O5.O7
F R I
2019
12.O7
F R I
Music . Art . Crafts . Film . Photography . Food . Culture + History
MESSAGE FROM
YB DATUK HAJI ABDUL KARIM RAHMAN HAMZAH MINISTER OF TOURISM, ARTS, CULTURE, YOUTH AND SPORTS SARAWAK In conjunction with our Visit Sarawak Campaign - “Sarawak, More to Discover”, the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Arts, Youth and Sports is delighted to once again host the Rainforest Fringe Festival or RFF, on 5th to 12th July 2019. The event is being held as a prelude to the world-renowned Rainforest World Music Festival or RWMF which has been going on since 1998, and the Borneo Jazz Festival which is entering its 14th edition this year. The Rainforest Fringe Festival is the first of the three festivals under Sarawak Tourism Board’s (STB) newly launched campaign “3 Festivals 1 Destination” where Sarawak’s top 3 most anticipated music and cultural festivals are taking place back to back in the month of July. As the new kid on the block, Rainforest Fringe Festival 2019 will add to the many reasons for visiting Sarawak. In its 3rd year running, and touting Sarawak as “much more than an adventure destination”, the festival programming will offer an experience of Sarawak through its history, nature, and culture; presented in an extensive genre of events such as dance, theatre, talks, exhibitions, fashion, and more. In addition to attracting visitors, the festival has been designed to offer both knowledge and entertainment for the people of Sarawak, who we believe, deserve to celebrate their richness in culture & history. We also believe that our people will be our best ambassadors. The majority of the programmes to be held are also of free entrance. We welcome all of our visitors with open arms and hope they can come to witness and experience the wonderful facets of Sarawak with so much more to discover. Thank you.
Rainforest Fringe Festival 2019 is hosted by the Sarawak Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports in collaboration with Sarawak Tourism Board. The 8-day spectacle in the heart of Kuching will be held from 5th July to 12th July.
Rainforest Fringe Festival An 8–day spectacle in the heart of Kuching
#RFFsarawak
Contents 01 ASAS MELAYU 04 Highlight Show - Lembaran Emas: Songket and Keringkam of Sarawak Lembaran Emas: The Exhibition Malam Melayu Talks: A Trilogy 05 FESTIVAL COMMISSION - Highlight Show – Primates: At the 06 Origin 07 REDESIGNING BORNEAN EXPERIENCE - Book Launch & Exhibition 08 ‘Origin’ the Bamboo Pavilion Museum of Scents Plating the Wild 08 Lapis: Natural Edible Colours of Sarawak 09 - Indigenous Film Festival Kuching 10 11 Connecting the Indigenous Dots: Genetics 12 Song to the Earth feat. Kayan Parap In Voices – Haunting tales from Sarawak 13 - Festival Calendar & Venue Map 14 15 Jungles: Rainforests of the World - Jungle Fever 16 Over Sarawak Museum of Kuching
17 CENDANA’S ACE Bootcamp - The White Rajah of Sarawak 18 PechaKucha SPARK Movie Nights & Local Delights Prehistoric Bornean Mammals THE MARKET 19 - The Market & Site Plan 20 21 Ink Kuching: Tattoo Showcase 22 Borneo Sape’ Expo Public Awareness of Deaf Community Skills and Talents Waves of Dimension 23 The Amazing Drumming Monkeys Let’s Play Art 24 Pasar Glam Collectors Plant Market 25 RFF Presents The Party with April Red Tomas Ford Music & Drinks by NWHR 26
Artisans @ The Market Pop-Up Taiwan Food, food and more food
27 Big Bad Wolf Books Sale 28 Acknowledgments
Programme dates, venues, content and casting are correct at the time of going to print. RFF reserves the right to make amendments to the programme information. For Programmes that indicate registration is required, please visit our website rainforestfringe.com to register.
Asas Melayu Lembaran Emas: Songket and Keringkam of Sarawak Lembaran Emas: The Exhibition A Trilogy of Talks Malam Melayu Sponsored by Old Kuching Smart Heritage
Highlight
LEMBARAN EMAS: Songket and Keringkam of Sarawak 5 July New Dewan Undangan Negeri Building 7.00pm – 10.00pm Attendance is by invitation. Public viewing via live streaming at the Atrium is by registration.
LEMBARAN EMAS
A special RFF commission, Lembaran Emas: Songket and Keringkam of Sarawak is presented in conjunction with the festival launch. Held as the Opening Show, under the series Asas Melayu, the fashion show presents unique Sarawak songket and keringkam, featuring designs by “Malaysia’s King of Fashion”- Dato’ Sri Bernard Chandran, Sarawak’s own “Queen of Bornean Fashion” - Dato’ Tom Abang Saufi and the exquisite Sarawak songket producer Tanoti House. This showcase also features Sarawak’s emerging textile artisans - Manggees Collection, Tampan Keringkam, Keringkam Bahij and Seri Gedong Songket. Two distinct interludes will showcase the Sarawak traditional Malay bridal wear notably known as “Gajah Olen” by Manggees Collection and “Tikar Nyunsong Pengantin” by Tampan Keringkam. The show is narrated by a prominent Sarawakian poet, Zach Manan of Studio Labu. A prelude to the event includes a performance by Gamelan Sarawak Batu 12 and a tie-in panel exhibition of songket and keringkam at the lobby. 01
Dato’ Sri Bernard Chandran Dato’ Sri Bernard Chandran used to be known as Malaysia’s “Prince of Fashion” and now “King of Fashion”. Chandran is also a Malaysian television personality; he was the chief designer for Project Runway Malaysia and a guest judge of Britain’s Next Top Model. Well ahead of his time, his talent is well acknowledged amongst the aristocrats in Malaysia and even reached the shores of Brunei. He still attends to royal patronage from Brunei, Malaysia and international celebrities like Michelle Yeoh, Lady Gaga, Estelle, Tori Amos and many others.
