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Rainforest World Music Festival

KajoAsks: Going behind the DJ deck with Nick Dhillon

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Knowing how much festival goers are still pumped up for more music even after the performances at Jungle and Tree Stages end, Rainforest World Music Festival introduced the DJ After Party Stage in 2019.

One of the DJs who took over the mixers during the festival this year was DJ Nick Dhillon from Kuala Lumpur.

Covering music genres from EDM,  RnB, Hip Hop, Commercial, retro, Afrobeat and Bolly/Bhangra, it’s no wonder this electronic music producer was brought in for RWMF.

Deejaying since 2003, DJ Nick has released a few singles with artists from Denmark, UK, India, Portugal and Malaysia.

So far, DJ Nick has performed all over Malaysia including Sabah, Johor, Malacca, Penang as well as other countries such as Singapore, Bangladesh and Indonesia.

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Recently, KajoMag had the opportunity to ask DJ Nick Dhillon on his inspiration and what goes on behind his DJ deck.
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DJ Nick Dhillon on his deck.
KajoMag: When did you start DJing and what or who were your early passions and influences?

Nick Dhillon: Basically, I started to learn how to DJ at 9 years old. I got inspired by my father who was a DJ/stage performer back in the day. When I was about 10, I always wondered how people made music. While listening to music on the radio, it just struck my mind – like how did music get created? I then did my research slowly with a lot of attempts. Today I make my own music and I DJ to it.

KajoMag: What are currently your main challenges as a DJ?

Nick Dhillon: My challenges are to get my music heard to a large audience and how to start well, maintain and end well during a set. I’ve set up a goal and the goal is to always do better in every gig I get as I move along.

KajoMag: How you decide to play a particular record during your sets? Is there a criteria other than pure subjectivity for selecting what to play at a gig?

Nick Dhillon: Basically, I usually prepare my set every time before my gig. I listen to new music or similar sounds of what I usually play during my sets. Sometimes I get an original track and remix it and then play during my set. Though the main actual selection of songs during my set comes on the spot while looking at the crowd response. 

KajoMag: Do you feel a crowd is actually able to appreciate the intricacies and complexity of DJing if they don’t really know what goes behind the deck? 

Nick Dhillon: Usually when I DJ, what I believe is in seeing the crowd enjoying the music. Though the understanding of you can’t please everyone with music is always there, the main aim is to catch the majority, especially playing the next song and seeing how they respond to it.

KajoMag: How much do you feel is the club experience or crowd response shaped by cultural differences? When travelling, do you take these cultural differences into consideration? What was your experience during RWMF, for example?

Nick Dhillon: Well, the club experience and the outdoor experience – especially at the RWMF – is very different.

I must say it was amazing. It’s difficult to express in words but just amazing. And playing the music I make, that is mixing traditional Punjabi instruments into modern beats. The reaction is unbelievable. Music does bring everyone together. And that’s beautiful. Though, RMWF is one of my best experiences DJing, without a doubt.

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Nick Dhillon performing during RWMF 2019.
KajoMag: Care to share some of your future plans or dreams?

Nick Dhillon: My future plan is to always be consistent in music, I have plenty of new music coming up. That isn’t a remix, its original tracks I am looking forward to put up to the crowd. Also I’m working on an album.

I’m an electronic (EDM) music producer. I mix electronic music elements with some traditional Punjabi/bhangra elements that’s more what it’ll sound in my upcoming music releases. I look forward to more music festivals around the world to share my music with everyone.

Check him out on Spotify, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and official website.

All photos courtesy of DJ Nick Dhillon.

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KajoPicks: 5 performances we loved during RWMF 2019

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If you were there during Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF 2019), chances are you may still be suffering from post-RWMF withdrawal.

Despite a claim on international media last year that the festival was a dying brand with no new stories being told, the festival has definitely proven the critics wrong.

The number of festival goers this year hit 23,650 people – the highest it’s been since RWMF started in 1998.

And if you were one of those thousands who danced beneath the moonlit sky with the Santubong mountain in the background, you might not have realised how big the crowd was.

It was definitely good to see the festival highlight more local Sarawakian performers such as Suku Menoa, Suk Binie’, Kemada, Staak Bisomu and crowd favourite, At Adau.

