KUCHING, Nov 8: The first ever Food-over-Fire Festival (FoFF) in Malaysia with the theme “The Hearth Brought to Light” will take place at the Old Courthouse from Nov 25 to Dec 4 and concurrently at Fort Margherita from Dec 2 to Dec 4.
According to curator and creative director Marian Chin, the festival is jointly organised by Yayasan Hasanah, ArtsFAS (Arts for All Seasons), Ministry of Finance (MOF) and Whatmatters Sdn Bhd.
FoFF showcases the traditional practice of cooking over fire in all its various forms.
“At the Old Courthouse, members of the public are welcomed to join the festival free-of-charge,” she told a press conference at the Old Courthouse here today.
The festival includes storytelling featuring folklore, myths and legends; live exhibitions; workshops; cultural showcases; heirloom food demonstrations; as well as an arts and craft night market.
Meanwhile, at the auditorium, there will be screenings of Sarawak heritage films, old Kuching videos as well as cultural performances from various creative institutions both private and public.
The festival at the Old Courthouse will open from 6pm to 9pm on weekdays and 12pm to 9pm on weekends.
For the festival happening at the historical Fort Margherita, a one-hour pantomime and performing arts edutainment programme will be staged around a reconstructed and authentic full size live Kelabit hearth, called a ‘tetel’.
The theatre show will start at 8pm, followed by a ‘food-over-fire’ feast at 9pm.
The feast of up to 50 different dishes will be prepared by 20 traditional grill masters.
However, entry ticket is RM100 per person.
For more information, interested individuals may contact the organiser at hearth.sarawak.foffestival@gmail.com. — DayakDaily
