The Inaugural Johor Bahru Indigenous Festival or IF 2015 is a celebration of Indigenous communities and their distinct cultural art forms. It is an opportunity for people to acknowledge that Indigenous cultures – the world’s longest continuing traditions – are not a fossilised expression of an unchanging society. Indigenous cultures are also continuously evolving, incorporating the past, present and future into a complete and present reality. The voices of these communities should be heard, while the richness and diversity of their cultures should be celebrated and not forgotten.
In Malaysia itself, many of us are probably unaware about the art and culture of our own Indigenous peoples - the Orang Asli of Peninsular Malaysia. These communities and their music, dance, visual arts, and other cultural art forms rarely receive the recognition they should, which IF 2015 aims to showcase.
In recognition with the United Nations’ International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, observed
