IT is a fact that rain is something one expects in the rainforest. However, for the past 10 years, not a drop of rain had ever fallen on the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) at the Sarawak Cultural Village in Santubong.

When this year's event organising committee chairman Benedict Jimbau told the Press this a day before the festival started on July 11, he was expecting another dry year but this time, he was wrong.

The 11th RWMF was a wet, wet affair. On opening night, a cloudburst welcomed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his wife Datuk Seri Jeanne Abdullah. It poured and poured. The second night was dry but on the final night, it rained again for a short spell.

At the gate, a souvenir shop cashed in by selling disposable raincoats for RM4 each initially and upping the price by RM1 later. Umbrellas cost a lot more at RM30 each. Mengkuang mats for sitting down on the wet grass went at RM10 per piece.

But despite the rain, the show went on. The enthusiastic crowd did not mind one bit. They were here to "party" and many had been coming back every year since the festival.

The signature event put not only Sarawak but also Malaysia on the world tourism map and attracts an average 7,500 visitors each night from some 50 countries.

Electrifying display by Yakande group from Gambia and Guinea.

Craft Galore

The concerts and musical workshops were not the only attractions at this year's RWMF.

Held for the first time was the Rainforest World Craft Baazar 2008 with 100 booths on the grounds of the SCV. Craftsmen from India, Japan, Indonesia, Kirghistan, South Korea and Denmark showcased their skills alongside the indigenous tribes of Sarawak and artisans from the other States in Malaysia.

Food and Music

When the rain stopped and the sun rose high in the sky over the jungle-covered Mt Santubong, the pace picked up quickly. Visitors streamed in and, as the day hastened towards night, one could feel the electric charge in the air.

It was brisk business for the many stalls around the SCV - some under umbrellas, others under thatched roofs - selling a wide range of things from souvenirs to food and drinks.

At the SCV longhouse restaurant near the main entrance, food prices were the same as that outside the village. A cold canned drink cost RM2 while Sarawak laksa and mee kolok cost RM4.50 per bowl. There was a mix of local and western fare, with roti canai and satay among the top favourites.

Workshops were held in the afternoon with musicians showing the audience their equipment like the ancient oud, sitar, Afghan rebab, tarhu, lauto, saz, tanbur, sape, violin, accordion, traditional drums and instruments made from seashells and horns.

The workshops were as equally captivating and popular as the nightly concerts. There was hardly standing or sitting room in the auditorium, a longhouse and a hall where the workshops were held.

There was no chance to approach the musicians and get hands-on instructions on how to play the instruments.

Soothing Sounds

At the nightly concerts, held on two stages, one large and one small, performers were at their best. Shouts of "Apok-kab-bak" ("Apa khabar" or how are you) and "Sal-lamad sajah-teri" ("Selamat sejahtera" - wishing you well), in thick foreign accent blasted from giant speakers.

A trio from the United Kingdom, the New Rope String Band performing theatric skit, was hilarious. They opened their act by serenading "Teriii-maaa kasihhhhh, bannyaaaak bannyaaaak" (thank you very much) several times.

All should get full marks for their efforts which received thunderous applause.

Perhaps the most beautiful "sound" heard throughout the three-day concert came from Sarawak's Kani'd (Kelabit dialect for cousins), a choir comprising 12 teenaged Kelabit boys and girls. They presented an overview of their culture and history in the form of songs and dances learned from their elders at ancestral longhouses in the Baram River basin.

Despite not understanding the lyrics, the audience found Kani'd's songs soothing and touching, like a lullaby. Everyone stood still to listen. It was more songs and less music unlike some others who played ear-splitting music in high decibels.

Kani'd launched its album at the Santubong Kuching Resort on the second day, officiated by Deputy Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Sulaiman Mahmud.

Another group that also stole the hearts of the audience was Senida, the resident cultural troupe of SCV which had performed extensively overseas.

Their special performance, inspired by the traditional Malay buka panggung or opening ceremony, showcased a spectrum of musical instruments like the Sarawakian sape (stringed lute) and popular folk dances like zapin, joget and lakon beradat.

Some of the other performers are Adel Salameh (Palestine/ Algeria), Akasha (Kuala Lumpur), Anak Jati Bisaya Orchestra and Tuku Kame' (Sarawak), Beltine (Poland), Colo Valderamma (Colombia), Kasai Masai (Congo/UK), Hiroshi Motofuji (Japan), Oikyataan (India), Pinikpikan (the Philippines), Ross Daly Quartet (Greece), Sheldon Blackman (Trinidad & Tobago) and Yakande (Gambia/ Guinea).

Hilarious skit by the New Rope String Band.

See You Next Year

Hugo Correia of the Fadomorse group from Portugal said music should be unique, with its own character, colour and identity and it should not be allowed to erode. He compared it with a village restaurant serving authentic local cuisine losing out to well-known fast food outlets due to aggressive marketing and advertisement.

He complimented RWMF for providing the platform for the conservation and promotion of ethnic music.

Sarawak Tourism Board CEO Gracie Geikie said organising the festival was a "full-time job". Preparations took the whole year and included screening over 460 applicants and shortlisting them down to the final 17 performers this year.

"Next year, we will add a few things like more large screens around SCV and live streaming via the Internet for audience worldwide to pay and see.

"The craft bazaar complemented the music festival very well and was very well received. We shall continue to see where we can improve, including seeing the economic return aspect," she said.

She added that the idea was to create tourism-driven events involving music, craft and art that have connectivity, variety and mass appeal - from the public and sponsors alike.

She said countries like China, India, Vietnam and Indonesia have many ethnic performers and large number of potential visitors.