With so many performers from all five continents gathering at Sarawak Cultural Village for three days, it was definitely hard to choose our favourites.

But here are KajoMag’s picks for our five favourite acts during RWMF 2019 which took place from July 12 to 14.
1.Duplessy & The Violins of the World (France, Mongolia and Sweden) featuring Guo Gan (China)

The beauty of Rainforest World Music Festival has always been the ability to bring artists of different musical styles and cultures to perform on the same stage.

And this year, one of the performances which managed to do that beautifully and successfully was the performance by Duplessy & The Violins of the World featuring Chinese erhu musician, Guo Gan.

Four soloists- Mathias Duplessy, Guo Gan, Naraa Puredorj and Aliocha Regnard – came together for two different sets called “Marco Polo” at the Theatre Stage and “Crazy Horse” on the Tree Stage.

Inspired by the Italian explorer who travelled through Asia, “Marco Polo” gave the audience a crossover of Western and Asian classical music, while “Crazy Horse” truly reflected its name with fast-paced, cantering rhythms and swinging tunes.

Their performances might have been a fusion between East and West cultures, but there was no confusion among the audience who was listening.

It was definitely a nice eclectic mix of classical guitar (Duplessy), erhu (Guo Gan), traditional Swedish string instrument the nyckelharpa (Regnard) and the Mongolian fiddle (Naraa).

2.Otava Yo (Russia)

This group of seven musicians from St Petersburg had a goal: to shatter the stereotype that Russian folk music was boring and undanceable.

Judging by how the crowd danced on Friday night during their performance, Otava Yo definitely achieved their goal.

Using instruments such as the Russian fife, gusli (Russian psaltery), the bagpipe and fiddle, they gave a performance which transcended languages and cultural boundaries.

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Otava Yo. Credits: RWMF Official Photograph
3.Kila (Ireland)

If you are a veteran RWMF festival goer, then Kila might be a familiar act. They performed in RWMF back in 2013 and they were back again this year.

Kila is a musical ensemble of eight Dubliners centering around Irish classic, folk and rock music.

BBC World Review once described their music to be ‘one of the most beautiful euphoric live experience’ and we agree.

Kila gave a phenomenal performance as the last act on Friday night and they outdid themselves when they performed with Oki Kano, an Ainu Japanese musician on Sunday night.

Who knew a collaboration between the sounds of Dublin and Hokkaido would blend perfectly together?

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Kila performing on Friday night. Credits: RWMF Official Photograph.
4.Macka B (United Kingdom/Jamaica)
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Macka B. Credits: RWMF Official Photograph.

According to Macka B, Sarawakians have the reggae spirit in them and we couldn’t agree more: the moment Macka B took over the mic on Saturday night, the audience was immediately taken by his stage presence.

With a career spanning nearly four decades in the United Kingdom and Jamaica, Macka B was definitely a seasoned performer and an expert on working the crowd.

He brought the house down with songs you would expect a reggae artist to sing; peace, love, a tribute to Bob Marley and marijuana.

But Macka B’s hit “Wha Me Eat”, in which he raps a long list of food he eats as a vegan was definitely one of our faves.

Most RWMF 2019 festival goers might never have been to Jamaica but he had us screaming “Ya man!” all night.

5.Tabanka (Cape Verde)

If Tabanka could bottled up their energy and sell it, I would definitely be the first in line to buy it.

This band who performed as the final act during the final night of Rainforest World Music Festival 2019 had an infectious, excessive energy on stage.

They introduced funana, an accordion-based music and dance genre from Cape Verde.

The genre was once forbidden by the Portuguese colonial rulers but later became part of the post-Independence Cape Verdean identity.

Check out their official music video down below and you would understand why we loved them.

Who were your personal favourites during RWMF 2019? Let us know in the comment box.

Which type of RWMF goer are you? Here are 10 types that we usually see during the festival.

Here is throwback to who we loved during Rainforest World Music Festival 2017.

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Symbolism and traditions behind a Melanau ‘9 Pikul’ Wedding

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Indigenous to Sarawak, the Melanau people are among the earliest settlers in the land of hornbills.