Dato’ Tom Abang Saufi Sometimes called a “Hero of Heritage” in fashion circles, Dato’ Tom Abang Saufi is well-known for her fusion of the traditional and contemporary in her richly colourful collections spanning over three decades. The inspiration for her unique expression of upholding her Sarawakian roots is diversely drawn from textiles and techniques such as traditional ‘Pua Kumbu’ and contemporary ‘Batik’. Her brand introduces designs with no zips and no buttons.
Artisans of Tanoti Tanoti is Sarawak’s most progressive songket atelier, housing a community of artisans entirely dedicated towards the preservation of the craft of songket weaving. Every process of producing handwoven songket is executed entirely by hand and in the most purist of ways - the artisans, using the skills practised by their mothers and the generations of mothers before them. By infusing design and science into traditional techniques, Tanoti catalyses an imminent songket revolution.
Manggees Collection Founded by Danny Zulkifli in 2016. Other than cultivating love into the art by producing new products, Danny also has been actively assisting non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and statutory bodies in research related to keringkam.
Keringkam Bahij Rahim, who was a teacher, joined the embroidery course in 2004 and finally started his own business in 2008 to meet the needs of the customers. Rahim has been involved in the Majma Mall Wedding Fair 2017 and Dayak R & R Cultural 2019. He has more than a decade of experience in the keringkam embroidery field. 02
Tampan Keringkam
Amirul Shazlie Bin Yusuf first indulged in keringkam embroidery in the year 2014. Learning the skill from various respected embroiderers, he founded the brand name ‘Tampan Keringkam’. Specializes in keringkam embroideries in the form of selayah, selendang and souvenirs. Actively involved in research with government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) for documentation purposes.
Seri Gedong Songket Founded by Ramtiniwaiti in 2015 with only 3 weavers as a start. Active since 2016 and has been involved with various expos and demos including the World Islamic Economic Forum Foundation in 2017.
LEMBARAN EMAS :
The Exhibition 5 - 12 July New Dewan Undangan Negeri Building 10.00am - 6.00pm Free to attend As a tie-in to the fashion show entitled Lembaran Emas: Songket and Keringkam of Sarawak, this is a panel exhibition (in Malay and English) which gives further insight into the rich textiles of Sarawak. The exhibition showcases the history, materials, techniques, processes and applications of the Sarawak songket and keringkam.
Malam Melayu 5 July Kuching Waterfront 4.00pm – 12.00am Free to attend In collaboration with the Sarawak Culinary Heritage and Arts Committee, Malam Melayu presents an evening of Malay food and culture as part of the festival’s Asas Melayu weekend. Join us and be enthralled by offerings of traditional cuisines such as satay and ketupat, kuih lapis, umai and nasi aruk, to name a few. Learn about preparations for linut, a traditioal sago-based delicacy, among other cuisines, via demonstrations by KINO Live Heritage Kitchen. Stay back and enjoy traditional gendang music, Melanau cultural performances and screenings of short and feature films. 03
Talks: A Trilogy 6 July The Old Court House 10.00am – 12.00pm Free with registration
Presented by experts and researchers on Malay culture, this is a series of talks focusing on the history, culture and intriguing rediscoveries of stories relating to the Malay communities of Sarawak.
Datu Patinggi Abang Hj. Ghafor: The Untold Story by Dr Zainal Abd Latiff The talk will try to uncover the untold story of a Malay hero of Sarawak, who had been sent to Malacca in 1860, accused of his involvement in the Malay Plot, to reject the rule of James Brooke. A familiar figure in Malaysia’s theatre and drama scene, Dr Zainal Latiff is a pioneer in the methodology of incorporating Randai and Silat martial arts into modern acting training, and is a scholar, scriptwriter, director and translator.
In Search of the Lost Kingdoms of Sarawak by Datu Dr Hj Sanib Said Presenting his life-long search for the lost kingdoms of Sarawak which pre-dated the Brooke Dynasty. Datu Dr Sanib majored in history from the University of Malaya, in particular history of Sarawak for his BA, MA and PhD. He has written several books, among them are Malay Politics in Sarawak (Oxford 1985); Malay Sarawak: Lost History (UNIMAS, 2013; 2ND ed. Saramedia, 2016).
Hikayat Panglima Nikosa (1876) by Dr Azhar Ibrahim Dr Azhar, a lecturer and Deputy Head at the Department of Malay Studies, National University of Singapore (NUS), presents Ahmad Syawal’s Hikayat Panglima Nikosa (1876) which narrates the importance of the Malay rakyat to realise their current state of affairs, and the need to improve their social, political and economic conditions.
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Highlight
Primates : At the Origin Commissioned by Rainforest Fringe Festival 2019
6 - 7 July The Old Court House 9.00pm - 10.30pm Free to attend
PRIMATES reinterprets the identity and movements of primate mammals, which include apes, monkeys and humans. A festival main highlight, the show features UK-born Iranian Ghaffar Pourazar, the first foreigner to play the role of Monkey King in the famous Beijing Opera; award-winning Thai choreographer Jitti Chompee; Korean-based Penang dancer/ choreographer Liu Yong Sean, dancer Lim Pei Ern from Sabah, international and locally cast dancers. With segments performed to live music by the critically acclaimed Orang Orang Drum Theatre, the dances will be on and around a specially constructed bamboo structure designed by Wendy Teo, architect of Wendy Teo Atelier and curator of Borneo Art Collective. The show is free and open for all to watch.
