Masidi (centre, front) flanked by Kamarlin (second right, front row) and Wences (2nd at the press conference yesterday.
KOTA KINABALU: Exchanging ethnic clothes as gifts would be the main attraction at the 10th Sabah International Folklore Festival (SIFF), to be held this year.
Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said this, among others, allowed the Sabah Cultural Board to collect ethnic clothes from the countries participating in the festival.
Masidi said the collection would be launched and exhibited, in efforts to educate local people about the diversity and uniqueness of ethnic clothes from other countries.
“This year, Sabah has chosen the ethnic dress of the Kadazandusun from Penampang, to be given as a gift to the countries involved, and they will also reciprocate with their respective ethnic attires.
“Apart from educating the people here, this collection is also an effort to promote Sabah’s ethnic attires, thus promoting Sabah to the participating countries,” he told reporters after a SIFF meeting here yesterday.
Seventeen countries have confirmed their participation in SIFF, which will take place from August 10 to 15 at the Sabah Cultural Centre, Penampang,” he said.
They are Slovakia, Latvia, Indonesia, the Philippines, South Korea, Russia, Brunei Darussalam, Republic of Sakha Yakutia Russia, Kazakhstan, Taiwan, India, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, Mexico, Bangladesh, China and Malaysia.
Nine primary schools and 10 secondary schools would also be taking part in the event as well.
The primary schools are SK Seri Gaya, St Agnes (Kota Kinabalu), St James (Kota Kinabalu), St Covent Bukit Nanas (Kuala Lumpur), SK Ulu Lubai (Sarawak), SK Sembulan, SK Lohan (Ranau), SK Sapulut (Nabawan) and SK (P) Methodist Kuantan (Pahang).
The secondary schools are SMK Rancha-Rancha Labuan, SM St Peter Telipok, SM Chung Hwa Tenom, SMK Medamit Limbang (Sarawak), SM Katok (Brunei Darussalam), SM All Saints, SMK Kolombong, Sekolah Seni (Johor), SMK Ranau and SMK Narinang Kota Belud.
Several activities have been lined up during SIFF 2015. They include the KK City Folklore Parade on August 12 from 2pm to 5pm.
“A parade will be held from Wisma Budaya to the Community Hall in Kota Kinabalu. The activity is organised together with City Hall,” said Masidi.
There will also be an International Folk Art exhibition from August 11 to 15 at the Sabah Art Gallery Conservancy Centre.
Aside from that, a traditional food and handicraft exhibition will also be held at the Sabah Cultural Centre in Penampang from August 11 to 15.
And for the first time, there will be a photography competition focusing on the SIFF village, folk art festival, international folk dance competition, local folk dance competition, KK International cultural parade, traditional food and handicraft exhibition as well as on touristic excursions.
The local folk dance competition will take place from August 12 to 14, while the international folk dance contest will be held on August 13 and 15.
Head of State Tun Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Haji Juhar Datuk Haji Mahiruddin and Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Haji Aman will grace the international folk dance competition.
Also present at the press conference were Sabah Cultural Board chairman Datuk Wences Anggang and Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Kamarlin Ombi.