I would actually go as far as calling it a theme for this year's Rainforest World Music Festival - but this is my own opinion. I counted 4 vocally-centered performers, and two-and-a-third (because Epi is part of a trio and) of them are throat singers. Each, however, has their own style and unique background that makes the variety all the more interesting.

In this entry, I would like to focus on sisters Karin and Kathy Kettler. Together they form Nukariik, and coming from the Inuit Tribe. The both flew (on separate flights, one of which significantly longer than the other) from Canada to bring their Inuit throat singing, a little bit of drumming and a little game to the Rainforest World Music Festival Theatre Stage.

If you've read my previous post on RWMF'16 Highlights here, then you'll know how little time I had to prepare, do some Googling, listen to some of the performers music and decide on which workshop to go to. Nukariik was a simple choice - it's a must.

On two occasions throughout the festival I had the chance to sit and talk with the sisters (or one of them - Karin I think; over dinner at the performer's and media area) and they are both so humble, so down to earth and so genuine. Their heritage is from the Kangiqsualujjuaq, Nunavik, in northern Quebec - and I was told if I want to visit, middle of the year is probably best as it's not as cold as the rest of the year.

(From a guy that has spent his whole life in the tropics, your definition of cold is probable equal to mine freezing even before landing! LOL)

When asked about the origins of the Inuit throat singing, the sisters took turns explaining that it had begun as a pastimes and were inspired by the sounds that they hear all around them. Normally sang between two ladies while the men go hunting, the songs are loosely simple and rhythmic, consisting of one or more syllable or sound on the breath out, and another on a breath in. Harmonizing these simple rhythm produces an complex and sophisticated structure, and more often than not really represents what they are singing about.

Case and point: The Saw.

It really does sound like a saw going back and forth on a log!

Another song that was equally captivating was the Song for Our Father. Also note that the duo likes to compete going back-and-forth trying to throw each other off the melody; and as a result almost all of their songs accellerando until one of them ran out of breath or burst into laughter.

It's also very endearing to see such sisterly bond brought on-stage as they perform, and it does stay true to the root of the Inuit throat singing as well I presume - to bring people closer together.

Song for Our Father

Do you recognize the melody? Comment if you do! 

What had captivated me most was the song about the Inukshuk, a monument made of raw stones that has multiple purposes. I guess back in the days when the land was so vast, travelling from one point to another is a challenge and whenever they can they will leave inuksuit (the plural form of inukshuk) to point to a direction or places where there is food. Sometimes inuksuit are erected as a monument to a loved ones too.

Inukshuk

Along with English translation!

Later in the day as I caught up with a fellow blogger (Lindy, show yourself please) once again I met the sisters at the Doodle wall! By then my camera had died and we were so engaged in conversation that we forgot to snap photos together! They even gave me a copy of the Canada's Inuit Youth Magazine before we part ways.

Maybe we can learn something out of this.

They're in Inuit language, I think.
Luckily there is an English translation too. 

I've compiled the videos that I shot during their performance at this year's Rainforest World Music Festival into a YouTube playlist here. Enjoy it, and don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to my channel, press that LIKE button and SHARE it to all your friends and family.

Ladies, it had been a pleasure meeting you both. All the best in your next performances.

It was a last minute invitation, I barely had any time to prepare and ended up with about 40 gigabytes of footage across the three days festival! It's a whole lot different this year - reorienting itself to be a family and kid-friendly event with workshops specifically designed for kids - the PUSAKA Bookaroo workshop.

That said, I was at one (ok.. maybe more than one) of that workshop because hey, there's always a kid in each and every one of us, right? Can't argue with that! hahaha

But This year's festival performers were extraordinary! Last year we witnesses Epi with his secrets to Mongolian throat / overtone singing. This year he came as part of a trio ensemble Violons Barbares (translated as Barbaric Violins), and along with him are sisters Karin and Kathy Kettler as Nukariik from Canada; and Torgeir Vassvik from Norway. For the more contemporary vocal experiences, Vocal Sampling was the crowd's favorite on the second night with their own rendition of Hotel California. This quintet performers carried no instruments with them, and relied solely on their vocals to draw out the sounds of different kinds of instruments!

