MELAKA FESTIVAL 2012 A RESOUNDING SUCCESS

Melaka Art and Performance Festival 2012 a resounding success

Appiah Annan from Ghana performing Sankofa / Photo from melakafestival.com

Sep 28, 2012

MELAKA, Malaysia – The largest and only site specific art and performance festival on a UNESCO World Heritage site ended on a high note today as artists and performers celebrated a successful three-day festival. From September 21-23, Melaka was filled with art installations and performances by more than 50 renowned local and international artists.

Artists from Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Australia, France, Ghana, South Korea, Ireland, Brazil, Italy, the Netherlands, Morocco, Canada, Poland, and the USA performed in the streets along St. Paul’s Hill where the asphalt became their canvas.

Running for the fourth year, the Melaka Arts and Performance Festival (MAPFest) is an innovative contemporary festival featuring dance, performance art, visual art, film, and music. The closing of the festival culminated in the gathering of all MAPFest artists and performers as they performed “Eulogy for The Living,” a large-scale performance, which provided a spectacular and soulful finale to the festival. The play was directed by the Founding Creative Director, Tony Yap, accompanied by live music and projections by Khaled Sabsabi.

“We were overwhelmed by the response throughout the festival. These three days has truly shown that Melaka has the potential to be an international hub for arts and performances. We are definitely looking forward for a bigger and better festival next year,” said Andrew Ching, Founder and Producer of the Festival.

As a supporter of the festival, the Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) shares the same vision. Zulkefli Sharif, Chief Executive Officer of MyCEB, said, “Our collaboration with MAPFest this year is a successful one as it proves that Malaysia can be a center stage for global events. Melaka, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site, was the ideal venue to host such an inspiring showcase of the arts.”

The event attracted over 20,000 attendees, including an estimated 4,000 overseas visitors. Festival goers participated in a dance workshop by Australia's leading Afrocontemporary dance practitioner, Appiah Annan of Asanti Dance Theatre, as he introduced traditional and contemporary approaches to dance from his motherland, Ghana.

Many people also took part in a forum discussion themed, “Melaka intersections: Living space/museum town” by Associate Professor Cheryl Stock, Director of Postgraduate Studies Creative Industries Faculty of the Queensland University of Technology.

MAPFest 2012 was directed by Tony Yap, in his capacity as the Founding Creative Director. He was one of the principle performers with IRAA Theatre (1989-1996) and has worked extensively in Australia and overseas including the Agamemnon Festival Colline Torinese, Italy, and The Trojan Woman, Vienna International Art Festival. As the founding Artistic Director of Mixed Company (now The Tony Yap Company) in 1993, he has made a commitment to the exploration and creation of an individual dance theatre language that is informed by psycho-physical research, Asian shamanistic trance dance, butoh, voice, and visual design.

MAPFest 2012 is produced by Arts & Performance Festival Melaka Sdn Bhd and is supported by Tourism Malaysia, the Melaka State government, together with the efforts of E-Plus Entertainment, Mercatus Plus Malaysia, Badan Warisan Malaysia, Kingdom of the Netherlands, the French and The Netherlands Embassies, the Australian government, the Australian High Commission, Australia Malaysia Institute, Multicultural Arts Victoria, the Embassy of France, The Tony Yap Company, Nyoba Kan, Simone Lourey, and William Randall.

Source: melakafestival.com

MID AUTUMN FESTIVAL THIS SUNDAY

All Chinese around the world will celebrate the mid Autumn Festival on this coming Sunday. This festival is held on the 15th. Day of the eight month of the Chinese calendar where lanterns will be lit and mooncakes will be eaten.

In the old days, people will eat the mooncakes at night and drink tea under the moonlit night and admire the fullmoon. This tradition is still being carried out in some countries. A good excuse to enjoy the different varieties of mooncakes and the peanuts.

Children enjoy walking around their neighbourhood with their lanterns brightly lit by candles or by modern LED lights which are safer. All good fun for the kids and their parents.

In multicultural Malaysia, this festival is being celebrated by all races especially in the lantern festival or commonly called the Tung Lung festival. Good fun as the children mingle among each other for a night of fun and celebration. Hopefully, this unique Malaysian celebration will continue in years to come.

