sarawak as well as from neighbouring countries like Indonesia and Brunei,” she said.
Also present were Minsiter of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, MOTAC secretary general Daruk Wira Dr Noor Zari Hamat, MOTC deputy secretary general Datuk Saraya Arbi, JKKN director general Mesran Mohd Yusop, permanent secretary of Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Hii Chang Kee and other dignitaries.
