Truly Asia: Dance show celebrates diverse Malaysian cultures

Cultural heritage of Sabah takes centre stage at the event

ISLAMABAD:

A dance show celebrating diverse Malaysian cultures enthralled audience at a hotel here on Tuesday. 

Malaysian High Commissioner Hasrul Sani Mujtabar, who hosted the event, started off by apologising that the embassy had been inactive for a while due to “the unfortunate incident in early May”.  The high commissioner was being too polite in his remark, since he was among those who sustained injuries in the Pakistani military helicopter crash in Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) in May this year carrying a number of diplomats. The high commissioner sustained injuries in the tragic incident that claimed several lives.

The multicultural event focused on promoting tourism in Malaysia particularly the state of Sabah.

Mujtabar said that they looked forward to hosting many more cultural events in the near future. “I am delighted to see the response to this event, today,” he said.

Sabah boasts a rich ethnic make up with around 30 ethnic groups who speak over 55 languages.



Each ethnic group has their own ways of expressing and interpreting their lives through dance and music. Some of those ethnic groups presented their culture through dance performances at the show.

The dance performances represented the various culture and ethnicities of Malaysia including sumazau that is synonymous with festivities and celebrations such as weddings.

Igal-igal, a traditional dance of the Bajau seafarers of the east coast of Sabah, was followed by daling daling, a performance by the Suluk people.

Other popular dances such as mongigol sumundai, joget, anggalang and magunatip, were appreciated by the audience.

The night concluded with a final performance, a dance titled “Malaysia, truly Asia”, which was a celebration of the cultural diversity in Sabah.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 12^th, 2015.