Rainforest World Music Festival 2014: Day One - The Adventure

Honestly, when I got invited yet to cover the Rainforest World Music Festival this year for the second time, I told myself I was gonna cover it like a proper journalist would. A week prior to the festival, I drew plans in my head and on paper on how to collect as much information as I can, on the structure of my writing, on the photos and angles I was gonna take. Y'know, make it worthwhile for the readers. However, the moment I stepped into the festival ground, they were all but thoughts and words on pieces of paper. And that's not necessarily a bad thing! 

Before running my thoughts through, I'd like to extend my thanks to Sarawak Tourism Board for the opportunity and invitation, to Gustino and Hisyam (I hope that's the right way to spell his name) for taking care of us, to the rest of the Sarawak Bloggers team for the help, tips and pointer, to the volunteers at the media center, Damai Beach Resort for being such good sport and putting up with us and to those attending the festival! Y'all are awesome!!

So as I said earlier, I had just about everything planned out. Then I thought, if y'all my beloved readers want to know who's performing, where they come from and their musical career and stuffs like that, you can always ask Mr. Google, no? Or just use Mr. Wikipedia there on your left. I am a blogger, not a journalist (with all do respect). I write to tell stories of what I felt (occasionally I do write about facts though >.<)

I do get asked around what is Rainforest World Music Festival (or RWMF for short) quite a number of times, and my answers falls along the lines of "it's a chance to get to know, learn and immerse yourself in another culture, while at the same time teaching and showcasing your own culture". Many did not understand this - many thought that it was just an expensive rowdy, muddy concert where people dance and consume alcohol excessively. 

I tell my friends, the concert at night is the selling point for the whole festival, but what you're paying is the workshops in the afternoons. "There's a workshop??!!" Nope, not 'a' workshop, 27 workshops, to be exact. 9 each day for you to pick and choose which to learn and take home from. I definitely did. 

Having thrown my plans in the trash and decided to follow the rhythm of the jungle, I arrived at the festival grounds to the sounds of battle drums. It was the Big and Round workshop which frames drums from all over the world - there were those you hit with your hands, your palms, your fingers, and those you hit with a stick or baton. There were those that makes low, bass sounds, and those that makes sharp clapping sound. Some with jingles, some with snares. If you were there, you'll be sure to let me know how you felt attending the workshop in the comment below, no? 

Different performers with their own percussions

The Big and Round workshop featured bendirs, tamburello, pandeiretta, rebana, hadrah and tambourines. Mediated by members from 6 different group of performers, they each play a sample of how each percussion instrument is played in their culture, and at the end (my favorite part) they would all play together! Imagine these artists whom may have never met each other or heard each other play before, jamming together spontaneously! There is a gamble here - sometimes, it works, sometimes it does not! and that's ok, because from there we learn how similar, or different we are with each other, and give respect to one another, and that's how bonds are formed. 

Straight after Big and Round, as if being called by some strange, mystical force, I made my way to the Theater Hall where instead of a workshop, a third stage, the first year of RWMF that features 3 stages, Horomona Horo (wiki) was performing the ancient rituals of the Maori. Accompanied by his arrays of Taonga Pūoro his performance is truly resonating with the Land of the Hornbills. It was mesmerizing indeed (plus the theater hall has air-conditioning >.<) 

Horomona Horo and one of the Taonga pūoro

The performance itself loosely resembles that of the Sarawak natives, and it was indeed intimate and personal, as it was meant to showcase chamber concerts and performance. No flash photography was allowed, phones were set on silent or vibrate mode, even conversations amongst the audience was kept at minimum or in whispers. This third stage opened up a new dimension of performances and a different set of repertoire in this year's Rainforest World Music Festival. A note though: some of the performances showcased in the Theater Hall may not be performed in the evening concerts, so you may want to re-consider what you're missing out on! If you see yourself in the photos do comment and let me know which one is you! 

So after exiting the hall, I felt a sketchy sense of being creeped out, like something crawling under my skin! Or was it over my skin!! Like, SPIDERS!! So I headed back to Dewan Lagenda for a Bite of the Spider workshop! Sylvia Perrone of the Canzoniere Grecanico Salentiono (you MUST read it in an Italian accent Can-zo-niiiee-re Gre-ca-niiii-co Sa-len-tiiooo-no to have a glimpse of how AWESOME! this band is!) was teaching everyone on the floor how to do the tarantella. Owwhhh!! My skin crawls with goosebumps!!

Fuh! What a day - and that was only in the afternoon!!! Let me catch my breath for a minute and walk you through the evening concert in another post. If you'd saw me running around but didn't get to say hi, please write me a comment below. I'll definitely write you back. (^_^)/ 

Ps: Do enjoy the gallery below! 

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