Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Borneo Cultural Festival 2010

It's Borneo Cultural Festival season again! Borneo Cultural Festival had become a significant annual event for the town of Sibu and this year it is a 10 days event starting from 16th to 25th of July 2010. As usual, Sibu Town Square, both 1st and 2nd phase became the choice of venue for this event.


Visited the festival last night with family after my Internet was down which upset me to the bottom of the earth! Well, from the positive point of view, it's perhaps the best excuse for me to temporarily step out from the cyberworld which I spent too much time on it and return to a more realistic world which suppose to be the world of truth of mankind!


Back to the topic, as previous years, the festival ground is divided into 2 major zones. The 1st zone is around the compound of Sibu own Square phase 1 where the community pavillions, cultural stages of different communities as well as the grand stage were placed. In here, you can find various handcrafts, arts and most importantly traditional foods of each race and community.



If you want to try Pansoh or Umai, Tebaloi or Kuih Jala, the alleyway in between Wisma Sanyan and RH Hotel would be your choice. This is where the Iban, Melanau as well as Bidayuh communities' stalls are located.



Satay daging, satay ayam, kacang kuda and pulut panggang? Visit the Malay stalls along the edge of Sibu Town Square phase 1 near Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg, just opposite the phase 2.


Craving for Chinese traditional foods? Yes, you can get them at Chinese community pavilions along Sibu Town Square car park area and also the Corridor of "Chuang" opposite Sibu Rejang Port building. Oyster Omelette (O-Jian), Foochow biscuits (Leh-Biang), Glutinous Rice Dumpling (Zhang), Red Glutinous Cake (Ang Ku) and a lot more can be found here!

[Teo Chew Clan]

[Hakka Clan]

[Hainam Clan]

[Cantonese Clan]



[Foochow Clan]

[Hokkien Clan]

[Heng Hua Clan]

While your mouth is filling with the foods, your eyes can enjoy various cultural performance at each community's stage. Isn't that one of the most relaxing thing people like to do? Eyes watching while mouth chewing... (well, at least I like to do that when watching movies).




I also came across a tea arts demonstration near one of the stall specifying in selling teas. The performers were wearing Chinese Traditional Cheongsam and the emcee spoke precise and perfect Mandarin which signified the elegance of the tea art. Oh ya, sorry to say that I was attracted by the pretty emcee and not by the art! (cannot meh? :P )




Across Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg at Sibu Town Square phase 2 is the trade expo and exhibition as well as the fun fair zone. The Tradex exhibits and displays various heavy machineries, automobiles, equipment and household supplies which gives an opportunity to the local community to promote their products and services.




If you wish to have some fun or try some luck, fun fair zone will be your choice. "mini wheels", "pirate sampan", "old-cars-go-round-n-round", bumper cars and etc are here for the kids or the adults. You can also try your luck to win some prizes near the fun fair stalls providing different kind of games (and gambling).







So, this is about BCF 2010 which appears to be too commercial oriented and lack of freshness to me. I think the organizer should emphasis more on the cultural part instead of the foods part although I admit that food is part of the culture and they did contribute in colorizing the event. Let the visitors feel the festival is about promoting variety Borneo culture and heritage suit the festive title of "Borneo Cultural Festival". Otherwise, the event would have to change its name to Borneo Foods Festival to be more appropriate.

Anyway, the local council's efforts to make this town more happening and merrier is something that deserves compliment and credits.

4 comments:

  1. The 1st and 2nd year were the best BCF. After that, it kind of digress from its objectives.

    From the photos, more or less like last year

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  2. i still miss those big melanau swing. I was part of the builder and the caretaker of the swing each time it was build. Miss playing it. A lot of my friends ask me why each year there is no Itut and i told them that now the new generation are not keen to do gotong royong. It's also not that cheap to build one.

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  3. BF >> That's true... is like a clone from last year and I started to get bored of it. Even lazy to took out my camera to snap but for the sake of make this blog alive... I forced myself to do that.. It's more like a food fest and the Chinese foods are so pricey!

    CMichael >> Yeah... that's one of the culture! A community traditional game! But too bad... I really can't feel I am in a cultural festival! More like a trade + food fair. Perhaps Sibu lack of passionate people like you to make this event more meaningful!

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