Kuntau to be showcased at World Martial Arts Festival
KUCHING: Sarawak Tourism Board ( STB) has always encouraged non- governmental organisations to continue promoting Sarawak’s culture to the world.
ItschairmanDatukAbdulWahab Aziz said Sarawak Dayak Martial Arts Association ( SDMAA), for example, had done a very good job in reviving and promoting Iban Kuntau to the world.
“This is good for the association and also for Sarawak because the art ( Kuntau) would surely disappear if it were not revived and shared with other people.
“Promoting the art is also another way to boost the state tourism industry and to showcase our heritage to the world,” he said at the handing- over of Malaysian and state flags to the SDMMA contingent, which will be participating in the 18th World Martial Arts Festival 2017 in Chungju City, South Korea, at STB office here yesterday.
Abdul Wahab hoped that the contingent would perform their best in the competition and help to put Sarawak on the world map.
This is good for the association and also for Sarawak because the art (kuntau) would surely disappear if it were not revived and shared with other people.
SDMMA’s chairman Dom Silang said the objective of the association, among others, was to revive the Dayak martial arts ‘Kuntau’ to the world and also to promote it among the younger people.
“We believe not many people know the existence of this martial art, and this is where we come in – to develop it and introduce it to the world.
Kuntau is a unique martial art because each guru (master) has his own unique pattern ( buah or bungai), inherited from their ancestors and passed down from one generation to the next.
“It will be good to see the ‘buah’ and ‘ bungai’ coming alive at the festival in South Korea, to be performed by exponents from Persatuan Ngajat Asal lban ( Ngasi),” he said.
The festival is expected to see the participation of martial artists from more than 30 countries.
SDMMA is a full member of World Martial Arts Union (WoMau), and is the sole representative from Malaysia at the festival.
“Apart from Kuntau demonstration, the contingent will showcase Sarawak’s traditional dance and music to be performed by Ngasi and Melanau Kuching Association. Both will be at the opening ceremony to perform the ‘seribu rentak’ dance,” Dom said.
Datuk Abdul Wahab Aziz, Sarawak Tourism Board chairman