Event:
5th Sabah International Folklore Festival 2010

Venue:
Sabah

Date:
18 - 27 July 2010

Contact:
088-259 457 or Joisi Romut@sabah.gov.my

Description:
One of the Board’s efforts to promote, preserve and develop traditions and cultures of Sabah is by organizing Sabah International Folklore Festival (SIFF). 2010 SIFF will be the fifth. The first SIFF was in year 2001 from May 29 to June 2. It was organized in conjunction with the Colors of Malaysia Month and Kaamatan Festival, a harvest festival fiesta by the largest ethnic groups in Sabah namely the Kadazandusuns. Eleven countries participated to showcase their respective country’s popular folklore dances, which includes Malaysia, Poland, Taiwan, Austria, Croatia, Canada, Mali, Argentina, Brunei, China and Turkey. The friendly best performance competition was won by Poland, Turkey and Vietnam for the first, second and third places respectively.

The second SIFF was organized from 4th to 11th September 2004, and participated by ten (10) countries namely Malaysia, Philippines, Italy, Poland, Belgium, India, Taiwan, South Korea, Indonesia and South Africa. All the ensembles presented their folkdances to the audience in a spectacular performance. Again, Poland was the winner of the friendly best performance competition, followed by Philippines and India for the second and third places respectively.

The third SIFF was in the year 2007 from 2nd to 8th September. Participation was from twelve (12) countries namely Brunei, China, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Poland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia. They performed their best unique and authentic traditional dances. Russia took the top prize in their debut in the folkdance performance competition while the regaining champion Poland came second and Kazakhstan came third.

The fourth SIFF was organized from 2nd to 8th July 2009, and participated by eleven (11) countries namely Kazakhstan, China, India, Saudi Arabia, Cambodia, Philippines, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia (Kalimantan), Indonesia (Java) and Negeri Sembilan performed their best unique and authentic traditional dances. The Philippines represented by the Tacloban Performing Arts Group and almost made a clean sweep of the prizes at the 4th Sabah International Folklore Festival, by winning the Best Choreography, Best Music, Best Male Dancer (Mark Ryan Torente) as well as the Overall Winner title. Indonesia, which was represented by the Daya Presta group finished first runner-up while its troupe member, Ari Tri Marnila was voted Best Female Dancer. Kazakhstan, represented by On Alty Kyz (meaning 16 girls) clinched the third spot as well as Best Costumes Award at the capacity crowd finale at the Sabah Cultural Centre, Penampang.                                                       

Fifth SIFF will be taking place from 18th to 27th July 2010 in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah (arrival on the 18th & 19th and departure back on the 27th). Fifth SIFF is set to be different from all of the previous SIFFs. Other than the performance of the various international participants, we will also present the folkdances of the various ethnics of Sabah during the festival – something that we cannot afford to miss! Fifth SIFF is not only a folkdance festival but it is also a venue for cultural exchange.