Festival

RWMF 2015 | Get Your S Back Home

*Pardon of the title.. even since i've been selected (again) to go to Rainforest World Music Festival, this song keep playing in my head... Symbolically as we are all busy with own lives and after a year has passed, we are back in this place. Get what i mean? No? *krikk krikkkk* Moving on... Hahaha*

Ohhhaaaa.....!!

Nice to see you here... I'm Aliey..*bump fist*

First of all, I would like to extend my gratitude to +Sarawak Tourism Board for the opportunities to us at +Sarawak Bloggers Society to experience one of among the 25 the best international festivals by Songlines magazine voted for the six consecutive years. This is their 18th edition, and hopefully many many years more to come.

Proud to cover this prestigious event under Sarawak Bloggers Society.

Press conference in session with some performers.

#rwmf2015 @swkblogs wristband for this year : can be topup so you go cashless... nice... #myfest2015 #myfestival2015 #musicfestival #kuching #event #sarawakbloggers #Selfie

A photo posted by Aliey Eyezie (@ntgravity) on Aug 6, 2015 at 8:44pm PDT

The 18th edition Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) is embarking on a cashless payment system where festival goers are able to make purchases using ‘top up’ card for its food outlets and village mart.

... and that's not my hand... hahahah

Almost all vendor outlets will participate in this cashless payment system allowing festival goers to be tagged with a Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID) wrist band at registration counters before entering the festival premise.

Lovely booth.. handpainted batik...

Beautiful selections of silk scarves and pareos that can be worn immediately during the festival or to bring home as souvenir...

Lunch time...!!

Love their food mart that have a range of delectable delights ranging from local Sarawak to western cuisines and also village mart that sell local arts and crafts.

The Mart will operate from 10:00am until midnight during the Festival days.

Feeling hungry or thirsty? You're on the right path...

This is the second year Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) holds two shows each day during day time located at Theatre Stage. Although the weather was really hot and going to theatre stage seems like a great idea (the only air conditioned place.. haha) - but i opt-out for now.

...actually i'm kindda late - ~~stuck at the dining area.... the food is yummy!~~

Anyway, i went to Dewan Lagenda ~~to cool down a bit~~ for the first workshop. I love their music they show here during zapateado fiddle and requinto styles from Vera Cruz.

Meeting famous travel bloggers Stefan and Sebastien of Nomadic Boys. They already in Malaysia since July and currently here in Borneo before leaving for Bali in September. Wanna say hi to them? Visit them at

😜 N O M A D I C B O Y S 😜

Meet my fellow bloggers from Sarawak Bloggers Society - Hani (in black hijab) and Khairool (wearing glass)

The next workshop is surely will make you sway with their chants and percussions from the Indian Ocean island of La Reunion. Scroll down for a short video during the workshop.

Up next is the ecstacy of the dance with musicians and dancers of Harubee. The trance inducing Boduberu from Maldives.

The songs they played may be of heroism, romance or satire. The prelude to the song is a slow beat with emphasis on drumming, and dancing. As the song reaches a crescendo, one or two dancers maintain the wild beat with their frantic movements ending in some cases in a trance. The costume of the performers is a sarong and a white short sleeved shirt.

My first step to Maldives? Haha... the ecstasy of the dance by Harubee from Maldives... #maldives #harubee #rwmf2015 #myfest2015 #myfestival2015 #musicfestival #world #sarawakbloggers

A video posted by Aliey Eyezie (@ntgravity) on Aug 7, 2015 at 2:27am PDT

Honestly, they sound just like our Sarawakian 'Hadrah' only different is the musical instrument that the 'Hadrah' use is kompang - a traditional hand drum.

... or did i confused myself with Hindustan movie... *hmmmm*

I've got to left early to go back to Damai Beach Resort (where the media center is located) as i need to recharged all my devices for tonight especially my smartphone, after that refresh myself. Cant stand the heat!!

I missed the opening ceremony *bummer*..

When i reached the stage area, Sangpuy almost done performing. For a second there, i thought he is wearing the Iban Pua Kumbu. As i learn about Sangpuy - The Taiwanese aborigines are believed to be descendants of Austronesian tribes from Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Madagascar and the pacific islands.

They have many similarities with the Dayaks of Borneo - one of the oldest surviving cultures that included practice of head hunting, a passion of tattoos, animism and reverence for the natural world.

Old soul in a young body.

This is my favourite show so far... All the way from Bali, Indonesia - Kobagi Kecak. Probably similar to the sound of monkeys, the famous kecak is also known as Ramayana Monkey chant, a trance ritual. At times it is performed up to 150 men!

Their instrument... their body. Hands, cheek, mouth... etc etc

...by the way KOBAGI means Komunitas Badan Gila (Crazy Body Community)

Unique performance from Kobagi Kecak from #Bali #Indonesia #rwmf2015 #myfest2015 #myfestival2015 #musicfestival #world #sarawakbloggers

A video posted by Aliey Eyezie (@ntgravity) on Aug 7, 2015 at 11:37am PDT

Stay tuned for my next entries about the Kecak Rite circle on the final night, the first ever at Rainforest World Music Festival...!

Chanting from Melanau community asking for blessing for the event and everybody present tonight.

A musical experience in the heart of the mountains!

BARGOU 08 is born of an adventure through the almost forgotten popular musical landscapes of the north west of Tunisia, a region isolated from the rest of the country between the mountains and the Algerian border. The singer Nidhal Yahyaoui and the music producer Sofyann Ben Youssef dive into this music on the edge of marginalization and perpetuate this identity embedded within the lyrics, the melodies and the dance with generosity. An invitation to a trance that balances the spirits and lightens up the hearts, BARGOU 08 has become a front, Front Musical Populaire!

Photo credit to Sarawak Tourism Board.

The last band of the night, Shooglenifty from Scotland combine traditional tunes of their homeland fused with devilishly rhythms, and, thanks to their globetrotting adventures a rich back catalogue of international influences. This is their 25th years Anniversary and fourth appearance for RWMF since many many years ago.

Surely a dancing time...