COMMITTEE MEETING: Dennis (seated, centre), Penan chief Temenggong Datuk Hasan Sui (seated, third right) in a photo call with the organising committee after their meeting at the Resident Office yesterday.
MIRI: The second Sarawak Highland Folk Music Festival which will be held from Nov 9 to 11 this year in Long Bedian, Tutoh Apoh, is expected to draw thousands and also foreign media coverage.
The organiser’s president Dennis Ngau said the festival, held first in 2003, would be a grand event that would not only attract tourists to Long Bedian and other villages in Tutoh Apoh, but would also be used
as a platform to introduce traditional music to the younger generation.
“Apart from that, this festival will also be used as a medium to promote unity among the people and also the use of traditional music instruments, especially among the young,” Dennis, who is also Telang Usan assemblyman, said after the organiser’s meeting at the Resident Office here yesterday.
This years’ festival will see various traditional music instruments such as Sape, Satung, Tung But, Sanang, Tawak, Jatung Lutang, Atui and Oreng being used in performances.
“So far, we have about 12 ethnic groups that have confirmed their participation,” Dennis said.
They comprise Petipun Penan Sarawak, Federation of Miri Chinese Association (Long Lama), Dayak Bidayuh National Association Miri (DBNA), Miri Kadayan Association, Sarawak Bisaya Association, Sarawak Kayan Association, Sarawak National Kenyah Association, Miri Rurum Kelabit, Sarawak Lakiput Association, Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (Marudi) and Miri Berawan Association.
“If there is anyone or any associations who want to perform during this festival and have yet to register, they are urged to come forward and submit their applications before the deadline on Oct 15,” he said.
The festival is a joint effort between Ministry of Tourism and Long Bedian Village Security and Development Committee (JKKK).