The Melanau social ranks can be differentiated as pangeran or 15 pikul (royalty), 9 pikul, 7 pikul betirih and dipen or ulun. Each rank has a unique customs on their own and might be slightly different from the other ranks. One pikul is equivalent to 60 kg or 133 lbs of brass.

During the Cultural Snippets session of the Rainforest World Music Festival 2018, Salliza Sideni the gallery manager of the Brooke Gallery at Fort Margherita shared how a Melanau 9 pikul wedding was uniquely held.

The session was organised by local NGO, Friends or Sarawak Museum.

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Salliza Sideni (centre) explaining the intricate steps in a Melanau 9 Pikul wedding recently during Rainforest World Music Festival 2018.

Before the Melanau 9 pikul wedding

”Before the wedding, there will be the surong brian ceremony. It is literally translated as giving of gifts or bringing wealth to the bride,” she said.

According to Salliza, the future groom first and foremost will present his future bride one gold ring to signify the engagement.

Then there are also be customary gifts or adet including a gold ring, one gantang ( a measurement equalling to 2.6kg) of paddy, nine pieces of clothes, one piece of songket, one long sword, one piece of sugarcane, one unripe banana and one coconut with its husk completely intact.

During the engagement ceremony, the future bride has to take the unripe banana and sugarcane.

The unripe banana and sugarcane symbolise the worst and sweet moments that the bride will experience in marriage.

“In the olden days, brass items like cannons were offered. Today, there are other engagement gifts which are agreed by both parties including handbags, perfumes, shoes and so on.”

There is of course, a dowry of money as agreed by both parties.

She added, “Nowadays, the amount of dowry is based on the bride’s education level. A PhD holder has a dowry amounting up to RM21,000.”

A few days before the wedding, Bendera Tatunggul (colourful flags) will be placed within the vicinity of the wedding venues. This is to inform people about the upcoming wedding.

Salliza pointed out, “A minimum of seven different colours of flags would be needed for a 9 pikul wedding with a coconut husk hanging from each flag,

“A family’s rank or pikul can be told from the number of colours used for the flags.”

After the ceremony, the bride’s family will plant the coconut husk while preparing for the wedding.

Some elders believe that the growth of coconut tree signify the success of their marriage.

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How the Bendera Tatunggul will look like.

On the day of the 9 pikul wedding

A Melanau 9 pikul wedding starts with the head of custom or ketua adat receiving a sword from one of the representatives from the bride family.

The sword will be presented to the groom family as a symbol of protection for the bride in the absence of her husband.

During the ceremony, the groom’s mother will present a piece of songket brunei to the bride.

This is then followed by feeding both the bride and groom with belen. Salliza explained that this “would actually be betel nut wrapped in betel leaf. Belen is believed to have the ability to calm both of them throughout the wedding ceremony.”

In the case of a Melanau-Muslim wedding, there will also be khatam (recitation) of the Quran and bersanji (prayers).

There will also be an influence of Malay culture in a Melanau-Muslim wedding with ceremonies like ‘merenjis air mawar’ by the family elders.

Once the wedding is done, the newlyweds would go back to their homes to do another ceremony.

“Traditionally, the newlyweds would ascend and descend the house stairs three times. This is to symbolise that they are starting their new life together.”

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How a traditional Melanau wedding chamber would look like.

Three days after the wedding ceremony

There is another ceremony held three days after the wedding called adat petudui.

“In the olden days, strict Melanau customs prohibit newlyweds from leaving the house for fear of still having ‘darah manis’ or sweet blood.

“The bathing ceremony is to cleanse and further bless the newlyweds.”

Adat petudui usually takes place before the Subuh (morning) prayer at around 4.30am. They will use water that has been kept in jars for three days.

Salliza continued, “Once done, both newlyweds will perform morning prayers together with the guests and then they usually open their wedding gifts after breakfast.”

Her sharing was based on the weddings organised in her own family who hail from Kampung Penakub Hilir Mukah.

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A traditional Melanau tall house.

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PHOTOS: Music and more during the Rainforest World Music Festival

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This year, the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) made its 21st appearance at the Sarawak Cultural Village, Kuching Malaysia.

A one-of-a-kind festival, RWMF succeeded in bringing world musicians from different part of the globe to rock at the foot of Mount Santubong.