My personal favorite would be Nukariik. The sisters represents the Inuit tribe and brought along their Inuit heritage, in particular their throat singing which is very different from the other throat singers I mentioned before. Used in the old days as a mean to pass time, they sing to emulate the sounds they hear from around them, thus coming up with songs like the Mosquito, the Saw and the River.

Like I said earlier, this is just the highlights. Head over to my channel and click on the LIKE button on this video if you want to see a day to day highlight! Don't forget to share and SUBSCRIBE!

In my previous post, I talked about how in this installment of the Rainforest World Music Festival, there will be a new system of purchase - a cashless payment system for festival goers (read here). Though I have yet to get any further details as to how the system works, is there a minimum topup and if so how much, and so on, I have at least one special booth to highlight!

Keep an eye during RWMF 2015 for a unique, one of a kind, hand painted batik on silk! and if you don't know what batik is, feel free to read a little on my previous post on that too here.

Just one of many hand-painted batik on silk design

Is that not gorgeous? Oh I can't even! >.<

Although how batik made its way to local Malaysian, and specifically Sarawakian culture is still debatable, it has been an integral part of our culture and heritage. So much so that it is normal to see batik being worn on Thursdays as a working attire among men and women in Malaysia.

Batik itself is already a diversified form of art, commonly translated into the local customs and tradition. Batik Sarawak features common motives of floral and fauna, and incorporates much of the local tribal designs such as the 'Tree of Life', bunga terung, the scorpion and many more.

Two Warriors : Hand-painted batik on silk

In some designs, people from local tribes are depicted, donning their ancestral clothings, parang (machete) and perisai or terabai (shield) in fighting stance. At this point, it is worth noting that Sarawak is also known as Land of the Headhunters. In the old days, tribes would wage wars between each other, and enemy heads are cut off and displayed as a trophy!

Though the headhunting tradition has long since been abandoned, the parang and terabai are normally kept as displays, batik is still very prominent. I cannot think of a better take-away item from your visit to the RWMF 2015! And don't worry, if you're more of a practical person, batik is not just meant to look good, it's meant for comfortable wears as well.

During RWMF 2015, Petra Pelita (Facebook page here) will be setting up booth at the Village Mart. They will be offering silk scarves and pareos that can be worn immediately during the festival, or silk material with batik designs in various lengths for you to turn into shirts or button-ups, dresses and skirts or decoration!

Typical silk material to be cut and tailored for men's shirt or ladies dresses and skirts

Owh, so gorgeous!

Heh before I get carried away! These are some of the pre-made designs that Petra Pelita has. You'll be sure to find even more varieties on sale during the Rainforest World Music Festival. So if you're lounging around waiting for the next workshop to start, why not pop in to Petra Pelita's booth and check out these items: 

1. Silk Scraves (in sizes of 35" and 45")
2. Silk Pareos (in sizes of 36" and 45")
3. Batik Silk materials (in lengths of 2.5m and 4m)

Hrm.. I wonder if I can get a discount code for my readers? I'll get back to you on that. 

Yeap, this year - the 18th instalment of Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) - the organisers are bringing in improvements in many areas of the festival. One of such is the introduction of cashless payment methods for purchases on the festival ground's Food Marts and Village Marts.

Almost all vendors will be participating in this payment method, says here in the press release. That means (I could be wrong so don't quote me word for word on this) that cash payments methods are still acceptable, although to which extent remains unclear.

I think this is a bold move by the organisers - for one, I always though about the cash I have in my wallets getting soaked and drenched in the rainforest rain! It also makes it easier for festival goers to control and monitor their expenses, as in order to partake in the cashless payment method, they would have to first top-up a certain amount before being able to make purchase.

