By Ashley Sim
KUCHING, Oct 4: The ‘Portrait of Cheongsam: Timeless Elegance and Legacy’ event, organised by the Kuching South City Council (MBKS) in collaboration with the Sarawak Federation of Chinese Women Association, will be held for the first time on Oct 15 at the MBKS Palmarium Garden and the MBKS Community Hall.
The event is supported and funded by the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts (MTCP) Sarawak, in addition to a cash donation from Tay Motors.
“We expect 500 participants, so for the first time in Sarawak, you will see many beautiful ladies dressed in cheongsam in the city.
“We hope to have more participants, and we’ll see if we can make it into the Malaysia Book of Records.
“So far, 312 people have registered for the event, and anyone who wants to join the parade to showcase the beauty of cheongsam is welcome,” MBKS mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng said today at the event’s press conference held in the MBKS Committee Room here.
He explained that the event’s objectives were to engage the community and foster a sense of pride within the community of Sarawak’s multi-ethnic heritage, to raise awareness and new knowledge through information sharing and experiential learning from the event programme and culture-related activities.
Wee also encouraged MBKS councillors, staff, and the general public to participate in the event to showcase the traditional dress.
“You can use any design as long as it adheres to the basic cheongsam pattern,” he added.
The activities that will be held during the event are the ‘Garden Parade and Cultural Exchange’ at the MBKS Palmarium Garden from 8am to 10am, the ‘Exhibition Booths’, and the ‘Indoor Parade and Contest’ at the MBKS Community Hall from 10am to 3pm.
“The ‘Garden Parade and Cultural Exchange’ will include a cultural parade of ladies dressed in cheongsam and ethnic clothing, as well as a meet-and-greet session in a natural setting. The attire is not restricted; you can wear baju kurung as well.
“We also have designated areas for unplugged live music,” the mayor said.
He added that the ‘Exhibition Booths’ will feature activities such as the ‘Revolution of the Chinese Cheongsam’ with photo displays on exhibition panels and cheongsam and native clothing displays on mannequins, the ‘Pankou Knot Making Demo and Display’ with demonstrations and displays on the making of various Pankou Knots (chinese buttons for cheongsams), the ‘Photo Booth (Cultural Theme)’ with standees in Chinese and Iban costume for photo-taking sessions, and the ‘Talk/Sharing Session’ with the goal of sharing knowledge on the iconic cheongsam.
Furthermore, Wee highlighted that the ‘Indoor Parade and Contest’ will include a ‘Children Cheongsam Parade’ and the ‘Cheongsam Contest’ from 10.30am to 12.30pm, with the ‘Cheongsam Contest’ divided into three categories, Category A (Traditional), Category B (Fusion/Intercultural), and Category C (White Swan).
“There will also be a ‘Children Colouring Contest’ from 1pm to 2.30pm and a ‘Children Drawing Contest’ from 1pm to 3pm,” he said.
Additionally, on the evening of Oct 15, there will be a ‘Cheongsam Fashion Show’ commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Sarawak Federation of Chinese Women Association. — DayakDaily
