Festival Kesenian Sarawak highlights State’s cultural heritage

KUCHING, SARAWAK, 15 November 2025 – The Festival Kesenian Sarawak 2025, themed “Melestari Seni Sarawak” (Sustaining Sarawak Art), was officially launched by Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak, Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) here last night. Following a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officiate the event, the Minister toured the exhibition area located at the foyer or BCCK, where Sarawak’s unique cultures were on display for visitors to explore and discover. The inauguration event was subsequently followed by the final leg of the Pertandingan Tarian dan Lagu Melayu Asli.

i-Cats Performing Arts mesmerised the audience last night with their dance titled “Bergerang” during the Pertandingan Tarian dan Lagu Melayu Asli.

Speaking at the launch, Karim emphasised that the “wealth of culture possessed by Sarawak is a reflection of the identity of the people and a symbol of unity in the Land of the Hornbills”. He stressed that this unique, inherited heritage must always be preserved so that the younger generation continues to appreciate the local arts.

“We are very fortunate that a festival like this serves as an important platform to champion our cultural sustainability,” he added, explaining that the event can “empower Sarawak's cultural treasures and provide space for the public to understand and delve into the heritage arts until they can be sustainable.”

Karim witnesses a dance by the Miriek folk at one of the exhibition booths.

The festival, organised by the Sarawak Arts Council (MSS), is lauded for bringing together and celebrating the diverse traditional arts and culture of Borneo, specifically Sarawak, while upholding local art heritage as the State's cultural identity. The Minister expressed his pride in the MSS’s efforts to showcase a portion of the 34 ethnic groups in Sarawak during this year’s festival. He stated that the event is entirely appropriate given the MSS’s role as the "custodian" of the customary culture of the State's ethnic groups.

Meanwhile, the festival also features exhibition booths where visitors can explore unique cultures, some of which very few have seen before, such as the Miriek culture, an indigenous group from Miri, and the Penan, who performed their music and dance for the first time in Kuching. This exposure ensures that the general public will better appreciate traditional dances and performances that have rarely been exhibited to the public before.

A Penan dance performed for the first time in Kuching.

Other activities include Sidang Keilmuan (Scholarly Session), Galeri Seni, Ruai Sarawak, Sesi Podcast, and Rumah Etnik Sarawak, alongside performances by popular artistes like Mawat, Wani Hasrita, and veteran singer Jamal Abdillah.

Festival Kesenian Sarawak 2025 concludes later today. This is the last chance for the public to attend and support Sarawak’s arts and culture.