Based on what I gathered, the physical form of the cashless payment device is a wrist-strap similar to the daily entrance pass. The RFID wrist-strap is tagged at the entrance, and top-up counters will be set up all over the festival grounds.

The minimum (if any) top-up amount is not yet clear, as well as how much top-up can be made i.e. in tiers similar to mobile prepaid reload cards, or if specific amount with cents are allowed as well. I have emailed my contact person, once I have the information I will be updating this post.

One thing to note tho, according to the press release, the balance in the RFID wrist-strap is non-refundable. Some might see this as an opportunistic move, some might see it as the facility is not supported by the system that the organisers opted for. Either way, I would advise to top-up just enough to avoid unnecessary loss of expenditure on the festival goer's side.

I'll keep you posted on the information I have regarding this - if I get updated. Otherwise, keep you eyes on the official RWMF website and Facebook page for latest information.

Exciting news! For the third year, I've been selected as part of the alternative media team for Rainforest World Music Festival (woot woot!). So excited! In exactly a month's time, I'll be in, out and about with some of the best local and international performers, attending the media briefings and (hopefully) asking sensible questions, attending workshops and generally having loads of fun while covering the event.

The Performers of 2015!
I'm excited to see that the 1DRUM.ORG is making a comeback! Last year they did a great job interacting and involving festival goes into the festival itself, and *fingers crossed* this year it's gonna be bigger and better!

Other performers line up include: our very own Sayu Ateng, Lan E Tuyang,  Kenwy Yang-Qin ensemble, Culture Shot from Penang. our neighbour Kobagi Kecak from Indonesia, Alavedi from Georgia, Barguo 08 from Tunisia, Kapela Maliszów from Poland, Son de Madera from Mexico, and many more. You can read the complete list by checking out the official RWMF 2015 website here.

Who I Anticipate?
I am so very thrilled to also see that Mongolian Enkh Jargal Dandarvaanchig, a.k.a. Epi will also be performing this year. He brings with him the Mongolian Overtone. If you do not know what that is, basically it's a technique that allows you to sing 2 tones simultaneously. It is sooooo cool OMG I can't even..

Ticket Price? 
Tickets for the RWMF 2015 is already on sale. The early bird prices is over, but the pre-sale price is stated at RM 110.00 for a day-pass, or RM 300.00 for a three days pass. Children pay about half of that, and there are also family packages available too. Check out the detailed pricing by following this link.

Freebies, maybe? 

Photo linked from the official RWMF 2015 website. 

Rip Curl is holding up a Instagram contest - the prize - a pair of 3-day passes to RWMF 2015, & exclusive RWMF15 x Rip Curl event tees! All you have to do is:

Step 1.Go to the nearest Rip Curl outlet and take a picture of yourself wearing a Rip Curl outfit that you would wear at Rainforest World Music Festival 2015

Step 2. Post that picture on Instagram, tag 3 of your friends and also @ripcurlmy

Step 3. Tell us in 3 sentences or less why you’d love to attend RWMF2015, and add the hashtag #RWMF15XRIPCURL

So go ahead, get snappy!

Cowboy boots and Stetson hats, banjos and fiddles, guitars and harmonicas, these are the items I associate with at the thought of country music. Along with a vast horizon of dry badlands, stone mountains and cactus trees dotting as far as the eyes could see, I would picture a house with a ranch, a huge bucket of water and haystacks for the horses and cattle. Owh, let’s not forget the tumbleweeds!

I may be wrong on so many accounts of the above, but, I am hoping to get a personal feel of the music from Kareem Salama who came all the way from the USA, the Country Sisters – a group of high temper singers, dancers and musicians from the Czech Republic, Mel and Joe from our neighbouring Singapore, Os Pombos Band from Kuala Lumpur as well as our very own groups Hi Breed from Kuching and Starlet Band from Miri at the upcoming Miri Country Music Festival.

