Page 115 - The Guide To Sarawak
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THE GUIDE TO SARAWAK
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The ultimate musical and visual experience. Unique German jazz-dance fusion outfit Brassballett blow the audience away at Borneo Jazz 2014.
still attract large audiences when shown on TV and his songs live on in listeners’ hearts. To commemorate the great man, an annual song contest, the P. Ramlee Annual Singing Competition, is held in Kuching with the Governor as Patron.
Dance
Sarawak’s many traditional dance styles are nurtured by a host of NGOs, associations, clubs and community groups that teach, perform, archive
and support. They are also showcased daily at the Sarawak Cultural Village. Age-old dances like the Iban ngajat (a warrior dance that is usually accompanied by the tabuh and the gendang), the long dance, the bamboo dance, the Orang Ulu Datun Julud (or the women’s Hornbill Dance) are as exotic and as colourful as the costumes the dancers wear.
Borneo Jazz
Originally the Miri Jazz Festival, Borneo Jazz is organised by the Sarawak Tourism Board and was first held in Sarawak’s second city, Miri, in 2005. Since its inception it has attracted a strong international line up, with the emphasis on jazz and also featuring blues, funk and fusion music.
The festival is held over the second weekend of every May at the Park City Everly Hotel, Miri. The opening night performance takes place in the indoor pavilion, followed by two nights of al-fresco concerts on the open-air stage.
Borneo Cultural Festival
The Borneo Cultural Festival is held in Sibu Town Square, the largest urban festival venue in Malaysia, and is a week-long feast
of food, music and dance celebrating the diverse cultures of Borneo. The highlight is three nights of free cultural performances
by local and international ethnic artists. There are also exhibitions of art, handicrafts, photography and calligraphy, making this a great way to learn about Sarawak’s traditional arts and cultures.
P. Ramlee Annual Singing Competition
The late Tan Sri P. Ramlee
- Malaysia’s greatest singer, actor, film director and composer - is a national icon and even has a road named after him in Kuching. His black and white movies
Contestants take a curtain call at the P. Ramlee Annual Singing Competition in Kuching.