HAPPY MID AUTUMN FESTIVAL and ENJOY

MELAKA FEST STARTS TOMORROW

Email    Print 20 September 2012 | last updated at 10:34PM

Taking arts to Malacca streets

THE largest and only site specific art and performance festival on a Unesco heritage site returns to Malacca for the fourth time from tomorrow to Sunday.

The Mapfest 2012 team

The Melaka Art And Performance Festival or Mapfest 2012, held daily at 10am, has performances by more than 50 local and international artistes from Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Australia, France, Ghana, South Korea, Ireland, Brazil, Italy, the Netherlands, Morocco, Canada, Poland and the United States. They will perform on the streets along St Paul’s Hill and the asphalt will become their canvas.

Mapfest 2012 draws from Malacca’s famous heritage sites to create a space for contemporary culture and artistic practice. It will have components such as Cerita Pendek (Short Stories) 1 and 2, visual arts, discussions and workshops. Cerita Pendek brings together dance, music and performances from all participating artistes in short works over two nights at St Paul’s Church.

On Sunday night, they will all perform Eulogy For The Living, a spectacular finale directed by Tony Yap and accompanied by live music, and projections by Khaled Sabsabi. Producer Andrew Ching says: “The festival provides an avenue for up-coming performers to showcase their talents and collaborate with international artistes.”

Festival supporter the Malaysia Convention And Exhibition Bureau chief executive officer Zulkefli Sharif says that as a heritage site, Malacca has always been a popular tourist attraction and the festival enhances its offerings.

  The event is set to attract more than 4,000 international attendees who can join a dance workshop by Australia’s leading dancer Appiah Annan of Asanti Dance Theatre who will introduce traditional and contemporary approaches to dance from his motherland, Ghana.

Mapfest 2012 is produced by Arts And Performance Festival Melaka and is supported by the Tourism Ministry, E-Plus Entertainment, Mercatus Plus, Badan Warisan Malaysia and the governments of the Netherlands, Australia and France among others.

Admission is free.

Details at www.melakafestival.com.   Leave Your Comment

KANCIL OF TOURISM MELAKA VISITED HERITAGE SITES OF SIEM REAP

Kancil, the mascot of Tourism Melaka, visited the heritage sites of Siem Reap recently.

The world heritage sites of Angkor Wat, Wat Bayon and other sites of the Angkor Heritage Complex were indeed impressive, peaceful, educational and majestic to say the least.

Bayon Heritage site of Siem Reap

Kancil also visited the heritage site made famous by Angelina Joley in her movie as Lara Croft in "Tomb Raiders". The giant trees growing on the heritage site are impressive but at the same time destructive. Restoration works are continuously being carried out world restoration experts to preserve the sites for future generations to come.

If you can, all must visit the Heritage Sites of Angkor in Cambodia. Not to be missed in your lifetime.

The other wonderful and natural wonder is the boat cruise along Tonle Sap, the largest fresh water lake nearby. During the dry season, Tonle Sap lake is only about 2,700km square in area BUT during the rainy seasons from April to end September, the area increases to more than 10,000 sq.km in size!!!.

Boat people stays on floating houses around the lake and moves according to the water levels. Also, another beautiful and breezy view of this enormous fresh water lake not to be missed.

INSTITUTE OF ARCHAEOLOGY TO BE SET UP IN MELAKA

12 September 2012 | last updated at 08:46AM Malacca to set up archaeology institute

KUALA LUMPUR:

Heritage-rich Malacca plans to set up an institute of archaeology, with the help of the Institute for Conservation and Restoration (ICR) of Rome, in an effort to produce skilled manpower in the restoration of museum artefact.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said the institute would be allocated an initial grant of RM2 million from the Heritage Fund to carry out its operations. "In Malaysia, we have yet to have such an institute to train skilled workers in repair work and restoration of museum artefact. It is time that Malacca set up this institute with the help of the ICR.

"For a start, the institute will operate as an academy before being upgraded to a skills institute in repair work and restoration of artefact, painting and pottery for public display," he said after visiting the ICR in Rome on Friday.

ICR director Giseela Capponi was on hand to brief the Malaysian entourage, led by Malacca Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Mohd Khalil Yaakob.

Other members of the entourage included Malacca Tourism, Culture and Heritage Committee chairman Datuk Wira Latiff Tamby Chik and Malacca Museum Corporation general manager Datuk Khamis Abas.

After visiting the Vatican City, Khalil and Ali had a discussion with Professor Leigh Robinson of Scotland's Stirling University on sports development.