In it’s 2nd edition, the festival will be held on 7th February 2015 at Parkcity Everly Hotel, Miri. Organised by Planet Conventions and Events Sdn. Bhd., Miri Country Music Festival is said to be a thrilling experience of rock-country tunes, pop and contemporary themes as well as a splash of local flavours of Dangdut, bluegrass and folk music in the mix-ups.

Even after having returned to the Rainforest World Music Festival a few times now, I cannot miss out on this festival, as I was told that the variety, styles and genres makes it stand out on its own as an entertaining, fascinating and educational experience for those going.

For those who are thinking of where to spend the weekend at, do consider Miri Country Music Festival happening on the 7th February 2015 at Parcity Everly Hotel, Miri. Tickets are available from:

• Utopia (+60 19 879 0043) and Planet Borneo Travel & Tour Services (+60 82 241 300) in Kuching;
• Parkcity Everly Hotel Miri (+60 85 440 288) and Planet Borneo Travel & Tour Services (+60 85 440 288) in Miri; and
• Asif Pishori (+60 14 692 2757) in Kota Kinabalu

You can also visit the official website at http://www.miricountrymusic.com/ or follow them on Facebook at Miri Country Music Festival page and Twitter @myycountrymusic. Do checkout their 50% off ticket offer while you're at it!

So, guess what? I am going to Miri. I will definitely be around the Festival grounds most of the time – either at the bazaar or attending the workshops. So if you happen to bump into me there, do give me a howdy!

Whenever a warrior enters the battleground, he comes prepared. Me, having explored the festival ground earlier yesterday, finding my way around is a little easier and better planned. It was really very difficult to decide which workshop to go to by giving up another workshop, but a decision had to be made. 

Kalakan members Thierry Biscary
and Jean-Michael demonstrating
how to play the txalaparta

For one, at 2 pm, there was an interactive dance workshop called Foot Stomp at Dewan Lagenda, and Knock on Wood, an exploration of the txalaparta of the Basque country by the members of Kalakan (a personal favourite, I might add). There's also Chehera Chitra, a face painting ritual and tribal handicraft  making of Karala demonstrated by members of the Karinthalakoottam group at the Iban Longhouse while the Ding Yi Music Company played chamber concert pieces in the Theatre Stage. I weighed my options and decided against my personal favourite to join Foot Stomp - I like to dance as much as I like listening to music as well. 

Gordie MacKeeman and his Rhythm Boys
leading the Foot Stomp workshop

The Foot Stomp workshop was an interactive demonstration on Clogging. I would personally associate it with tap-dancing cuz I'm simplistic that way and for something as enjoyable as dancing, lets not get too much into the technical details (Might I add there's Google and Wikipedia and all sorts of creditable information available in the internet). Gordie Mackeeman and his Rhythm Boys led the workshop and it was honestly no wonder why he was nicknamed crazy legs - I mean they move like crazy! The good kind of crazy, of course. He also did this while playing the fiddle! 

Blessed with sunny weather and breezy afternoon, I exited Dewan Lagenda to make way to the Malay House where I plan to catch The Voice workshop at 4. Although it was an hour's wait, I decided to make way anyways knowing the Malay House has very limited capacity. That was when I passed by the Iban House just as the crowd dispersed after Chehera Chitra facepainting workshop looking incredibly wicked! Owh I missed it! Were you there? Did you get your face painted? Is this your photo? Let me know in the comments! 

Photo courtesy of STB

I arrived early to the Malay House to the sound of Kamarul's voice of the Geng Wak Long group from Kelantan. The workshop's name is Awok Awok - refering to the chorus in a dikir barat performance. Again, being local, I grew up listening to it's melody and even performed it a couple of time back when I was studying. However, from the perspective of a visitor, this is something totally new - and for them to not only just see but also be part of the crew, I guess it was an amazing experience. I mean, just look at their faces! 

