‘MADEEH’ FROM SARAWAK LEADING MUSIC SHOWCASE WOMEX IN SPAIN
The Bidayuh traditional music band from Sarawak, Madeeh has been hand-picked to represent Malaysia at the 20th
anniversary of WOMEX, the largest world music expo. The expo, taking
place in Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain from Wednesday, 22 –
Sunday, 26 October, is represented by Sarawak Tourism Board under
Malaysia Major Event stand by Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau
(MyCEB).
The
Madeeh ensemble who plays Bidayuh roots music from the upper Padawan
region of Sarawak, performed on a daycase Stage at the Cidade da Cultura
within the exposition area. Picked as the first band to perform on the
daycase stage which only opens to WOMEX delegates, Madeeh has attracted
attention from many music industry professionals from around the world.
Sharing the same stage with Madeeh is Paolo Angeli from Italy/Spain who
performed on the same day.
On
stage, Madeeh presenting their musical instruments which are part of a
centuries-old tradition of music and dance, developed in the communal
life of the longhouses. The instruments are the pratuokng, a zither made
from a bamboo tube, sritakng xylophone and the gaduok hand-drum.
‘Madeeh’ means cousins, relatives, brotherhood or sisterhood and the
ensemble members are all related and came from the same longhouse. They
are led by Arthur Borman ‘Bai Kis’ Kanying, an expert on the history of
the Bidayuh people and on searching out the best bamboo for making the
traditional instruments.
WOMEX
2014 is the annual international world music expo that brings together
the business of world music from across all borders to interact on a
global platform. Comprising of 60 acts with more than 300 artists from
25 different countries is truly a music expo like no other.
This
year for the first time ever, not just one but two Malaysian artists
have been hand-selected to play at WOMEX. Apart from Madeeh, the
traditional Kelantaneese band ‘Geng Wak Long’ who displayed the
beautiful culture and heritage of Kelantan will also be performing. Both
bands have performed at the Borneo World Music Expo in Sarawak, the
same platform and the music market of its kind similar to WOMEX, but
held in Asia. The selection process at WOMEX is conducted each year by a
jury of esteemed members from the global music community, with the
utmost stringency, to put together the programme for every World Music
Expo.
According
to Ben Mandelson, Founding Director of WOMEX, having the performance
presence of Madeeh and Geng Wak Long this year at WOMEX reinforces the
presence of Malaysian arts professionals at WOMEX over the years. “WOMEX
was created with the intention of bringing the people from the world
music industry together. It is one of the biggest and best places to
discover music and connect with people on a global scale and I think
that Malaysia has been a great addition to our expo” he added.
Showcasing
at the Malaysian stand are the renowned Rainforest World Music Festival
(RWMF) and Borneo Jazz promoted by Sarawak Tourism Board. For STB, the
World Music Expo is one of the important platforms for band selection
for next year’s festival. There are 600 exhibiting companies from 40
countries presenting their music product within 245 stands at the trade
fair.
At
the Malaysian stand, Tony Nagamaiah, General Manager of Malaysia Major
Events says “I see world music as a medium that transcends language and
culture. Malaysia offers a unique perspective in that aspect as we
celebrate all races and traditions in truly spectacular environments”.
According to Tony, Malaysia is a world class location for people and
what Malaysia Major Events is doing at WOMEX this year is to create the
opportunity for festival organisers and world music musicians to
collaborate and showcase Malaysia on an international stage.
2015
will be the ‘Malaysia Year of Festivals’, the year which promises an
array of events to celebrate diverse festivals unique to the country.
The internationally renowned Rainforest World Music Festival in Kuching,
Sarawak has been acclaimed as one of the ‘Top 25 World Music Festivals’
for the last 5 years by Songlines, a renowned world music magazine. The
festival attracts nearly 25,000 visitors for a fusion of traditional
roots to world beat. At WOMEX this year, Sarawak also proudly presents
the well-recognized Borneo Jazz held in Miri, which will celebrate its
10th anniversary next year. The 2 days event features Jazz musicians from across the globe.
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