Claim that RWMF a ‘dying brand’ baseless, unfair, says Nikki Lugun
KUCHING: Former Rainforest World Music Festival ( RWMF) liaison officer Datin Nikki Lugun has refuted a claim made by another festival presenter that RMWF is a ‘dying brand’.
According to Nikki, such a claim is unfair and a bitter blow to die-hard festival- goers as well as the Sarawak government which supports the event each year.
Through a press statement yesterday, she said the “dying brand” claim was also baseless when for the past 21 years, Sarawakians have watched with pride the incredible journey RMWF has undertaken; relentlessly building a fan base and playing in front of thousands at the Sarawak Cultural Village.
“Throughout the years, RWMF fans from Sarawak and throughout the world have shown incredible support and, above all, loyalty. We have watched this incredible journey as participants, volunteers, sponsors and audiences, witness the success to what it has become today – Sarawak’s biggest international cultural event.
“The RMWF has been voted as one of the top-25 World Music Festivals by Songlines Magazine for six consecutive years since 2010 and has won many awards during its 21-year journey.
“It has been declared winner of Heritage and Culture at the PATA Gold Award, awarded the Aseanta Excellence Award, the international HSMAI Silver Adrian Award, The B r a nd L au r e a t e C ou nt r y Branding Award, and the AsiaPacific Excellence Award amongst others,” she said.
Nikki added that in the past few years, the three- day festival attracted more than 20,000 music lovers annually with around 40 per cent comprising foreign tourists and out- of-town arrivals.
She said over the years, nearly 300 bands with an estimate of 1,800 participants from 60 different countries and territories have participated in RWMF.
“RWMF has succeeded in bringing about awareness of the traditional music of Sarawak. Many are convinced that a lot of instruments and the traditional technique of playing them would have diminished in Sarawak if the RWMF had not come about.”
Nikki said the ‘dying brand’ claim was published in the South China Morning Post on June 18, quoting Jo Sidek of Jo Sidek Productions – an events management company and the official secretariat of the George Town Festival – who has ridden on the success of RWMF with his Rainforest Fringe Festival ( RFF).
However, contrary to Jo’s comments, Nikki said this year’s RWMF has certainly been a resounding success according to Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
“There was a huge jump in numbers and we actually ran out of tickets, and additional events such as yoga sessions and the Asian Food Kitchen to complement the Festival played a large part in its success while the bands were well chosen,” she said.
Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) acting CEO Mary Wan Mering was quoted as saying that every product needs a life cycle enhancement and it is no different with the RWMF.
“The pioneers who initiated the festival had a far-reaching vision to brand Sarawak.
“Today, the RWMF is an important brand to Sarawak and relates to the arts and culture of the state which has a rich repertoire of world music.
“The months of June and July used to be lean months for tourist arrivals in Sarawak but today, this has changed due to the RWMF. I would certainly say that tourist arrivals are on the upswing and yes, we have been successful in this respect,” Mary was quoted as saying in Nikki’s press statement.
Former STB CEO Gracie Geikie and co-author of the book ‘RWMF – 20 Years of Song & Rhythm in Sarawak’ which captured the 20year journey of the RWMF, was also quoted as saying that to call the RWMF a ‘dying brand’ does not do justice considering it is the longest-running music festival in Malaysia and probably South East Asia.
“The RWMF brand has positioned Sarawak as a destination of arts and culture. It has actually been a catalyst for tourism in Sarawak as festival visitors fly into Kuching and stay an average of one week,” she said.