Gendang Festival Shines A Light On Sarawak Heritage Says Nancy

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Tourism, arts and culture minister Nancy Shukri says the Malay gendang was a heritage for the Sarawakian community, but interest in the art form cuts across various ethnicities.PETALING JAYA: The annual Sarawak Gendang Festival is an important platform that helps shine a light on Sarawak’s arts and culture, says Nancy Shukri.
The tourism, arts and culture minister said the art of the Malay gendang was a heritage for the Sarawakian community, but interest in the traditional percussion cuts across various ethnicities.
The festival, which ends today, helped to highlight and garner greater interest in the art of playing the gendang, whether among locals or foreigners, she said.
“As a cultural tourism programme, the Sarawak Gendang Festival is very important to the local community in the context of unity, encouraging cultural development, and uplifting the tourism industry.
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“This festival has shown increasing returns on investment (ROI), from when it was first held in 2014 to 2019. It managed to generate RM360,000 in handicraft sales as well as return visits by arts and culture enthusiasts.
“Since it was first held, some 135,389 domestic tourists have attended this festival, as well as 11,637 international visitors,” she said in launching the festival held in Kuching.
Tourism, arts and culture minister Nancy Shukri arriving at the Sarawak Gendang Festival in Kuching.As a state that comprises various ethnicities, Nancy said Sarawak had a variety of arts and culture that had been passed down from generation to generation.
Programmes like the Sarawak Gendang Festival helped immerse both locals and foreigners in the Bornean state’s unique culture, she said, while inspiring a love for the traditional arts among youths.
“I hope that more programmes and activities like this can be held with the cooperation and involvement of every level of society in this nation.
“This also indirectly improves ties between government department’s and NGOs,” she added. - FMT

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