On top of the world-class music, there are plenty of activities to participate from the afternoon mini sessions to its craft bazaar.

The Rainforest World Music Festival will be coming back in 2019 from July 12 till 14. Meanwhile, here are some photos taken on the second day of RWMF 2018.

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A batik crafter showing his skills at the Rainforest World Craft Bazaar.

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Some of the batik works displayed at the Malay House.

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Danison Manium (centre) launched his first sape album on the second day of Rainforest World Music Festival 2018. Also present during the launching were Sarawak Cultural Village’s composer and music arranger Narawi Rashidi (left) and sape maestro Jerry Kamit (second right).

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A display of pretty accessories from local entrepreneur Candy Gems Chic.

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Festival goers hanging out at Damai Central.

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Two instructors from Level Up Fitness showing how to get down at Dewan Lagenda.

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Festival goers participated in RWMF Wellness and Lifestyle activity.

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U.S. Air Force Band of Pacific Asia performing in front of Orang Ulu Longhouse.

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A girl drummer from 24 DRUMS SMK Arang Road, Kuching.

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Slobodan Trkulja (left) and Raghu Dixit (right) belting it out on the second night of RWMF 2018. According to Dixit’s Instagram, he decided to have Trkulja from Balkanopolis (Serbia) joining him on stage only an hour before the performance. The result was one of the best vocal performances RWMF had seen in years.

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The Raghu Dixit’s bassist rocking it on stage.

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Oyme, an ethno band from The Republic Mordovia, Russia.

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Ezra Tekola from At Adau.

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10 types of festival goers at the Rainforest World Music Festival

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Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) is like any other music festival where people from all ages and countries come together in the name of music.

Organised annually at Sarawak Cultural Village in Kuching, Malaysia, the three-day event features performances from traditional music to contemporary world music.

As interesting as the performers are with their exotic outfits and sounds, the most interesting people at RWMF are actually the festival goers.

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Sometimes, the festival goers are more interesting than the performers themselves during a music festival.

Not to generalise people but here are 10 types of festival goers you tend to see at the Rainforest World Music Festival:

1.The Learner

Rainforest World Music Festival is not just about the music and dancing but it is also about learning different cultures.

How to spot The Learner? They are the ones who raise their hands and ask questions during the cultural talks.

Or sometimes you can see them at the Rainforest World Music Festival Craft Bazaar engaging with vendors and asking questions.

Sometimes, they are your typical university students who major in music or anthropology. Sometimes, they are the intellectual types who take the opportunity during the festival to learn more about other cultures.

You can also spot them looking diligently at the festival guide or sitting in the front row of the sape lesson session.

2.The Live Feeder

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Can you spot The Live Feeder?

These are the easiest to spot at the festival. They are the ones who have their smartphones raised during workshops, drum circles, and night performances for long periods of time, even just to take just a photo.

Or you can see traces of their live-feeding on their social media accounts even after the festival has ended.

3.The Selfie-obsessed

This kind of festival goer has a superpower ability. They can smell selfie opportunities unlike most normal people.

They know, for instance, which part of Sarawak Cultural Village gives the best photo ops, who to take wefies with and most importantly, which angle to take it form. Like I said, it’s a superpower.

4.The Spectator

Every music festival needs to have The Spectator. They are the ones who peek through the windows of the Iban Longhouse to watch a dance interactive session but never join in.

They watch the night performances from afar… such as the balcony of Dewan Lagenda or sitting at the back on their picnic mats.

Whatever it is, they are just there to spectate and enjoy the music.

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We came for the music!

5.The Solo Traveller

These are the lone rangers of the festival. They eat alone, participate in the mini sessions alone and they dance alone during the night performances.

Despite being alone, The Solo Travellers are the ones who look like they are enjoying not just the festival but also life overall the most.

6.The Party Animal

The Party Animal type dances the hardest, screams the loudest and drinks the most.

In times past when the ground in front of the stage could become a mud pit during a rainshower, they would be the ones dancing in the rain with mud on their feet and all over their bodies.

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Every music festival needs the Party Animals.

7.The Hobbyist

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I am here to do my own thing!

You have seen this type of festival goer, not just during the Rainforest World Music Festival but every music festival.

While the performers are giving their all onstage or in the mini sessions, they pick a spot and do their own thing.

