Local culture set to take centrestage

SIBU: Indigenous culture will take centrestage in the annual Borneo Cultural Festival at the town square here from July 5-7. 

Sibu Municipal Council’s deputy chairman Daniel Ngieng Kion Ann said last year’s festival had featured more performances from foreign cultural troupes as it coincided with the town’s hosting of the East Asian Tourism Forum. 

He said this year’s three-night main stage performances would focus on the unique cultural heritage of the indigenous groups. 

“The two-hour nightly show will blend music, songs, dances and drama of the various ethnic groups,” he told reporters here recently. 

Ngieng said each performance would involve at least 30 members for between 10 and 15 minutes. 

The different themes chosen for the nightly cultural extravaganza are “ Traditional culture night”, “The vitality of our rainforest culture” and “The many splendid flowers of hornbill culture.” 

Ngieng said as the festival was about participation, the organisers were inviting interested cultural troupes to apply to take part in the show. 

“Applicants are free to choose any of the three themes, and submit their proposed cultural contributions, which must be original, to the council at Wisma Sanyan before Feb 28. 

“The council will appoint a panel to audit the submissions and make the selection accordingly.” 

The festival, listed on the Sarawak tourism calendar, is enjoying growing popularity.  

It attracts thousands of spectators, including tourists, nightly in the past years.  

Published by:
The Star
6th February 2007