KUCHING: This year’s Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) will bring in a new act from the South-eastern point of Oceania, the Chilean island of Rapa Nui and the South-western Pacific nation of Aotearoa (Maori name for New Zealand).
There is always a ripple of excitement going through the crowds when Polynesian bands from Oceania perform at any music festival around the world.
At RWMF 2019, the band will highlight the dance and music of the Rapa Nui of Easter Island. The mix of Polynesian origins with ancestral legends is dedicated to the gods, nature or warriors.
Whether it is the exotic, beautifully sensual nature of the dancing, their folk music often integrated with poetry and dance or the mystery of the Polynesian people and cultures, their performances are surely meant to enthrall and entice.
The Rapa Nui has great musical abilities and the dances are vibrant and heart-stopping with undulating hips and expressive hand movements.
Their spectacular costumes made from feathers, shells, tree bark and native elements of nature all contribute to the mystique and the harmony of the dancers and their artistry.
The independent artistic company, Ballet Folcloric de Chile, Bafoci was established in 1987 by its creator Professor Pedro Gajardo Escobar who was inspired to showcase the origins of different cultures that make up the Chilean people.
Meanwhile, similar to Rapa Nui…WAI from New Zealand are inspired by their ancestors and the mythological Kupe, a legendary figure that features prominently in the oral history of the Maori.
They create a minimalist but powerful acoustic performance. Singer and songwriter Mina and producer and musician Maaka Phat, the founders of the group intend to communicate and connect through their symbols and spiritual depths that are universal to humankind and create intense, personal and intimate relationships with their audience.
Their performance at RWMF will feature amazing vocal harmonies and an impressive stage presence filled with energy and soulful expression effortlessly linking the past and future of Maori heritage.
The RWMF 2019 will be held from July 12 to 14 at the Sarawak Cultural Village and is organised by the Sarawak Tourism Board, endorsed by Tourism Malaysia and supported by the Sarawak Tourism, Arts and Culture, Youth & Sports Ministry.
For further information on tickets, festival activities and logistics, the public are urged to visit its website at https://rwmf.net/.
