School pupils performing a Bidayuh welcoming dance.
A group photo with the pupils and staff of SK St Norbert Paon Gahat.
SERIAN: It was an eye-opening experience for members of Hara Inoko Traditional Dance and Music Society of Hatsukaichi City, Hiroshima when they took part in a cultural exchange at SK St Norbert Paon Gahat here yesterday.
The 21-strong Japanese delegation that visited the school included young student performers and their accompanying families as well as coordinators from organiser Japan-Malaysia Association.
Group leader Tsuneo Kawamoto believes the experience will be very precious for the children’s future.
“In the beginning, before coming to Malaysia, we expected it to be a small gathering in a small village. However, when we came here, it was a big event that even the villagers took part.
“We have a very good impression of the experience, especially when we were given such a warm and friendly welcome by the local pupils. The Japanese children were particularly impressed.
“I believe this experience will be a precious one for their future,” he told The Borneo Post.
Kawamoto, who is a former Hatsukaichi City councillor, added that when both the national anthems of Malaysia and Japan were played at the start of the event, it made them realise that the cultural exchange was beyond the village or small group level.
“The national anthems sung symbolised that we have a national understanding. It is a deep feeling,” he said.
SK St Norbert Paon Gahat headmaster Assun Gani, in his welcoming speech, said it was an honour for a small school like theirs to receive international guests.
“We are honoured that the best technological country chose to come to our school to share our different traditions and cultures. We really appreciate the warm relationship our school has with the Japanese, and we hope we will learn meaningful ideas of education.
“We also hope our visitors will enjoy the moment with us and share their experience with friends back home,” he said.
The school has 93 pupils who come from the nearby villages of Paon Gahat and Tong Nibong.
During the exchange, the school pupils delivered a few traditional Bidayuh dances to welcome the visitors, while the Japanese students performed Inokomai, a simplified version of Kagura dance and music dedicated to Shinto gods performed by children instead of adults. Kagura dance was traditionally performed to thank the gods for the abundance of a good harvest.
The dancers were all primary school students; namely Natsuki Itada, Shu Yoshinaga, Eiyu Kakigi, Mitsuki Hiraishi and Kaiun Ose. They were accompanied by a taiko drummer Yuko Moriizumi, who is a junior high school student, and yokobue flutist Sachie Shiratsuki, an office worker.
Hara Inoko Traditional Dance and Music Society was established about 100 years ago. Currently it has about 10 students learning the tradition from their seniors.
Besides the dance performances, the Japanese delegates also gave the school some traditional Japanese toys and origami papers. They taught the local pupils how to play some of the toys, such as the kendama.
Japan-Malaysia Association has been conducting afforestation activities in cooperation with the State Forest Department, Unimas and local communities in Serian since 1995. The association has been promoting exchange programmes such as visiting schools and villages.
This trip was organised with support of The Japan Foundation.
Also present during the visit were Japan-Malaysia Association executive director Takuji Arai, Japan-Malaysia Association executive advisor Akira Morishima, Japan-Malaysia Association Sarawak coordinator Kazue Sakai, Tourism Malaysia marketing manager Makoto Tokunaga, Kagura instructor Fuminobu Kagawa and Serian district education officers Yenny Jueng and Christy Nyarie.