THE recently concluded 25th anniversary edition of the Rainforest World Music Festival (often abbreviated as RWMF) was appropriately themed the ‘Legendary Rainforest Celebration’. Yes, it was indeed a unique and special one reflecting the times. Firstly, it was the silver jubilee edition marking 25 years of RWMF since the inaugural festival which was held on the eve of Malaysia’s National Day on August 30-31, 1998.
That first edition had attendance rate of a small crowd of 300-400 souls — music lovers and enthusiasts who nonetheless enjoyed an evening of diverse musical performances. From that humble beginning, the attendance has now skyrocketed into the thousands with numbers exceeding the 20,000 mark pre-pandemic. The 25th edition of year 2022 targeted an attendance rate of 12,000 visitors, still a far cry from the inaugural concert that first kickstarted the ‘rocking of the pristine rainforests’ at the foot of Mount Santubong some 25 years ago.
Secondly, this year’s edition was also the first time since the festival’s inception that it had to be hosted as a hybrid event because it was being held at a time when the world has just entered the endemic phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hybrid basis means combining physical attendance and online viewing.
As the country slowly transitions towards the endemic phase, many activities such as sports and social events are being held for the first time after a more than two-year hiatus. The annual RWMF also made its well-awaited return with a very good turnout.
Driving to the location on the Saturday evening of the weekend of the festival, I saw the road leading to the venue busy with traffic and nearer to the venue cars were parked on both shoulders of the road indicating that the large crowd has returned.
The significance of this year’s edition from a psychological and emotional standpoint cannot be underestimated, considering the psychological trauma and mental stress caused by the recent pandemic. From that perspective alone, the holding of the festival has already achieved its objectives.
Signalling the return to some semblance of normalcy, this year’s edition of RWMF featured 60 performers from 20 countries and was held from June 17-19.
As usual, the physical concert was held at the Sarawak Cultural Village at the foot of the iconic Mount Santubong. Indeed, an idyllic and perfect location to hold a world class concert of the music genre called ‘world music’. Will return to that term later.
The RWMF has evolved from the two-day event when it was first held in 1998 to be an annual three-day music festival today that we see today.
In terms of programming, the RWMF consists of daytime music workshops, cultural displays, craft displays, food stalls, and main-stage evening concerts.
My own experience attending the RWMF goes back many years now and I have attended many of the editions, enjoying each and every one of them. The festival has since earned wide international acclaim for its cultural uniqueness and offerings to the visitor – thanks to wonderful live performances by world singers and bands, and its choice of an international line-up of folk and world music groups.
It would be appropriate and not off the mark to say that RWMF is today one of Malaysia’s largest musical events which awaits the enthusiastic audience that keeps coming back year after year. The blending of world music, beautiful setting and the theme of nature and rainforests is the magical ingredient that draws people to this unique music fest.
The term ‘world music’ is a catch-all phrase to cover all styles of music that are rooted in traditional and ethnic music. In other words, the term is used as a catch-all genre for a wide variety of generally non-Western folk, tribal, and classical music from Africa, South America, Asia, and many places in between.
Even many Western folk artists are also grouped into the world music “genre”. But generally, it refers to styles of music from non-Western countries, including quasi-traditional, intercultural, and traditional music. Its ethic of interest lies in the “culturally exotic” and refers to what Roots magazine’s description of the genre of music as that which is “local music from out there”, as some has beautifully put it.
For me, I see it as the kind of music that harkens back to the traditional, cultural and ethnic genre of music which is the root source of inspiration for modern music. To continue its success as a showcase of musical talents performing musical genres spanning from traditional music to world fusion and contemporary world music, the unique formula that has been concocted and synthesised for the RWMF has to be zealously preserved.
Following from the above, it is important to ensure that the participating criteria emphasises the use of traditional, quasi traditional, intercultural, tribal, ethnic and folk music and instruments.
Reflecting on my experience performing at the 2013 RWMF, I have searched for any form of writeups or literature on that edition and pleasantly came across some interesting insights as to how the performers viewed the RWMF and their own experience performing in the festival. I believe these views, which I will get back to later, are quite representative of how some see the essence and meaning of the music festival.
My inclusion as a performer amongst the line-up that year was a rather amusing story because when I was approached to perform at the event, the invitation was totally unexpected for me, coming out of the proverbial blue sky as it were. At that stage of my journey in learning the traditional sape, I was just a rookie, self-learnt enthusiast of the instrument. The sape sound is something very special and natural, giving a sense of ease, calm and deep stimulation.