Highlights from Awok-Awok workshop

I'd like to again thank STB and all the organizing teams and sponsors of the Rainforest World Music Festival, the media team, the volunteers, and the amazing visitors for being such a good sport especially in the Geng Wak Long's Awok Awok workshop! Y'all literally rocked the house (yeah, the Malay house was built on stilts and wooden planks for floor it was really shaking in tune to the dikir barat). erm... I would also like to apologize to fellow blogger Aliey (read Aliey's blog here) for taking up her spot in the workshop. Story goes that she arrived a few minutes after I went up - which by then was already a full house - and the gatekeeper stopped her because I was already upstairs. Moushiwake arimasen!

After the exhilarating Awok Awok workshop was the workshop I've been meaning to attend since the first day of the festival! The Voice - featuring beautiful and unique vocals from around the world like Stuart Giddens from Blackbeard's Tea Party, our own local girl Opah from Nading Rhapsody, Shigeri Kitsu and Kazuki Kunihiro from Ryuz, Maria Mazotta from Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino and from Dhaka Brakha the enigmatic Nina Garenetska. Unfortunately, for fear of karma coming back to bite me in the behind, I decided to let my fellow blogger Lindy (read Lindy's blog here) up the house instead. (yeah, I'm nice that way >.<)  She was nice enough to record and share a video! 

Shigeri Kitsu & Kazuki Kunihiro of Ryuz

And here are the ladies of DhakaBrakha

When all the workshops ended, most of the crowds gathered in front of the Jungle Stage to join in the fun of the Drum Circle. Here's a snippet courtesy of Lindy! Thanks gurl, you're the best! 

And here's another! 

And a bunch more photos! 

Photo Gallery by QuickGallery.com

The weather was hot and humid, with mild wind blowing every now and then, but the crowd was building steadily. Set in the backdrop of the rainforest, two stages were set up - aptly called the Jungle stage and the smaller Tree stage. This has been the way it was - like tradition - since years of its organization. That was the Rainforest World Music Festival. The afternoon adventure I had earlier culminates to the evening concerts where the performers can truly play their tunes. 

Some of the performers

As the evening cools down with the absence of the sun, I heard the warrior's call native to the Land of the Hornbills bellows out accompanied by the iconic tunes of the sape'. Drawn the the callings, the crowd steadily made way to the stages to see up-close the warrior and a closer experience to one of the most popular sounds of Sarawak. 

The opening act from the Bisayah Gong orchestra was just as mesmerizing. Their music was part of their way of life since their ancestral times, commonly played to celebrate a good harvest, to heal the wounded and sick and as part of their war ritual as both battle cry as well as to warn their villagers of dangers. It is also common for the modern Bisayah families to keep at least a piece of Gong at home, if not a full set of them. 

The Bisayah Gong Orchestra

The Kalakan Trio

From the familiar tunes of my own homeland, I was whisked to the Tree stage to the autonomous community of Basque Country - a group of trio that calls themselves Kalakan. Armed with harmonic repertoires of Basque traditional songs (it sounds a little like Spanish) along with simple percussions, the trios bet on simplicity, elegance and a communication with their crowd generating and carrying emotions. Truly, listening to them in Spotify cannot compare with listening to them playing live! I really cannot tell if I'm ever going to have a change to hear them play live again, I completely immersed myself in their music. 

Son Yambu follows Kalakan, and my my as if the rainforest air was not hot and humid enough!! Fuuuhhh!! A Latin Salsa tune can turn the temperature from hot to oohhhhh mama that caused a whole lot of booty jiggling! Lucky me I packed a fan! As I've warned before, surviving the Rainforest World Music Festival requires a careful and meticulous preparation less it will ruin your experience. Did you follow my guide here? Let me know in the comments! 