Be it a yoga move or throwing a hoop or swinging a pair of poi, Rainforest World Music Festival has seen them all.

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“I come to share my hobby!”

8.The Herd

This type of festival goer moves in flocks. They usually have one tribe leader who decides which mini sessions to go or where to eat, one ideal follower who has no idea what is going on but happy to follow and the rebel who tends to break away from the group.

Plus if the herd is alcohol-inclined, they have a sommelier or beer connoisseur who keeps the alcohol level in everybody’s system in order.

Sometimes they have a babysitter who has a mother-like role in the group to make sure the herd is safe and sticks together.

They are commonly groups of university students and young working adults who take Rainforest World Music Festival as a short escape from reality.

9.The “I-have-no-idea-what-is-going-on-but-I-am-here-to-dance”

Some people would call this type of festival goer a dancer…only if you consider their moves as ‘dancing’.

The difference between The Party Animal and The“I-have-no-idea-what-is-going-on-but-I-am-here-to-dance” is that the latter tends to ignore what is going on because they just want to dance.

A band could be delivering a touching performance like At Adau’s Jackson Lian Ngau who dedicated a song to his late mum (in RWMF 2017) or Raghu Dixit from India and Slobodan Trjulja from Serbia giving a once in a lifetime hair-raising duet (in RWMF 2018).

These are the ones who would dance in the middle of a themed music demonstration or a drum circle during the festival irrespective of what is happening around them.

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Raghu Dixit from India (right) and Slobodan Trjulja from Serbia performing a duet song on July 14 during the Rainforest World Music Festival.

10.The ones who were not there for the world music but created their own world

These are the festival goers who were there at the RWMF but not exactly “there” at the festival.

They could be young couples who find their corners and just enjoy these time-defining moments with each other. Or even groups of friends who form their circles at Dewan Lagenda to drink together as the music plays in the background and sets the mood and atmosphere.

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Festival goers who created their own world at Dewan Lagenda during the Rainforest World Music Festival.

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The differences and sameness of RWMF’s mini sessions

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RWMF mini sessions
Slobodan Trkulja from Serbia teaching the crowd about the kolo dance.

Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) internationally known for its melting pot of different cultures and music was held for the 21st time recently from July 13 till 15.

While the audience reached its peak number on Saturday night, those who had attended the whole three-day festival would agree the real fun and magic happens during the afternoon sessions.

Now rebranded as ‘mini sessions’, the activities still carried the essence of RWMF workshops.

It had everything from interactive learning about world music instruments to impromptu jamming among the musicians.

RWMF 2018 Mini Sessions

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Rainforest World Music Festival would not be complete without the dance interactive workshop.

This year, RWMF saw an increase from the usual 27 to 50 sessions and even spread out from its official venue of Sarawak Cultural Village (SCV) to nearby Damai Central.

Since its first installment in 1997, the afternoon sessions have seen a number of improvements and changes over the years.

One of its usual sites for the afternoon workshops, the Malay house had been completely dedicated to children sessions; a thoughtful move since the Malay house can only cater to a small crowd and it has usually been packed and hot during the afternoon workshops in previous years.

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Festival goers participating the traditional hoop dance of the Lakota (a Native American tribe) workshop.

Speaking of changes, the drum circle session by 1Drum.org saw a change of scenery from its usual spot in front of the jungle stage.

For the first two days of RWMF, the circle took place at the Big Tent Damai Central before it was moved back on the final day to where it has usually been held since 2014 .

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The first two days of RWMF saw the drum circle by 1drum.org flocking the Big Tent at Damai Central.

However, the mini sessions still carried on its crowd favourite activities especially the themed music demonstrations and dance workshops.

For example of themed music demonstrations was the “Rhythm’s Gonna Get You”, a workshop featuring an array of different percussion.

This year’s percussion demonstration was conducted on Saturday showcasing a bedok (a Bidayuh drum from Sarawak), darbuka, conga and even a human percussion, a beatboxer.

Other themes music demonstrations were wind instruments, plucked stringed instruments and lutes from two continents Africa and Asia.

During these demonstrations, each musician had a chance to introduce their instrument before all of them coming together to produce an impromptu performance.

