
By Shikin Louis & Yvonne T
KUCHING, June 20: The Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) 2025 opened to a roaring start as a large crowd gathered at the Sarawak Cultural Village last night for an unforgettable musical journey spanning continents and cultures, with a strong line-up of performances including that of Siberian Otyken group.
Themed “Connections: One Earth, One Love”, the concert opened with the traditional Iban’s Miring ceremony followed by a special ‘appetiser’ Magic Hour Performance session. Festival-goers were invited to join performers on the ground, while accompanied by soulful performances by locals Mathew Ngau Jau and Lan E Tuyang, culminating in an energetic drum circle to hype up the crowd.

Festival-goers were then entertained by the hybrid jazzy-traditional hybrid sounds of Thailand’s Paradise Bangkok Molam International Band followed by performances by Malaysian group Naungan, which features musicians playing traditional Malaysian musical instruments.
The energy from the crowd started to pick up as Gaga Gundul, hailing from Indonesia, took the stage, bringing on a mesmerising fusion of Javanese gamelan and contemporary jazz, showcasing tradition and modernity together in a powerful performance. This was followed by a soulful performance from the Seffarine group, who brought music from Morocco, Cuba, Spain, US and Iran.

But it was the headlining act Otyken from Siberia, Russia, that truly set the stage ablaze.
Storming onto the stage with an electrifying set, the eight-member indigenous ethno group from the mysterious tundra of northern Russia mesmerised the crowd with a powerful fusion of ancient tribal instruments and modern musical arrangements.

Otyken’s performance featured the hauntingly mystical deep bass of throat singing, special elemental vocals, enchanting resonance of the vargan (jaw harp), and the melodic plucks of the traditional khomys and morinhur.

The thunderous beats of a massive leather drum, paired with the commanding, hypnotic vocals of their lead singer and deep resonance of the ‘igil’ – one of the most ancient Tuvan musical instruments, which was carved into the shape of a bison skull – transported the audience into the wild thickets of the Siberian taiga.

Singing in Khakass, Chulyms, Dolgan, and Russian, the group delivered a rare auditory journey through the musical heritage of Siberia’s indigenous peoples, wrapped in a dynamic, contemporary rhythm that left the audience spellbound.

The night ended on a high note with a bright performance by Sarawakian group Meruked, sending the crowd home on an uplifting, celebratory note.
Gracing the event were His Royal Highness the Raja Muda of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail, and Her Royal Highness the Raja Puan Muda of Perlis, Tuanku Lailatul Shahreen Akashah Khalil.
Also present were Sarawak’s Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts, Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Deputy Minister for Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development, Dato Gerald Rentap Jabu, Deputy Minister in the Premier’s Department (Labour, Immigration, and Project Monitoring), Datuk Gerawat Gala, and Telang Usan assemblyman Dato Dennis Ngau. – DayakDaily