Rainforest World Music Festival 2009: The Late Review

It had been a  month since the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) were being held at Sarawak Cultural Village (SCV) from the 10th until 12th July 2009 and Muhammad were being eager about the review since I said “I will make one in my blog” and since then kept on checking my blog updates everyday to seek the review.

After all those pushing for me to make it, here it is Muhammad and I only left the Transformers : The Revenge of The Fallen review that I also owe you.

It is a world class event where all the people around the globe gathered around and enjoyed the native music which are really SUPERB indeed.

I’ve been eager to attend it since I was in Lower Six but it is always being postponed year after year until finally; THANKS TO MUHAMMAD; who bought me the ticket and also transportation via his car, has made my dream a true reality and also a very great success in my lust-for-music life.

We decided to opt for the event on Saturday, 11th July 2009. Muhammad and I departed from Kuching around 2 p.m and on the way to SCV, we made a stop at the Petronas Station and bought some tit bits and mineral water.

Since it is our first time going on such event, we didn’t know that we actually have to parked our car quite far away from the venue. Instead, we have to use shuttle bus which are being charged RM10 per ticket and it is only like 2 minutes of journey. Somehow my mind told me to keep the ticket remainder rather to toss it away.

The main event actually will start at 7 p.m, so Muhammad and I were browsing around to find some activities were being held. For example, there was a music clinic located at the amphitheatre, sales of artistic material etc.

Muhammad brought his camera along with him for that day and frustratingly, the camera has drained out of battery just after 15 minutes of usage.

 

Here, the food were available for sale and thus, makes the rule of “NO OUTSIDE FOOD”. Hence, the tit bits that I bought had to been return to the car just right before we departed to SCV using the shuttle bus. Thank to the lady who were with the same trip as we are to SCV whom giving the reminder.

 

Since I'm using a bag pack, I manage to sneak in 6 bars of chocolate waffle. Plus, it is practical to use one whilst on the event, you will be going from one spot to another spot. If you’re using a conventional bag like Muhammad, you will found yourself in the situation of having the worries that the bag will be kick while you’re dancing.

 

Here is Muhammad which always feel hot throughout the day. That is why he bought that little swift fan on his right hand.

The event is actually having Celcom as one of the official sponsor and that is why there is loads of Celcom X-Pax logo everywhere. Even you couldn’t hardly miss one especially with the giant floating logo on the lake.

 

Since the H1N1 pandemic just begun, so there were health checking at the entrance of SCV and free mask were being distributed among attendees. Muhammad has all the way using that mask whilst I’m not since I believe my immunity system is strong enough to survive the one whole day event.

 

Browsing around the SCV is really a great moment indeed because from there you will know and learn each different cultures from around the world and not just Sarawak.

There is lots of booths dedicated to the cultural purposes and even from a single bead from  a bracelet does teach you the meaning of every cultural story which are being implemented in the art.

I’ve been doing my research before I attend the event and somehow I missed out the part which stated the “NO OUSIDE’ food rule. Besides that, I took the advice of people whom attended this event last year to come early and enjoy the tentative which are being planned for the event itself by the organizers so that you could full utilize your ticket which are being put on a price of RM90. Hence, it would make it worth to the value itself. I mean, you wouldn’t go to an event which price is RM90 and you go to the night event which only takes 4 hours of performance.

   

I visit some of the traditional houses and some of them, I do admit, I didn’t know their existence until I came here. Talk about being a pure Sarawakian, huh?

  That object, ladies and gentlemen, is the place for the native Sarawakians to make and keep their own liquor called “tuak” which is the liquid from the fermentation of rice water.

Here is…..actually I do not know the name and its purposes. Sorry people.

  

Some sells of various products such as fabric, clothes. craft and accessories even musical instruments were being sold throughout the 3-days event.

  

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The picture on the left is the last picture that I took before the battery went dead. Hence, I have to use my Sony Ericsson W810i camera phone to take the pictures. That is why the result of no-so-quality image are taken place.

Since the place is unoccupied, so I decided to have my pose being taken. Hey, it is a once is a year event right?

I was at the Melanau house before I bumped into a plug. So I decided to charge the battery but it is only for 15 minutes before the arrival of the guardian of the house which need us to get out from there since it is already closing time. And she didn’t seem happy with the thing that I commit.

This is a must to every Malay house. A replica of moose or deer head statue. I actually do not know the main purpose of it but that is the place where we use to hang-up our songkok.

   From both pictures, it was being took on the Malay house attic. I do not know that a traditional Malay house do have such a spacey attic.

Since both of us already browsing around, we decided to make a go towards the amphitheatre where they organized the music clinic and it is the slot for the musician from New Zealand.

   

The musical clinic was a blast and let me tell you, I enjoyed myself and Muhammad were being enthusiastic since Cheryl Samad were there and she just sat beside him. lucky you. After they already finish with their clinic, there is no what-so-ever of hesitation to approach them and give any comments or even question and they were gladly to be there to assist you. Great job guys!!!! Ten stars to them.

From the edge of the mountain, you already notice the ambience of the dusk has finally come and everyone started to pack and make their way to the main stage.

 

Before you dance like crazy, it is better for you to grab yourself a large portion of food to keep that energy to keep on coming. FOOD!!!!!

That is the main stage where the power ambience music and groups were performed that night. I do quite hesitate to go to the centre of the field since there are barely any people there. Yet, the number of the crowd that gathered to that place were increasing from every seconds.

The second stage on my right is the jungle stage where the non-powerful ambience music are being performed.  As you can see, the number of crowd are increasing and the gap between the main and the jungle stage pictures is only for 5 seconds. Maybe this is because to let the crowds to get on hold with their energy before the other music are being play at the main stage. And yeah, the stage are switch one after another of each performance but people tend to stand up in front of the main stage and that include Muhammad and I.

 

Patience are the key until they start the performance. Along the waiting, I met Zal, Henna, Henna’s boyfriend and a some of their friends.

This is the ring for the entrance pass if you are already in the event. It is to make sure that there is no one who crash into the festival themselves. Tight security they are. You should see the K9 dogs. It’s huge and well-trained.

 

At 7 p.m sharp, the performance started and the music was quite dull at first because they perform the traditional minang music. But after a while, the ambience of the music were started to catch up and everybody started to flooded the field.

 

And this is my last picture before I myself zooming of to the crowd and I dance like there is no tomorrow. There is no need of the review of the performance since the camera battery already drained out and there is a lot of bloggers out there who went to the event make the review of it. Google it if you’re up to it and quite rajin to search for it.

Finally, Muhammad and I went home around midnight before the last performance were shown because we want to avoid the competition between attendees to use the shuttle bus back to the car park. Luckily, I didn’t throw my ticket remainder away because it is the type of a way to confirm that you use the shuttle bus earlier to the SCV and for you to go back without being implied another RM10 per ticket. And I snapped my slipper in the mud making me heading home by barefoot.

Overall,

RWMF 2009     

rocks!!!!!!