Borneo Native Festival At Central Market Until Sunday

KUALA LUMPUR, May 19 (Bernama) -- In conjunction with the Kaamatan Festival and Gawai Day, which will be celebrated on May 30 and June 1, the Kuala Lumpur Sukaseni Association (Sukaseni) is holding the Borneo Native Festival for three days, starting today, at Central Market, here.

Sukaseni president, Rafie Syazwan Arpandi, 30, said that the festival, which runs from 10 am to 7 pm daily, will include performances of traditional dances by the Borneo communities, a beauty pageant and booths selling various art products, as well as traditional Sabah and Sarawak delicacies.

“This festival is held to introduce the culture of the Borneo communities to the people of the peninsula, as well as to bring the Kaamatan Festival and Gawai Day celebrations to the Sabahans and Sarawakians who cannot return to their villages.

“A total of 84 booths will be open, including handicrafts and traditional delicacies, involving Sabah and Sarawak entrepreneurs. The main focus will be tomorrow (May 20) when we will hold a parade, in collaboration with the Persatuan Gabungan Orang Asal Sabah Sarawak and university students,” he told Bernama.

In addition, several forums and creative workshops will be organised, in collaboration with Universiti Malaysia Sarawak; Malaysian Historical Society; National Academy of Arts, Culture and Heritage (ASWARA) and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.

Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, spent about 30 minutes visiting the booths at the festival, apart from mingling with sellers and visitors.

This year is the second edition of the Borneo Native Festival. The first was held last year.

-- BERNAMA