Bamboo Pavilion (Artists Impression)
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Orang Orang Drum Theatre
Ghaffar Pourazar Ghaffar Pourazar has committed his career to Beijing Opera, which he believes is a ‘time capsule’ of Chinese culture, history, mythology, poetry, literature, fine arts & performing arts. Ghaffar is of Azerbaijani Iranian parents, raised and educated in the UK; resident of Beijing and California, with a Masters degree in Computer Animation. One evening in the summer of 1993 he saw a Beijing Opera performance by the Beijing Youth Troupe at Queen Elizabeth’s Hall. The performance was to completely change his life.
Jitti Chompee Jitti Chompee graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering from Chulalongkorn University. He was trained in classical ballet by David Shields and William Morgan at Varaporn-Kanchana Ballet School. He founded 18 Monkeys Dance Theatre and Unfolding Kafka Festival. He brought his productions to participate in many international dance festivals; among which were George Town Festival 2011 in Malaysia, Festival Tanztendenzen 2014 in Greifswald Germany and countless others.
Liu Yong Sean Liu Yong Sean has been dancing since 1985. Over the years, he dabbled in dance, theatre, fashion and installation arts. He graduated from Korea National University of the Arts and ASWARA. He has travelled and collaborated in many showcases throughout the years; one of them being “Sarawak - Indigenous Showcase” by Rainforest Fringe Festival 2018 where he was the main choreographer. Liu Yong Sean has won many awards including the ASEAN performing Arts competition where he won the Grand Prize.
Lim Pei Ern Lim Pei Ern grew up in Sabah, Malaysia. She completed Advanced II in RAD Ballet, and represented her state in SUKMA 2006 in Rhythmic Gymnastics. She graduated from LASALLE College of the Arts with First Class Honour (BA) in Dance. Since 2012, she has danced for international choreographers such as Wu Yi San (Hong Kong), Akiko Kitamura (Japan), Marie Gabrielle Rotie (United Kingdom), Inma Marin (Spain), and Singapore choreographers Melissa Quek, Susan Yeung and Albert Tiong.
‘Origin’ the Bamboo Pavilion
Constructed as part of RFF 2019 ‘Primates’ performance ground As the zero point of the radial city development of Kuching, the courtyard at The Old Court House provides a profound meaning to the creation of this pavilion design, geographically and metaphorically. The design sees an undulating landscape as the extended ripples of the fountain, with the cylindrically arrayed bamboo frames supporting the canopy made out of palm leaves with varied heights. The pavilion making project is a cross disciplinary collaboration between architect Wendy Teo (UK ARB/RIBA) and choreographers of Primates, local craftsmen and network of suppliers in Kuching. 06
[READ] - Book Launch & Exhibition Book Launch: 5 July The Old Court House 11.00am - 12.00pm Free to attend
Exhibition: 5 - 12 July The Old Court House 10.00am - 6.00pm Free to attend
The book features a select group of art projects, showcasing the diverse, intriguing and mesmerizing outcome from all these innovations. It takes you through how these projects are being planned and executed successfully. A mini exhibition follows.
[SEE] – ‘ORIGIN’ the Bamboo Pavilion 5 - 12 July The Old Court House 10.00am - 10.00pm Free to attend
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Constructed as part of RFF 2019 ‘Primates’ performance ground at the courtyard of The Old Court House, the design sees an undulating landscape as the extended ripples of the fountain, with the cylindrically arrayed bamboo frames supporting the canopy made out of palm leaves with varied height. The pavilion making project is a cross disciplinary collaboration between architect Wendy Teo (UK ARB/RIBA), choreographers of Primates, local craftsmen and network of suppliers in Kuching.
[SCENT] - Museum of Scents Exhibition: 5 - 12 July The Old Court House 10.00am - 6.00pm Free to attend Borneo Laboratory will tap into various aspects of Borneo timber and its networks, and aims to highlight its benefits for personal wellbeing, community building and environmental protection. This collection will take you on a journey of Borneo natural landscape - through scent.
[TASTE] Plating The Wild Dining Club: 6 & 7 July The Old Court House 7.00pm - 9.00pm Ticketed @ RM300/pax
Exhibition: 5 - 12 July The Old Court House 10.00am - 6.00pm Free to attend
PLATING THE WILD is imagination gone wild about forgotten tastes and the desire to perpetuate and go beyond a culinary heritage. DINING CLUB: PLATING THE WILD, curated by Marian Chin - a 2 hr/10 course, bold and purposeful culinary experience with chants of the rainforest at Commons, The Old Court House. Limited seating and pre-booking required (no walk-ins) at www.rainforestfringe.com. The exhibition runs from 5th – 12th July and is free to attend.
Lapis : Natural Edible Colours of Sarawak 6 - 8 July 2.30pm – 5.00pm Ticketed @ RM30 per pax ; RM15 (student) The Old Court House Immerse yourself in the demonstrations of colours, the making of lapis designs and enjoy this Sarawak Hi Tea with layered cakes. Curated and organised by Agnes Chin, an entrepreneur and cake stylist; and KINO Live Heritage Kitchen (KLHK), the use of natural colours is applied and demonstrated in making all of the many layered varieties of the cakes and other edibles at this event. Book your tickets at www.rainforestfringe.com. 08
INTERNATIONAL INDIGENOUS FILM FESTIVAL KUCHING 7 - 12 July The Old Court House Auditorium Ticketed Festival Pass: Adult RM30.00 University/College Student RM15.00
With the theme “stories that matter�, the film festival serves as a platform for regional and international indigenous filmmakers to showcase their work, to form collaborations and networks, and to be able to reach out to a wider audience. Using film as a medium to promote and tell the stories of indigenous communities, the festival is a series of screenings, workshops for young filmmakers, dialogues with prominent indigenous filmmakers and networking sessions running throughout RFF 2019. Indigenous Film Festival Kuching is curated by the organizers and founders of the Bali International Indigenous Film Festival [BIIFF], Emmanuela Dewi Shinta and David Metcalf in collaboration with RFF2019. David Metcalf Travelling, writing and photographing is the way David Metcalf has found his way around Indonesia for the past 18 years. Bali resident and internationally acclaimed photographer, David Metcalf uses the power of photographs to educate and encourage positive social change.