It was always said to save the best of last, and no other words can describe the last performance of the first evening show. From the Basque country's traditional tunes to Cuban Latin Salsa, to Europe right in the heart of London! But no, this group is truly something else. The group that was most anticipated by my fellow blogger Lindy (read Lindy's blog here)  and Garner (read Garner's blog here), the group that was (probably) inspired by Captn' Jack Sparrow himself, the Blackbeard's Tea Party (yeah I can tell the group's performance gonna be epic!) 

The Blackbeard's Tea Party

There were percussion, guitar, violin, accordion, awesome voice (and melt-in-my-ear English accent) and a whole lotta dancing with these guys. Genuinely joyful, a little bit of cheeky and all around fun as they played songs after song and sing lyrics after lyrics playing the crowd all along. Although in all honestly their music is not my cup of tea, but considering it is a Balckbeard's Tea Party all along, what fool who did not enjoy it deserves a walk down the plank!

In the mean time, do enjoy the gallery below. It will be updated from time to time as there are tons of pictures to upload and credit so do return back for another visit! Ciao! 

Photo Gallery by QuickGallery.com

PS: I cannot say for certain where Blackbeard's Tea Party got their inspiration from. The connection between the group and Captn' Jack Sparrow or the whole Pirates of the Caribbean franchise is purely to the fictional imagination of the author. However, if you'd like to agree or to disagree, let me know in the comments.  

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! 

Photo Gallery by QuickGallery.com

Hoooooyyeeaaahhhh!! 5 more days for that time of the year again where flocks of different folks come together for one of the most anticipated event of the year - the RAINFOREST WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL 2014. This is it's 17th year, voted for the 5th consecutive year as one of the 25 best International Festivals by renowned world music magazine, Songlines. 

With management experience and worldwide recognition, you can rest assure that the event is as safe as any festival event as can be. Teams of staffs and volunteers alike line up to ensure the event flows according to plan with contingency and action plans accounted for any unplanned events. 

That being said, you, as festival goer, should not neglect your own safety nor the safety of other festival goers.  Remember, have fun responsibly!

The Venue
If you've been to the festival in the previous years or are already familiar with the Sarawak Cultural Village grounds, the same general rules still apply since past years. If this is your first time, here's an aerial view of the Sarawak Cultural Village (courtesy of Sarawak CUltural VIllage and rwmf.net)

The Programme
It's worth noting that some visitors to the Rainforest World Music Festival come for the highlight of the whole festival - the evening performance from participating bands from all around the world and spend the day sight-seeing around Kuching Town. The festival has loads and loads to offer, especially for the musical enthusiast looking for exposure and experience. Plan your timing, try to arrive early for the best spots and do join the afternoon workshops or shop for souvenirs at the arts and crafts or memorabilia booths set all over the festival venue. There are also plenty of food stalls if you feel like tasting the local delicacies. You can print out the daily festival program here:

• Day One | Friday (June 20th, 2014)
• Day Two | Saturday (June 21st, 2014)
• Day Three | Sunday (June 22nd, 2014)

The Dress Code
Kuching, in general, has good whether. However, it can be unpredictable. Dress for comfort. I have seen festival goers particularly ladies wearing high heels to the festival. This is highly discouraged as one, the festival ground spans over a large area and a whole lot of walking is expected; two, the walkways are made up of woodplanks (to reflect the traditional way back when) and there are gaps between the planks; three, the front-stage or 'mosh-pit' is earth, not paved, not woodplanks. 

I recommend t-shirt or tank tops, especially those made with jersey or quick dry material, shorts, and flip-flops. 

Accessories
I cannot stress this enough. Last year was my second time going to the festival, and my first as a media representative - on which I made a couple of small but costly errors. The first being not having a power bank for my devices. I almost used up all my phone battery by the first hour of the evening performance. So yeah, bring along a power bank or extra battery for whatever you may need. There are power points in Dewan Lagenda (I cannot confirm if these can be used) but you don't want to be grounded with all the happenings around you, do you? 

The second was my memory stick - I barely have enough memory to store all those photos I took with my DLSR! Dang! By all mean I'm no pro, but like many I want to capture the moment in photos! 

