KUCHING: A brief afternoon drizzle marked the start of the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) 2025, but it did little to cool the excitement as over 5,000 festival-goers gathered at the Sarawak Cultural Village for the opening day of Sarawak’s most iconic cultural festival on Friday.
Now in its 28th year, the festival once again transformed the rainforest foothills of Mount Santubong into a melting pot of music, culture and connection.
With the theme ‘Connections: One Earth, One Love’, the day offered a packed schedule of workshops, artisan showcases, and evening concerts featuring artists from across the globe.
The festival grounds came alive from late morning, beginning with traditional games and craft workshops.
Visitors engaged in hands-on sessions such as Bidayuh bracelet making, songket weaving, batik printing and sape wood carving, learning directly from indigenous artists and cultural practitioners.
Drum beats resonated through the trees as community percussion workshops by Hands Percussion Unit and Sepakat Pinus brought together people of all ages.
Over at the Theatre Stage, festival-goers explored the sounds of the Javanese gamelan with Gaga Gundul while the rhythms of Moroccan crossroads with Seffarine drew crowds at the Iban Longhouse.
The evening opened at the main stage with the miring ceremony, followed by Sarawak’s own Mathew Ngau Jau with ‘Lan E Tuyang’, setting the tone with soulful sape melodies.
From there, the music crossed borders.
Malaysia’s Naungan and The Paradise Bangkok Molam International Band from Thailand lit up the stage, delivering dynamic performances that celebrated musical heritage with a modern twist.
The night continued with a strong international presence as Gaga Gundul from France and Indonesia and Seffarine from Morocco, Cuba, Spain, the United States and Iran entertained the crowd with their fusion of global sounds.
The highlight of the night was Otyken, the Grammy-nominated band from Siberia.
Their performance, both raw and captivating, closed the international segment with thunderous applause and loud whistles.
Homegrown band Meruked concluded the evening, blending tradition and innovation in a performance that echoed long after the final note.
The RWMF continues through the weekend, promising more cultural encounters and world music performances.