Ali also attended a product update event organised by Tourism Melaka. Bernama

SELAMAT MERDEKA AND HAPPY MALAYSIA DAY

In 3 days time, Malaysians from all walks of life, creed, religion and races will celebrate our 55th. Anniversary of Independence Day or Merdeka Day. We achieved our Independence from Britain through negotiation and compromise from all Malaysian under the leadership of Tunku Abdul Rahman.

At the same time, we celebrate our Malaysia Day on 16th. September 2012.

Over these 55 years, Malaya then and Malaysia now has gone through many challenges. However, with the co-operation of the three main groups within Malaysia, we have managed to overcome these challenges. We prospered, work, play and live in harmony over these years and built Malaysia into what is today.

Many challenges lie ahead. Europe is in a state of uncertainty due to the Eurozone problems. USA's economy is still not robust enough while in Asia, China's growth is slowing.

Malaysians must unite together and face these challenges head-on. With all Malaysians working together in unison, we can overcome these external threats. Besides that, we need to overcome internal conflicts within Malaysia herself.

Peace and Harmony within Malaysia is important. We must maintain and improve our economic, social and financial goals so that Malaysians of future generations can enjoy the peace and prosperity built by our ancestors in our years ahead.

SELAMAT MERDEKA AND HAPPY MALAYSIA DAY!!!

MALAYSIA OPEN HOUSE CAN DRAW TOURISTS

23 August 2012 | last updated at 12:36AM Open house can be huge tourist draw

By SEAN AUGUSTIN, YISWAREE PALANSAMY AND NURADILLA NOOR AZAM | news@nst.com.my 0 comments

ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE: Country can use this uniquely Malaysian practice to attract foreigners Locals and foreigners at an open house in Kota Kinabalu early this week. This open house tradition will boost unity and tourism. Pic by Edmund Samunting 1 / 1 KUALA LUMPUR:

HOLDING open house is a unique Malaysian trait. It not only promotes unity among the races but can also be put on the tourism calendar.

The various key players and stakeholders in the tourismindustry said the country could use the open house concept to promote itself to the world.

“This is the beauty of our country. People open up their homes to those from different walks of life, and this strengthens unity and harmony,” said Tourism Malaysia chairman Datuk Dr Victor Wee.

He said tourism industry players could combine their open house functions with other programmes to allow tourists to experience Malaysian culture.

“Many tourists participate in homestay programmes to experience village life. It will be great if we can organise Hari Raya celebrations in homestays.

At the same time, every state has its own way of celebrating Hari Raya. “Tourists will find this a fulfilling vacation as they get to learn about different traditions.”

Echoing Wee’s concerns, Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents president Datuk Mohd Khalid Harun said despite open house being a distinct Malaysian feature, not many tour operators promoted it to foreign tourists.

“Tour operators should encourage foreigners to visit Malaysia during festive seasons. It is a unique concept that isn’t seen in other parts of the world,” he told the New Straits Times yesterday.

Khalid said promoting the open house could also boost the aviation industry, as more tourists would fly to the country.

In supporting the idea, Tourism Malaysia director-general Datuk Mirza Mohammad Taiyab Beg urged government agencies to inform the department of the dates and venues of their open house functions so that tour operators could include them in their itineraries. “The open house can draw a lot of tourists. We will be happy to promote it.”

Even Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, during his Hari Raya open house on Sunday, expressed happiness that Malaysians held this practice abroad, including serving lemang, ketupat and rendang to guests.

He described the open house tradition as a unique practice adopted by Malaysians to mark festivities.

Tour operator Datin Baizura Abu Bakar said the open house showed the true spirit of unity. “The spirit of 1Malaysia is seen in the Hari Raya open house. “People from all walks of life mix with one another.” Baizura said tourists who attended the open house would enjoy the experience. "They will feel that Malaysia is their second home."

   Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk S.K. Devamany said the open house concept promoted unity among the races.

  "This tradition, which dates back to 1960s, is entrenched in our culture. People understand each other's way of life this way.

  "There is no better way to bring together so many races under one roof. Therefore, Malaysians should be encouraged to have open house  to  boost unity.

  "People all over the world crave for this sort of togetherness. This tradition of ours is a highly bankable one for the  tourism sector." Additional reporting by Nuradilla Noorazam and Hashini Kannan