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A percussion-themed demonstration organised on Saturday (July 14) at the Dewan Lagenda.

Another crowd favourite every year and usually packed with participants is the dance interactive workshop.

Every year, SCV’s Dewan Lagenda and Iban Longhouse had played host to many dances from all over the world.

This year, these locations had witnessed cumbia (folkloric dance from Colombia), traditional hoop dance of the Lakota (a Native American tribe), kolo (a Serbian circle dance) and among others.

After 21 years in business, RWMF overall had its tweaks here and there yearly and some tweaks stay while others don’t.

Evidently the organiser, Sarawak Tourism Board gave the best to cater to all types of festival goers every year including those families with small children and fitness enthusiasts.

Apart from the mini sessions, there were also programmes for wellness and lifestyle such as yoga, zumba and belly dance as well as children sessions which were started a couple years ago.

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Each location now has its lineup activities displayed.

More photos:

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Five bands you need to listen to after Rainforest World Music Festival 2017

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Missed the 20th edition of the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF)? It’s okay because KajoMag has got you covered.

Here are the five bands you need to listen to even when the music and dancing has stopped in the Sarawak rainforest.

  1. O Tahiti E (Tahiti)

I would not only recommend this band for you to listen to – it is a group you have to watch.

Founded in 1986, O Tahiti E is one of the oldest dancing groups in French Polynesia. When the women dance, their rapid hip-circles and powerful hip slides are mesmerising to watch. The men are equally captivating as they move their legs to beats faster than the naked eyes and ears can follow.

A dancer in O Tahiti E.
A dancer in O Tahiti E.

This group made the crowd scream “I am moving to Tahiti!” during their performance on the second night of RWMF 2017 from Aug 14-16.

Watch their video below and you might be screaming the same thing as you stare at your screen.

  1. Okra Playground (Finland)

What made Okra Playground stand out during the RWMF was the harmonisation of its three vocalists – Päivi Hirvonen, Maija Kauhanen and Essi Muikku.

Their voices immediately catch your attention from the first note. Added to the melodious tunes of this band are the sounds of the kantele, a Finnish plucked string instrument, and jouhikko, a stringed bowed lyre.

As you close your eyes and listen to their songs, you can almost feel the freezing winters of Finland.

Watch their video here.

  1. Achanak (UK/India)

It is fun, upbeat and makes you move your shoulders to the beat of Bhangra music.

Achanak is a multi-award winning, six-piece band based in the UK but still holds true to the band members’ Punjab roots.

The result of this east meets west concoction is a nice blend of traditional Indian percussion and Western rhythms.

The band also sings in traditional Indian vocal style, transporting listeners to the sets of Bollywood movies.

Watch their video here.

  1. Calan (Wales)

Grab your clogs and step dance along to the traditional Welsh tunes of Calan.

It is easy to tell this five member band is proud of their Welsh background, as they sing Welsh folk songs and play traditional instruments such as the fiddle, pibgorn (an early Welsh musical instrument similar to the clarinet) and harp.

One member who really stands out is Bethan Rhiannon. She easily draws the audience attention in with her vocals, clog dancing and accordion playing.

Bethan Rhiannon from the Welsh band Calan.
Bethan Rhiannon from the Welsh band Calan.

Listening to Calan will make you jig, step and hop to the vibrant sound of the Wales. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

Watch their video here.

  1. Hanggai (China)

If you think that playing the morin khuur is not cool, Hanggai from China will prove you wrong.

And if you have no idea what that is, allow me to enlighten you: also known as the horsehead fiddle, the morin khuur is a traditional Mongolian bowed stringed instrument.

What makes this instrument buck the trend of other traditional musical instruments is how it surprisingly fits in perfectly with the punk rock genre.

This Mongolian folk music band from Beijing successfully combines Mongolian throat singing (khoomei) with rock music, making their songs almost like nothing you have heard before.

Watch their video here.

About Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF)

The Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) is an annual three-day music festival celebrating world music. It’s been held in Sarawak Cultural Village, Kuching, Malaysia every year since the music festival’s debut in 1997.

It has daytime workshops, a crafts bazaar, food stalls, and main-stage evening concerts.

If you were there during RWMF 2017, let us know in the comment box which band was your favourite!

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