Emmanuela Dewi Shinta With a reputation for leading and empowering young people, Emmanuela Shinta is a Dayak leader, activist, filmmaker and writer whose work is widely known in Asia Pacific. She is the founder of Ranu Welum Foundation, ALIVE Global Ministry, and EL Creative Production.
Photo Credit:David Metcalf
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Films Screenings Over 40 films from India, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Taiwan, New Zealand, Malaysia, Thailand, Canada and including various regions of Indonesia will be screened over the 5-day festival. Some of the indigenous films that will be screened include When Women Fight, Pt 2 [Indonesia], Corroboree [Australia], Kayan: Beyond the Ring [Thailand] and Dibi Durga [India], among many others – the list of films is available on our website.
Talks, Dialogues, Workshops
Presenters and young filmmakers from several countries will be joining the festival to conduct talks, dialogue sessions and workshops. For further details on speakers, the full programme and registration, please check out our website www.rainforestfringe.com 10
Connecting the Indigenous Dots : Genetics 6 July The Old Court House 2.00pm - 4.00pm Free with registration Photo Credit: Faris Munandar
This forum attempts to throw light on the ways genetic mapping connect the dots of indigenous peoples, their histories and cultures in the region. The highlight panel of speakers include: Dr Jean Trejaut from Mackey Memorial Hospital Taipei, Dr Maude Phipps from Monash University, Dr Poline Bala from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak and Mr Timothy Jinam who is a native Bidayuh from Bau district, Sarawak. The forum will be moderated by Associate Prof Dr Poline Bala. Jean Trejaut (Ph.D., University of Sydney, Australia) is a senior research scientist at the Transfusion Medicine and Molecular Anthropology Research Laboratory at the Mackay Memorial Hospital of Taipei, in Taiwan. Since 2004, he has conducted mitochondrial and Y-chromosome studies of the population from Taiwan, East Asia, and Southeast Asian islands. In the last few years, he started the analysis of ancient DNA obtained from archaeological human remains from various regions of Taiwan. He now compares the results with present day patterns to provide a well-defined population-genetic background and a better understanding of the genetic complexity seen in the demography of Taiwan, East Asia, and Southeast Asian islands. Maude E. Phipps is Professor of Human Genetics at the Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences at Monash University Malaysia. She currently undertakes research in human population genetics and health with special focus on indigenous communities in Malaysia and international collaborative projects on native populations in Asia and Oceania. She continues to mentor early career researchers and junior colleagues in the university and has developed and organised workshops in Malaysia in collaboration with bioethicists in UNESCO, UK, USA and Australia to train local bioethics faculty in Malaysia.
Professor Timothy Jinam is a native Bidayuh from Bau district, Sarawak. He completed his Doctoral degree in genetics at the Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI) in Japan. His research interest includes tracing the origins and evolution of human populations, particularly native groups of Southeast Asia and Japan. He has published several scientific papers on population genetics analyses of indigenous groups such as the Orang Asli in Peninsular Malaysia, the ‘negrito’ groups in the Philippines, and the Ainu and Okinawa people in Japan.
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Dr. Poline Bala is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS). Her areas of expertise include Indigenous Peoples and Technological Advancement, Social Change amongst remote communities, Majority and Minority Issues in Southeast Asia, and Anthropology in Action Research. She has been at the forefront of a number of award winning research projects. The latest is the Telecentre Programme amongst the Orang Asli of West Malaysia which was shortlisted for the Technological Innovation Award 2019 by the Times Higher Education. She has published some of her works including 3 books. Her first book ‘Changing Borders and Identities in the Kelabit Highlands’, published in 2002 and the latest one is Methodologies for Bridging the Digital Divide, published in 2018.
Song to The Earth ft. Kayan Parap 11 - 12 July The Old Court House 7.00pm & 8.30pm Free to attend
Adrian Jo Milang, currently the youngest practitioner of the ancient and dying Kayan oral tradition of the Parap and Takna’ (poetic storytelling), in collaboration with Dr Corrina Bonshek (an award-winning Australian composer trained by composers with a deep and enduring connection to Asia), iconic Australian percussionist Michael Askill, Persian violinist Greta Kelly (Australia), gong players from Sarawak & Kuala Lumpur (including Souls Impact Percussion), and a Tukang Habe (traditional Kayan chorus members) will present Song to the Earth - a magical, immersive live music event that is not to be missed. Co-produced by The Tuyang Initiative. This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts, its arts funding and advisory body. It is also supported by the Regional Arts Development Fund, a partnership between the Queensland Government and the City of Gold Coast Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.
