Date Posted: 22 Jun 2009

Kota Kinabalu: Indians would probably best cherish the value of "peace through culture" - theme of the July 2-8 Sabah International Folklore Festival.

Fresh from the shock of dark violence like the recent ruthless militant attack in Mumbai (formerly Bombay), India is sending an all-male Punjabi troupe which is working hard on "cultural enlightenment" - a programme that directs the hearts of whole communities to the joys of life and accomplishment passed down the ages from its original inspiration: the sight of tall heaps of golden wheat from months of hard farm work!

The Punjab Folk Art Centre troupe will never go home in peace without the vibrant leaps and cheers typical of their signature dance - the Bhangra, much like the soulful nature of the Sumazau is to the Kadazans of Penampang.

In fact, central to Punjabi culture is their harvest festival called Baisakhi.

Like the Sumazau, no Punjabi harvest festival celebration could do without rounds and rounds of the Bhangra.

Similar in purpose but perhaps two worlds apart in celebratory style, the Punjabi spirit in performing the Bhangra should be of interest to all but special curiosity to the Kadazandusun people.

Instead of gongs and hand movements like birds in flight centred around rice, Bhangra dancers literally leap and put the whole body into action straight or bent to the beats of large drums (called dhols) associated with the festival when the sight of tall heaps of golden wheat fill the heart of farmers with great joy.

So deeply entrenched as a Punjabi folk heritage, men break out in Bhangra is common in marriages, parties and celebration of any sort in Punjab.

In stark contrast to are the colourful flowing costumes, typical of the traditional Punjabi long kurta (shirt) and printed chadra or long cloth wrapped around the waist, a starched turban with a tight golden stripe around.

For some reasons, traditional Indian dances are generally vibrant and rhythmic, even ecstatic, such as the Jhumar.

The people of India had a continuous civilisation since 2500BC when the inhabitants of the Hindus River Valley developed an urban culture based on commerce and sustained by agricultural trade.

This civilisation declined around 1500BC, apparently due to ecological decline.

Pastoral, Aryan-speaking tribes then migrated from the northwest into the subcontinent, settled in the middle of the Ganges River Valley during the second millennium BC.

But over the thousands of years in its history, India has been invaded from the Iranian plateau, Central Asia, Arabia, Afghanistan and the West.

Given a population of 1.14 billion, Indians make up 15 per cent of world population, 72 per cent of whom are Indo-Aryan, 25 per cent Dravidian and others 3 per cent.

While Sabah takes pride in ethnic diversity of 22 or more tribes, India reportedly has 2,000 ethnic groups, although its national census does not recognise racial or ethnic groups.

So India is joining the 4th Sabah International Folklore Festival, especially the July 6-7 friendly folkdance contests, as part of the avowed aim of promoting mutual respect in international understanding through culture.

"We truly want to promote goodwill through culture," said Datuk Wilfred Tangau, folklore festival organiser.

Every culture has its own wisdom to offer to the world.

An Indian proverb goes like this: "Don't let grass grow on the path of friendship."

Besides India, other countries confirmed coming are Russia, Kazakhstan, China, Cambodia, Singapore, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Brunei, Java and Kalimantan, Indonesia.

Tickets priced at RM50 (Class1), RM30 (Adult) and RM10 (Children below 17) can be purchased online www.sabahculture.com or at Wsma Budaya KK; the Sabah Cultural Centre, Penamapang or the Sabah Murut Cultural Centre, Tenom, between 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.

Besides the real international folklore performance contest cited above, July 3-4 are set aside for the local Sabah folklore dance contest among 22 primary and secondary schools, priced at RM20 (Class 10), RM10 (Adult) and RM5 (children under 17).

A highlight is the 100-table Prime Dinner Show on July 5 attended by Head of State Tun Ahmadshah Abdullah, with 10 tables going at RM5,000 each, 30 tables at RM3,000 each, 10 tables at RM2,000 and another 10 tables at RM1,000 each.

The idea is to defray the event cost estimated at RM300,000.

(Source: Daily Express, 21 Jun 2009)