So to help you out, here's a checklist of items that you might want to consider bringing along with you.

1. Powerbank for your devices.
2. Chargers, again for your devices. I'm adding a power extension cord here. Sharing is caring, no? Plus, it's a good way to make friends!
3. A spare change of clothes, kept in a plastic bag to keep dry. 
4. Toiletries - this is really up to you how much you want to / can stuff into your backpack. Wet-wipes, tissue and toilet rolls, hand sanitisers are basic. Keep them in a sealed bag or plastic bag to keep them from getting wet in case it rains. 
5. Raincoat / poncho / umbrella - unless if you don't mind getting wet in case it rains.
6. A small torchlight - you never know if and when it becomes handy.
7. A whistle - to attract attention if you found yourself in a predicament. 
8. A backpack to keep all these in. 

Things NOT to bring to the concert! They WILL be confiscated!

1. DRUGS! Just say no to them. There are other ways to have fun, like, uhh.. I dunno - just enjoy the music and the crowd?
2. Dangerous objects / objects that can cause harm - knives, scissors, sharp objects etc. Simply, if the items were not allowed in an aeroplane, they will not be allowed to be brought into the event grounds. 
3. Food and drinks - yeah this is quite unfortunate. Even bottled water were confiscated last year. They do sell them inside at a price, so do bring cash with you. 

Additionally, for those who plan to drive to the festival,

1. Unless you have the official car sticker, you won't be able to drive into the festival ground. Ensure your car is safely parked and locked. DO NOT leave any valuables in your car (This is a general rule, festival or not >.<)
2. Wrap your seat with old newspaper or plastic. If it rains, it will be muddy and you'll want your car interior to still be clean. 
3. Bring a few bottles of water, both for drinking and to wash up after the event. 
4. If you want to skip 2 and 3 above altogether, just keep a spare change of clothes in the bonnet and change before you drive home. 

Keeping safe
Always be aware of your surroundings, especially if you're going to the festival by yourself (in which case you can also contact me! I'll most probably meet my friends there, you're always welcomed to tag along). 

If you're travelling in a group, set up a MEETING POINT in the festival grounds. You'll most probably see other groups of festival goers carrying banners and signs like these. It's also a good idea to wear an identifier i.e bracelets, sash, cap etc. in case you need to quickly locate a missing member by announcing from the PA system. 

Do OBEY THE LAWS AND FESTIVAL RULES AND REGULATIONS. They are there for a reason. For one, it's you keep you and other festival goers safe. For another, it's to ensure that the festival management successfully organised the event for yet another year, keeping a good track record in hope that next year it will be held bigger and better!

STAY HYDRATED. Drink lots of water, and stay under the shade as much as possible to avoid dehydration and heat strokes. Generally, tap water in the festival venue is treated, but there may still be pathogenic microorganisms that can cause diarrhea or worse. Drink bottled water instead - or beer, whichever you prefer >.<

ENJOY!!
After all, that is the main reason why you'd come to a festival in the first place, no? 

P/s:  http://preciousmadphoto.wordpress.com also provides some really good RWMF survival tips here. 

 

Day in and day out, days and days gone by, I find myself swept away by the tides of time. Barely having any time just to sit down and write a post. Couldn't steal an hour or two just running my imagination over the chapters of a book. Tending less and less to the friends I miss all too much.

A good rest was well earned, and rested I did at BB Bunkers, Damai Central. A fresh change from the typical hotel getaway, BB Bunkers offers a hostel-style place to stay (hey, they didn't come up with the name 'Bunkers' just for the sake of a name, did they?). With all basic amenities well built at an affordable rate, one can just dump their luggage and start enjoying the nature straightaway without much hassle. 

And boy did I enjoy myself. Credits to BB Bunkers, along with co-organizers Damai Central and Escobar for hosting the Bloggers Night out! Not only did they invite us bloggers, but we also get to bring a guest of our own too! Much fun!