In Voices Haunting tales from Sarawak 7 July Kuching Waterfront 10.30pm – 11.30pm Free with registration
In Voices is a platform for Sarawak’s rich tradition of oral storytelling. The programme presents an evening of tingling tales by community storytellers - Neyna Radzuan, Charlotte Hunter, Dunstan Chan, Alvin Celestine Danker, MacLean Patrick, Tingang Trang and others who will be generously sharing this valuable snapshot of invisible heritage. Curated by Shireen Zainudin and Alasdair Clayre. For further details on the full programme and registration, please check out our website www.rainforestfringe.com 12
Calendar 1
NEW DEWAN UNDANGAN NEGERI BUILDING RFF Launch Asas Melayu - Lembaran Emas : Songket and Keringkam Asas Melayu - Lembaran Emas : The Exhibition
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3
5th 5th 5th - 12th
Launch ExhibitIon Exhibition Exhibition Exhibition Exhibition Food Food Dance Talk Talk Talk Storytelling Film Talk Music
5th 5th – 12th 5th – 12th 5th 5th – 12th 5th – 12th 5th – 12th 6th – 7th 6th – 8th 6th – 7th 6th 6th 7th 7th – 12th 10th 11th – 12th
Book Sale Tattoo Variety
4th – 14th 6th – 10th 6th – 7th
THE OLD COURT HOUSE KUCHING The Borneo Laboratory: Book Launch JUNGLES: Rainforests of the World Museum of Kuching Bornean Experience: Read – Mini Exhibition Bornean Experience: Scent Museum Bornean Experience: Taste – Plating the Wild Bornean Experience: Taste – Plating the Wild LAPIS Primates: At The Origin Connecting The Indigenous Dots: Genetics Asas Melayu - A Trilogy of Talks Pechakucha Spark In Voices: Haunting Tales of Sarawak Communities Indigenous Film Festival Kuching Prehistoric Bornean Mammals Song To The Earth featuring Kayan Parap BORNEO 744, BINTAWA INDUSTRIAL ESTATE The Market @ Borneo 744 Big Bad Wolf INK Kuching Tattoo Showcase Sape’ Expo/The Amazing Drumming Monkeys/Let’s Play Workshops/Pasar Glam/Waves of Dimension/Creative Market/PopUpTaiwan/Collectors’PlantMarket/Foodstalls/food trucks/comedy & other pop-ups
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KUCHING WATERFRONT Malam Melayu Movie Nights and Local Delights
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BANGUNAN YAYASAN SARAWAK Cendana Ace Bootcamp
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ST. JOSEPH’S CATHEDRAL The White Rajah of Sarawak
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Launch Fashion Exhibition
Outdoor Outdoor
5th 6th – 7th
Bootcamp
8th – 12th
Musical
5th – 7th
THE MARIAN Jungle Fever
Exhibition
5th – 12th
UOB BUILDING Over Sarawak
Exhibition
5th – 12th
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Jungles: Rainforests of The World- An Audio Visual Exhibition 5 - 12 July The Old Court House 10.00am - 6.00pm Free to attend
Anyone who has stepped foot inside the rainforest cannot help but be filled with a sense of wonder: it is a realm of unbridled natural luxuriance, untameable and beyond the grasp of human conformity. At every turn there is a teeming abundance of life, and yet the forest is full of hidden secrets that only reveal themselves to the most patient of observers. These ancient forests which once spanned the tropical regions of the globe now cover less than 6% of the Earth’s surface. Despite this, rainforests contain over half of the world’s species, with thousands more being discovered every year.This audio-visual exhibition, comprising work from the rainforests of Borneo, Madagascar, New Guinea, and the Amazon Basin by Ch’ien Lee, aims to inspire a deeper understanding of these magical places, their incredible diversity, and how their continued existence is vital for the health of the entire planet.
Jungle Fever 5 - 12 July The Marian 10.00am - 6.00pm Free to attend
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Jungle Fever is the title of a new series of works by French artist Marie Dargent. Inspired by the vivid tropical vegetation of Malaysia’s rainforest, Jungle Fever comprises of over 50 loose-hanging pieces of cloth that have been painted with striking acrylic colours using stencilled cut-outs that she had made of jungle motifs. These long, narrow strips of antique cotton cloth are over a hundred years old, taken from the Dargent family collection, originally made by her seamstress great-grandmother, together with other pieces hunted down in European flea markets. Working from memories of her travels through Malaysia’s jungles as well as recent images captured by her husband John Brunton’s photographs on a journey around the Mulu caves, her exhibition transports the viewer into the enclosed depths of the rainforest, at once realist and figurative, yet also abstract, intriguing and seductive.
Over Sarawak 5 - 12 July UOB Building, Main Baazar Road 10.00am - 6.00pm Free to attend
A trip to Mukah to witness the thanksgiving celebration of Kaul by the Melanau community and a flight of the drone gave David ST Loh new insight into to the enchanting and charming landscape that Sarawak has to offer. Following a successful photography exhibition of aerial images in Over Penang during the George Town Festival 2018 in Penang, David once again reigned his drone over various cities and cultures in the Land of the Hornbills, Sarawak. From major cities to the jungle, cultures and people, ports and seascape, the highlands to the interiors of Sarawak, “Disc-Over” Sarawak is through David’s unique perspective.
Museum Of Kuching 5 - 12 July The Old Court House 10.00am - 4.45pm Free to attend
The first museum exhibition to focus on the history of Kuching as a ‘community of communities’, this exhibition will lead visitors on a journey through the historical and social development of a very special community here in the capital of Sarawak. Featuring historic maps, paintings and photographs, this museum will go a step further, immersing visitors, with the magic of augmented reality, in the world of Kuching through the ages. A collaborative project with the Brooke Trust as the curators, this exhibition will take most people, Kuchingites included, on an exploration, many for the first time, of the ancient Kampung Heritage of Kuching, heart of the old Malay community around which Kuching was first given life. From this heart, explore the later additions to this community. The exhibition will be launched at RFF 2019 and will remain open to the public on a permanent basis. 16
CENDANA’s ACE Bootcamp 8 - 12 July Ground Floor, Sarawak Multimedia Authority, Bangunan Yayasan Sarawak 9.00am - 5.00pm
Dedicated to arts and culture administration, CENDANA’s ACE Bootcamp provides space, resources, time and expertise to support the ambitions of artists and cultural workers to help them expand their ideas into tangible projects or projects onto wider platforms. It aims to support and stretch their ambitions through targeted content, mentored by a team of local and international specialists in their respective fields. The boot camp will be conducted in the format of a lecture, workshops (hands on sessions), presentations and mentors input/ feedback throughout group activity sessions. Please visit www.rainforestfringe.com for programme details and to register for this event.