But thanks to, and courtesy of the Sarawak Tourism Board, there I was on the list of performers lined up for WRMF 2013. Apparently, someone saw a YouTube clip of me using the pseudonym ‘Maya Green’ playing the sape and thought that I should be invited to perform.
That was how I ended up performing at the 15th edition of the series in 2013 as the curtain opener for the Saturday night concert. Since I was still a full time very senior management staff of Petronas then, and in order not to embarrass my employer, I chose to make my maiden appearance using a pseudonym.
So dressed up in ‘modern attire with an arm sleeve of faux native tattoo designs, a western styled cap and in jeans’ my maiden appearance on main stage was as ‘Maya Green’. ‘Maya’ was an allusion to my original surname of ‘Maya’ and ‘green’ alluding to my passion for the rainforests and nature in general (what I like to refer to as my ‘green core’).
I recall having to attend an interview session with the media on the evening of the day before the festival started.
From the literature search, I came across a report filed in by Annette Gartland on July 2, 2013 which had this to say about me as one of the performers and what I said at the interview:
“Medan Maya Abdullah, who plays under the stage name Maya Green, opened his performance with two of his poems and images of the rainforest in Sarawak. Abdullah, who was born in the Bario highlands – a rainforest area deep in the centre of Borneo – is now a businessman. He plays the legendary boat lute of Sarawak, the sapeh or sape, which is the festival symbol.
“It’s everyone’s responsibility to do what they can to preserve nature and protect the environment, Medan Maya Abdullah says. He believes the corporate world and nature can co-exist if business is done in a responsible, sustainable way, with companies respecting the environment and those who could be affected by their activities.
“Through my music, I’m trying to convey the message in my own small way. The music I play is born of the rainforest. It comes from people who live in the rainforest, who know what the rainforest means to them, who respect it, and know how to take care of it. I think by preserving the music of the rainforest we can help to preserve the culture and people of the rainforest, and hopefully the rainforest itself.
Hopefully we can inspire young people to pick up the sape, learn how to play it, and understand the message behind the music.”
Coincidentally, along the same vein was recorded in the report some statements on the Indonesian band Rafly Wa Saja, who also touched on the subject of the rainforests. The report was filed as follows:
“A highlight of the second night was the performance by the Indonesian band Rafly Wa Saja. The lead singer has astounding energy and vocal power; his scat singing was extraordinary and there was some mesmerising flute playing by Saat Syah.
“Rafly is a committed opponent of the deforestation that is devastating the north Sumatran province of Aceh. Seven of his songs are about the destruction of the forest in Aceh, mostly by palm oil companies, and the importance of preserving and embracing nature. He says the people in Aceh are united against national and local government plans that seek to exploit ecologically precious areas like the Tripa peat forest. He adds that saving Tripa is not just about saving the orangutans. “There needs to be a holistic approach that engages local wisdom so that the people of Aceh understand the true value of preserving the peat forest.”
Referring to another performer, the same article said the following – the message of Nunukul Yuggera (performer) is simple and straightforward: “We don’t own the land; the land owns us. We’re just here to maintain it the best we can.” Admittedly, a sentiment along the similar vein expressed by Maya Green and Indonesian band Rafly Wa Saja which alludes to the sense of calm and general well being felt by all who are willing to immerse themselves in nature, something which the Japanese have realised and accepted for ages, and perfected the practice. The Japanese even have crafted a special term called “Shinrin-Yoku” – which is the term used to refer to ‘The Art and Science of Forest Bathing.’ Yes, forest bathing or occasional immersion in nature is well practised in Japan.
It’s amazing that the feeling of affiliation and closeness to nature, and the rainforests in particular, is seen as what underlies the essence of the festival and by extension, the importance of the need to preserve our natural environment is a fundamental duty for all. This kind of messaging is becoming even more critical due to the existential challenge of our lifetime, namely the phenomenon of global warming due to climate change. Forest cover and natural surroundings are a critical part of the global strategy to mitigate global warming and reduce greenhouse gases. Let’s continue to preserve our natural environment.
To conclude, an expression of kudos and congratulations is due and deserving to the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts of Sarawak, the Sarawak Tourism Board and SEDC and all those who made this just concluded edition of the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF), the 25th in the series, a resounding success. From its humble beginnings at the inaugural festival held in 1989 when world music first rocked the pristine jungle at the foot of the iconic Gunung Santubong we have now come full circle to the 25th edition in the series of continued “rocking in the rainforests with a difference.”
