Sarawakian arts community turns to crowdfunding to get to Japanese festival

Kenyah community musicians playing the sape in 'Kelunan', a traditional performance by The Tuyang Initiative, at DPAC in Petaling Jaya in 2019. In the middle is sape master Mathew Ngau Jau, accompanied by Salomon Gau and Lian Balan (right). - The Tuyang Initiative

Sarawakian social enterprise The Tuyang Initiative is appealing to the kind generosity of Malaysians to help send a community of indigenous performers to the World Music and Dance Festival in Japan this August.

Set to be held in Hakodate, Hokkaido from Aug 5-11, the annual festival is considered one of Japan’s largest and most international performing arts festivals, drawing around 30,000 people from around the world.