The White Rajah of Sarawak 5 - 7 July ACCPC Grand Hall, Kuching St. Joseph’s Cathedral 5 & 7 July at 7.30pm 6 July at 8.00pm
For tickets, contact: +6082-414575 / +6082-420575 www.stjosephprivate.com
This is a restaging of the musical, after its resounding success and continued interest shown and is a part of the students’ initiative to raise funds for the new school hall which will house the new school performing arts hall, music room and dance room. The musical features an original script but with music by local talents. The St. Joseph’s Private School takes pride in presenting what is uniquely Sarawakian, aiming to renew the interest of our locals in the history of our homeland and to attract international audiences.
PechaKucha SPARK 6 July The Old Court House 6.20pm Free with registration Contact: +6082 240 406
PechaKucha SPARK inspires to bring together creative, passionate young people (age 20 and below) to network, meet and show their work in public. Through the PechaKucha platform, we hope to ignite hidden talent, encourage fresh ideas, and to ultimately show something that is significantly unique to Kuching. 17
Movie Nights & Local Delights 6 - 7 July Kuching Waterfront 4.00pm – 12.00am Free to attend
Presented by The Sarawak Culinary Heritage and Arts Committee, the Waterfront Gardens of Kuching river will be turned into a weekend of jam-packed evenings with evening film screenings, sales of food from various cultures of Sarawak, KINO Live Heritage cooking demonstrations, performances and more! The programme showcases the best of Dayak food including pansuh, sambai sorai, and nasi aruk just to name a few and food demonstrations of kelabit senape and buah kepayang on Saturday. Sunday activities include the sales of traditional Chinese and Indian cuisines, food demos and performances including Chinese opera, Er Hu musical instrument and the energetic Bangra dance. On top of it all, classic and contemporary films both feature-length and short will be screened, wayang-pacak style. So bring along your rattan mat, get some dinner or snacks, sit down, chill and relax for the evenings!
Prehistoric Bornean Mammals 10 July The Old Court House Auditorium 7.00pm – 8.30pm Free with Registration
In his talk entitled: A “45,000-Year Record of Prehistoric Bornean Mammals from Niah Caves”, Mr Lim Tze Tshen presents the long history of intensive archaeological research at Niah Caves conducted by teams from Sarawak Museum, in collaboration with both local and international universities. The search has yielded a rich and unparalleled mammalian zooarchaeological collection. The systematic study of the assemblage had revealed a prehistoric fauna similar to present-day Borneo. This underscores the uniqueness of the current mammal fauna and provides further justification for its conservation. With a sufficient level of appropriate curation, this scientifically significant collection will certainly continue to contribute to our understanding of prehistoric Borneo. 18
BIG BAD HANDICRAF TS WOLF PENANG
COLLECTORS PL ANT MARKE T TAIWAN ENTERTAINMENT LOCAL PRODUCTS INDONESIA HANDMADE ART
SAPE E XPO
COMEDY
THE MARKET LIVE
PERFORMANCES
TALK S
INK KUCHING
MUSIC GAMES
PASAR FOOD GL AM BOOK SALE
WORK SHOPS WAVES OF FUN DIMENSION CRE ATIVE CRAF TS INSTALL ATION DESIGN CRAF TS FUN ART KL
CLUB
TAT TOOS FASHION
THAIL AND AMA ZING
DESIGN DRUMMING
MONKEYS FOOD TRUCK S
SHOWS
7
12 5
1 4 10
2
8
11
13
6
3
9
Borneo 744 Jalan Semangat, Bintawa Industrial Estate, 93450 Kuching, Sarawak.
Free hourly shuttle service on the 6th and 7th of July from 12.00pm - 10.00pm.
O5.O7
F R I
2019
12.O7
F R I
Music . Arts . Crafts . Films . Photography . Food . Culture +History
6-7 TH JULY 12PM - 10PM
1
INK KUCHING
2
ARTISANS AT THE MARKET
3
BIG BAD WOLF
4
THE AMAZING DRUMMING MONKEYS
5
BORNEO SAPE’ EXPO
6
LET’S PLAY FUN ART CLUB
7
PASAR GLAM
8
COMEDY SHOW
9
COLLECTOR’S PLANT MARKET
10
OPEN BAR/COFFEE BAR
11
WAVES OF DIMENSION
12
FOOD TRUCKS
13
DEAF SOCIETY
BORNEO 744
BINTAWA INDUSTRIAL ESTATE
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Ink Kuching Tattoo Showcase 6 - 10 July Borneo 744 12.00pm - 10.00pm Free to attend
An international tattoo showcase to present the art of tattoo where visitors are welcome to get themselves inked by modern, traditional and indigenous artists from Sarawak and other parts of the world.
