Page 92 - The Guide To Sarawak

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THE ARTS - FOREWORD
Sarawak has been producing exquisite arts and crafts for a very long time indeed, with a history of human settlement in Sarawak dating back almost 50,000 years. Pottery from the Great Cave at Niah has been dated at more than 5,000 years old, and wall paintings in Niah’s Painted Cave are over 1,200 years old. These early examples of indigenous art have been reinforced by waves of migrants from the Asian mainland, from prehistoric times right up to the early 20th Century. This has given Sarawak a uniquely diverse and multi-cultural artistic heritage which persists to the present day.
Arts and crafts in Sarawak are not found only in museums and galleries; our vibrant culture is part of everyday life, from cities to the remotest longhouses. One needs to wander through Old Kuching to experience this. On one side of the Sarawak River is a 19th Century street complete with shops offering arts and handicrafts both ancient and modern. Across the river is a high-tech architectural marvel, the new State Legislative Building (Dewan Undangan Negeri), whose concrete, glass and carbon fibre structures reflect powerful motifs of Sarawak art.
Sarawak’s artists and craftspeople are amongst our greatest assets, and reflect the full spectrum of artistic endeavour; painters, sculptors, carvers, weavers, potters, writers, actors, dramatists, poets, photographers, dancers and musicians. Just as important are those who promote the arts, as well as the events that showcase them such as the Rainforest Word Music Festival and the World Eco-Fibre & Textile Forum.
We have invested heavily in conserving and developing Sarawak’s arts and crafts, providing economic opportunities for rural craftspeople, and constructing institutions which will educate, train and develop our artistically talented youth. The establishment of the Sekolah Seni Malaysia in Kuching is an indication of this effort to formally foster, nurture and inculcate the love among talented young children for and towards these rich artistic traditions. The following pages describe the great artistic traditions they will inherit.
Y Bhg Datu Dr. Haji Adi Badiozaman Tuah
Director, Education Service Bureau, Sarawak Islamic Council