Honestly, after a helluva week at work, a break like this is just in the nick of time. I arrived at Damai Central just in time for dinner at Escobar. I managed to just catch up with fellow bloggers I met almost a year ago at the Rainforest World Music Festival 2013, snapped a few shots and popped my head into some of the amenities available in BB Bunkers before making my way to dinner. Owh the food was very delish. What's even more funny tho, is that when the food arrived, everybody tried to sneak a picture or two of each dish before they were all enjoyed. At first, everyone was shy, barely catching the macro shots of the food - but when we all realized that most of us are bloggers and we all will want good food shots on our blogs, the shyness evaporated and it was as if "NOBODY TOUCH THE FOOD! WE NEED TO GET PICTURES! THIS IS SPARTA!!" kind of moment (well obviously I exaggerated but nonetheless, it was hilarious to be in that situation!)

Later that night was when things got interesting. Because of the configuration the 'pods' in BB Bunkers, there is very little privacy. If you're looking for a quiet getaway - honestly, you're looking at the wrong place. If you're not into mingling with others and prefer to be left in your own peaceful and quiet self, this isn't the place for you. But, if you're looking to meet new and random people, spend the whole night awake chit-chatting and merry-making, boy you couldn't be any closer! BB Bunkers, as the name suggests, offers 'pods' as oppose to rooms. 

Pod Types and Configurations

1 x Family Pod (1 x double bed & 1 x sofa bed)

6 x Double Pod (1 x double bed)

2 x Single Pod (1 x single bed)

2 x Twin Pod (2 x single bed)

3 x Triple Pod (3 x single bed)

1 x Dorm Pod (5 x single bed)

Rates

Weekdays: Single bed (in any pod) : RM50 Double Pod : RM80 Family Pod : RM120 Entire Venue : RM1200

Weekends: Single bed (in any pod) : RM60 Double Pod : RM100 Family Pod : RM150 Entire Venue : RM1500

RWMF 2014: Single bed (in any pod) : RM110 Double Pod : RM180

Damai Central as the co-organizer lined up the activities for us to try out. At first I opted for jungle trekking - but considering the drizzle and that most of my fellow bloggers signed up for the bicycle ride, I jumped ship and joined them instead. I can't remember when was the last time I rode a bicycle, but it was so very worth it! A few runs up and down the hills, we arrived at Kampung Santubong, after visiting the tomb of Sultan Tengah, the first and last Sultan of Sarawak. That hour and a half, about 10 km ride in the drizzling rain made me forget about the troubles I was carrying and even though I was completely and utterly exhausted by the time I got back, I was completely refreshed! I managed to get some spheres too! 

BB Bunkers | Damai Central | Pantai Puteri | Klinik Kesihatan Kampong Santubong 

Photo Gallery by QuickGallery.com 

If you're planning ahead to attend the Rainforest World Music Festival 2014 this coming June, BB Bunkers is definitely a good choice. It is strategically located just opposite of the main entrance to Sarawak Cultural Village where the annual international music festival is held every year. Or if you're just looking for a simple night out with some outdoor activities, do book ahead. You'll find almost all your needs met - from 24 hours 7-Eleven convenience store just next door, Medan Food Court, Bayridge Seafood Restaurant, Escobar, Movie Night, to kayaking, bicycle ride, jungle trekking or a good visit to Sarawak Cultural Village! All-in-all, a great experience. 

classy  .  chic  .  cosy

BB Bunkers

Unit C1 Damai Central 

Pantai Damai Santubong 

93050 Kuching Sarawak

T : +608.AT.HOTEL (+6082846835)

F : +60.82.846835

E : talk2us@bbbunkers.com

W : www.bbbunkers.com

Note : 

* All information is correct at the time of post. 

* Some photos courtesy of credited photographers :
Lets ngerepak ... with Tia

NTGravity

PreciousMad Photography