List of participating tattoo artists: Check out updates in our website www.rainforestfringe.com Taiwan Cutjuy Patjidres
Indonesia Herpianto Hendra - Folk Tattoo Space
India Mo Naga - Headhuntersink
Canada Nahaan Aya - Tlingit Tattoo
Samoa-New Zealand Pat Morrow - True Markings Tattoo Studio
Sarawak Reja Reef Bryah - Wayang Kulit Tattoo Felix Dixon - High Blood Ink Jason Kong - Jason Kong Tattoo Willie Joe - Willie Joe Tattoo Nelson Voon Apui - Fetch Ink Dom Lawrence - Dom Lawrence Cornelius Bonnie - Survival Borneo Tattoo Studio
Papua New Guinea- New Zealand Julia Mageau Gray - Melanesian Marks Philippines Jean Sioson - Katribu Tatu Jonathan Cena - Katribu Tatu
Presented in collaboration with the Sarawak Body Art Association, Ink Kuching is part of The Market programming, opening on 6 July and will continue on until 10 July. Join us to learn the true meaning of tattoos which is not only ink on skin –a series of talks and workshops will form part of this showcase. Photo credit: Dominique Pichard & Hasse Hamid
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Borneo Sape’ Expo 6 - 7 July Borneo 744 10.00am - 10.00pm Free to attend
The Borneo Sape’ Expo highlights the traditional musical instrument - Sape’, through booth exhibitions, workshops for beginners, clinics for stage performers and performance showcases running throughout RFF2019. Curated by Saufi Aiman Yahya from Sape’star in partnership with the Kuching Sape’ Arts Collective and SHape.
8pm
6th July (Sat) Booth Expo & Exhibition Traditional Sape’ Workshop Sape’ performance Clinic
7th July (Sun) Booth Expo & Exhibition Contemporary Sape’ Workshop Sape’ performance Clinic
9pm
Sape’ Showcase
Sape’ Showcase
All Day 2pm
Public Awareness of Deaf Community Skills and Talents 6 - 7 July Borneo 744 12.00pm - 10.00pm Free to attend Be exposed, educated and learn how you can do your part for the deaf community in Sarawak. There are exhibitions, lessons on sign language, artwork by deaf artists, sand art area and much more under one roof. Organized by the Sarawak Society for the Deaf.
Wave of Dimensions 6 - 12 July Borneo 744 7.00pm - 10.00pm Free to attend Wave of Dimensions (Interactive Light Program) Kinetic art is the manifestation of the fascination with movement and motion, an effective incorporation of time and space into a particular art. Hence, with the concept of motion and movement, Wave of Dimensions is created to represent the motion and movement of today’s creative youth in the creative industry. Wave of Dimension comes with four designated movement, each represents and issue or a story of creative youth in the industry. 22
The Amazing Drumming Monkeys 6 - 7 July Borneo 744 6.00pm - 7.00pm Free to attend
The Amazing Drumming Monkeys which has been wowing audiences around Australia and overseas for the past 15 years, comes to Kuching! A clever combination of puppetry, live music, comedy, and heart-warming themes, The Drumming Monkeys provide a funny and engaging show for the whole family and especially 1 - 8 year-olds. The 2 monkey puppets (Bongo & Congo) play live African drums, lead audiences in songs & dances, and have all sorts of fun along the way. The monkey show also features beautiful messages, such as caring for the planet, and getting along with one another. Definitely a “not to be missed performance” for both children and adults. Stay back after the show for workshop and drum sessions with the performers!
Let’s Play Art by The Fun Art Club 6 - 7 July Borneo 744 Registration required A series of workshops most suitable for children (and adult beginners) conducted by Fun Art Club. 2-hour workshops A & B at RM90/pax; RM150/adult&child per workshop A - Batik Painting 6 July at 1.00pm and 4.00pm: learning the ancient art of batik with Sarawak designs and creating unique colours.
B - Print and Play Pattern Design on Canvas 6 July at 10.00am and 2.00pm: diving into the colourful, pattern-filled world with fun printmaking on canvas.
Fun Art Buffet 6 & 7 July open from 10.00am - 6.00pm @ RM50/child
An open studio, 2-hour experience where children are invited to use the materials in the studio to create their ideas at their own art piece. It is about tinkering, making important decisions, troubleshooting, and making connections. Open studio allows children to be responsible for their own choices, materials and ideas. Having fun is mandatory! Prices are inclusive of art materials and reservation is required at least 3 days in advance – www.rainforestfringe.com 23
Pasar Glam 6 - 7 July Borneo 744 12.00pm - 10.00pm Free to attend
Pasar Glam is an initiative of pre-loved fashion with a head and heart that will be popping up at The Market@ Borneo 744 at the Rainforest Fringe Festival 2019. Sereni Linggi and the team at RFF2019 are looking for partners to join us in raising funds with upcycled fun and flair for the Sarawak Children’s Cancer Society. (Find out more about the fantastic work they do here https://sccs.org.my ) We are reaching out to a community of collaborators from our tribes of trendsetters, designers, retailers and public personalities to donate quality fashion items to Pasar Glam. From sample sales, to an excess of stock, to a personal piece that might be ready for a newhome; we invite you to share your clothing, shoes, bags, accessories and their stories with us and the buying public. Join us with small, smart, sensitive shopping. It’s a win for the giver, a win for the buyer and above all a win for Sarawak Children’s Cancer Society. All proceeds will go to Sarawak Children’s Cancer Society.
