What happens when players of the bouzouki, guzheng, sape, tres and nanthuni (among others) walk into a longhouse? No this isn’t the beginning of one of those jokes, because what happens, is pure musical bliss. And if there was ever a moment that encapsulated the atmosphere of the Rainforest World Music Festival 2014, it was when all these stringed instruments from across the world thrummed and twanged together in an impromptu performance of ‘Let it be’, before providing a rousing background to a rendition of ‘No woman no cry’ by an enthusiastic audience member. In that instant, with a multicultural audience swaying and singing in a longhouse modelled after those of the Iban tribe native to the Sarawak region of Eastern Malaysia, it was clear that music could indeed unite the world.
Nestled in a small clearing of the lush green rainforest at the foot of the majestic Mount Santubong, just a little beyond where the land meets the South China Sea, is the Sarawak Cultural Village, a property dedicated to the indigenous tribes of Sarawak, one of two Malaysian states located on the island of Borneo (Sabah being the other one, with the Indonesian region of Kalimantan and Brunei making up the rest of the world’s third largest island). And it is this spot, a mix of natural beauty and cultural history, which has played host to the Rainforest World Music Festival, an event which promotes traditional, folk and world music, for the past 16 years.
This edition of the music festival saw 22 bands participate, Dakha Brakha from Ukraine serving up a taste of folk music from the region while the United Kingdom was represented by Jamie Smith’s Mabon, a Welsh band with Celtic influences, and York-based Blackbeard’s Tea Party. The latter entertained the audience with their fiddle, melodeon and drum heavy music; the audience being treated to their crowd mover about a ‘chicken on a raft’ on the first day of the three-day event. The local music was not far behind, with Sarawakian bands Nading Rhapsody and local rockstars Lan E Tuyang enthralling the crowd and educating the visitors. Besides the music on the adjacent Tree and Rainforest stages that came alive at night to host the concerts, with the massive indigenous flora standing silent sentinel to the rhythms of the world, were the thoughtfully crafted workshops where the musicians got together and spoke about their instruments and musical culture. Peter Sawal, a member of the Bisayah tribe and the Bisayah Gong Orchestra, spoke about the significance of gongs among the people of the riverside, while Matthew Ngau, of Lan E Tuyang, who plays the local stringed instrument sape, explained its origins and the times when only men were allowed to play it.
Italy’s Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino kept the audience busy trying to keep up with the furious strains of the Tarantella (a dance practised in Italy’s Taranto, where the dance is believed to be a remedy to sweat out the poison from a spider bite). Cuba - UK collaboration Son Yambu had feet tapping and bodies moving with their lively rhythms, while Kalakan, from Basque country moved heart and soul with their music and the tales of the difficulties they face as musicians, often oppressed for singing in their native language. In keeping with its status as a world music festival, the performances of all the musicians were received with unending enthusiasm, with people strolling in to catch concerts and occasionally drifting around the cultural village to check out the food stalls, sampling the spicy noodle-based laksa sarawak and making conversation, with regulars catching up and newcomers forming new bonds as the music thumped across the trees.
The music of India was represented for the first time in the history of the event, with Kerala-based folk band Karinthalakoottam sounding the beats and chants of the Southern forests in similar surroundings half a world away. The trance-inducing songs of the group were accompanied by spectacular displays of choreographed martial arts, the thwacks of the wooden weapons syncing perfectly with the beat, and a fiery theyyam performance. The workshops saw them showcase instruments like the naga veena and the nanthuni, describing their origins and use. In stark contrast to the beats of Karinthalakoottam were Canadian band Gordie Mackeeman and the Rhythm Boys, providing some contemporary American bluegrass and Elvis-inspired tunes to the mix.
The heat of the afternoons saw visitors learn about musical culture, the nights had them jiving to the sounds of the world, but the cool evenings were all about the pounding beat of the community drum circle organised by 1drum.Org. Drums of all shapes and sizes played by festival goers standing in a circle in front of the two stages created a rising crescendo that could be heard throughout the cultural village. On the last day, as the inspired drummers drummed up the beat, the surroundings seemed otherworldly, the dry heat of the last few days seeming to melt away under the force of the beat, as rainclouds crested Mount Santubong and brought showers to cool the earth before the bands took the stage a final time.
There is something about the experience, the sound of music rising among the trees as the mountain stands witness, the joy of strolling among stalls selling local food and showcasing the culture, with hypnotic dances punctuated by high pitched war cries, and meeting people from across the globe. Taking a break to explore the sandy beach that provides a view of distant boats and islands, or maybe a trek up the mountain or along the jungle trail complete the entire experience. If you’re open to experiencing the music of the world, invite a bunch of friends and mark the date for August 7 next year, when the rainforest will come alive once again.
(The writer was at the festival at the invitation of Tourism Malaysia.)
