www.nst.com Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur’s famous landmark, was recently turned into a mini East Malaysian cultural village, complete with tribal decor and background music
For five days, last week square was the venue for the Tadau Kaamatan and Gawai Dayak celebrations – harvest festivals of Sabah and Sarawak respectively, celebrated annually in June.
“Since this was the first time they were being celebrated outside their original states, it was also fitting for us to hold a special Borneo craft promotion,” said deputy minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage Datuk Wong Kam Hoong.
He said East Malaysia’s ethnic craft are not limited to their original or daily functions.
“This would help to expand the market for Borneo ethnic craft,” he said before launching the Borneo Craft Promotion.
Also present were Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Ruslin Hassan and Kraftangan Malaysia chairman Datuk Mohd Nadzmi Mohd Salleh.
The exhibition-cum-bazaar had 64 entrepreneurs from Sabah who displayed 18 types of craft products and 48 from Sarawak with 15 types of craft products.
Besides craft demonstrations, there were also exhibitions of contemporary craft, heritage of Gawai Dayak cultural history and Rungus female costume.
The Borneo Craft Promotion was extended for another two days at the Kuala Lumpur Craft Complex in Jalan Conlay. |