Collectors Plant Market 6 - 7 July Borneo 744 12.00pm - 10.00pm Free to attend
Yes, it’s coming! Collectors Plant Market on the weekend of 6 & 7 July at The Market @744. Expect to see rare, exotic, weird and beautiful succulents, tillandsias, bromeliads, terraniums, - just some of the plants you will find irresistible. Be prepared to find a place for them in your home or garden. Current features include: Henesys Garden, Helen & Herman Garden, Tillandsia-Air Plant Kuching and My City Landscaping. More to come; check out our website, www.rainforestfringe.com for updates. 24
RFF presents: The Party with April Red 6 July Borneo 744 11.15pm - 12.00am Ticketed @ RM30
Taiwan-based electronic APRIL RED embodies a harmonious fusion between music from the East and West by blending a variety of electronic styles with traditional Chinese and indigenous sounds. The band is fronted by DJ CODE WU and SHAO-SHIH: Code, the Band Leader, DJ, Producer, one of Taiwanʼs top DJs, as well as a multitalented music producer, and film music composer. And he is also the first DJ in Taiwan to be invited to the worlds largest music festival Glastonbury at main stage The Blues.
and Tomás Ford
6 - 7 July Borneo 744 10.00pm - 10.45pm 6 July - Ticketed @RM30 + The Party 7 July - Ticketed @ RM15
Australia’s Tomás Ford is the Edinburgh Fringe’s king of late night cabaret and is proudly the worst DJ in the world. His non-stop dance parties are full of silly costumes, ridiculous dance moves, power ballad sing-alongs, hypercolour animated backdrops and the cheesiest songs he can find. His parties have kept sold-out audiences laughing around Australia, New Zealand and the UK. He joins us at Rainforest Fringe for his first ever Malaysian dance party. While he’s here, he’ll also be working on a new cabaret spectacular for next years’ festival.
Music by NWHR 6 -7 July : 2.00pm - 11.00pm 8 - 10 July : 7.00pm - 11.30pm Borneo 744
Come check out and chill out to the entertainment by NWHR.Merging the best of both worlds, NWHR is back in the black box – High powered beats, courtesy of the collective’s very own Hadiid and Brainer. 25
BE SPOILT FOR MORE CHOICES at The Market!
Tanoti Crafts Sarawak
Frankitas Kuala Lumpur
Fuan Wong Penang
Chiyo Kuala Lumpur
Prism Taiwan
Kumang & Co. Sarawak
Jonathan Yun Penang
Catheyna Sarawak
Pextret Liu Korea
Artisans @ The Market
Feast your eyes and buy creative and lifestyle products presented by artisans from Thailand Taiwan, Philippines, Indonesia, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia (Penang and KL), including some of the very best of Sarawak! Open both days, 12.00 pm to 10.00 pm
Pop Up Taiwan 6 - 7 July Borneo 744 12.00pm - 10.00pm
Sponsored by the Taipei Economic & Cultural Office [TECO] in Kuala Lumpur, and curated by RFF2019, Pop Up Taiwan brings to you, a collection of lifestyle and creative design products. You would be hard pressed to find a reason not to attend this craft show and market, a first in Kuching!
FOOD, FOOD AND MORE FOOD
A range of food stalls and food trucks open both days to help you stay satiated and hydrated! 26
Big Bad Wolf 4 - 14 July Borneo 744 10.00am - 10.00pm Free to attend
Big Bad Wolf Books proudly presents The Bite-Sized Book Sale! Returning to Kuching, Sarawak for the third time, The Big Bad Wolf Book Sale is offering another special selection of curated books at the Rainforest Fringe Festival in a bite-sized edition of the annual Big Bad Wolf Book Sale Kuala Lumpur. You can expect a carefully curated selection of art and designer photo books, to fiction and non-fiction bestsellers at incredible discounts. About Big Bad Wolf Well-known for offering brand new titles at fantastic discounts, with books under half price. The organisation aims to spread the joy of reading around the world by providing their books at affordable prices. From its very first sale in Malaysia in 2009, Big Bad Wolf Books has been on a mission to introduce non-readers to new reads and cultivate a love for books. It has since established itself as a must-visit book event in Kuala Lumpur, as well as in countries around the world. Big Bad Wolf Books takes its sale abroad to Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines each year — and is making a stop at Sarawak this July with a bite-sized collection of its very best titles. Find out more about The Bite-Sized Book Sale on www.facebook.com/bbwbooks
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MAJOR SPONSORS
PROGRAMME SPONSORS
VENUE SPONSORS
Colour code for MARIAN RGB e66a35 CMYK 0, 54, 77, 10 Pantone Solid Coated 7578 C Pantone Solid Uncoated 1595 C Pantone Metallic 8944 C Pantone Premium Metallic 10147 C Pantone Pastels Neon Coated 811 C
MEDIA PARTNERS
AIRLINE PARTNER
TRAVEL PARTNER
PROGRAMME PARTNERS
Alasdair Clayre AsiaLink Arts Beacon Ads Sdn Bhd Bernard Chandran BookXcess Borneo Art Collective Borneo Journal Sdn Bhd CENDANA Dan Ling EAT by Agnes Chin Food Journal Sdn Bhd Fun Art Club Gebriel Padan Artistry Studio IDC Architects Indigenous Film Festival Bali Keringkam Bahij KINO Live Heritage Kitchen Kuching Sape’ Arts Collective Manggees Collection Premier Echo Sound and Light System Ranu Welum Foundation Sape’ Star Sarawak Body Art Association Sarawak Cancer Society Sarawak Culinary Heritage and Arts Committee Sarawak Museum Campus Sekolah Seni Malaysia Sarawak Seri Gedong Songket SHape Shireen Zainudin St Joseph’s Private School Studio Labu Sakti Sukaseni Malaysia Tab Creatives Tampan Keringkam Tanoti House The Brooke Trust The Tuyang Initiative Tom Abang Saufi Studio Universiti Malaysia Sarawak UOB Properties Bhd Boost A special word of thanks to our team of festival volunteers without whose support it would have been impossible for us to carry out the daunting tasks involved! Any omissions or misspellings in the above list is not intentional and we apologise for any errors. We are unable to make any corrections in this printed version but please contact lisa.case@rainforestfringe.com so that we may make the necessary correction in other platforms where this list may appear. Thank you.
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An 8-day spectacle in the heart of Kuching #RFF2019 @rffsarawak
HOSTED BY
IN COLLABORATION WITH
ORGANISED BY
