Rekindling the roots at London Malay Festival

A SMALL but connected community is always a good thing. The inaugural London Malay Festival might not be high on the list of summer festivals in Britain, but the one-day community-based project represents a stepping-stone for the Malay diaspora. The event set to run at the Lawrence Hall, Royal Horticultural Halls in London on Aug 27 seeks to readdress the lack of a Malay cultural presence on the international stage.

“The London Malay Festival is basically a ‘regathering’ of tribes – to assemble a festival that can reflect the wide array of cultures that have a distinct Malay lineage. The Malay diaspora is wide and you cannot just think Malaysia, Indonesia or Singapore in this context.

“It’s amazing to see Malay roots stretching from the Philippines and Australia’s Cocos Islands straight through Madagascar and South Africa,” said Art Fazil, the artistic director of the London Malay Festival in an interview in London earlier this month.

At the London Malay Festival, the music slot is being anchored by Modeste Hugues, a London-based Madagascar world music notable with his new album Fomba, released by Sterns Music. Art is also expected to feature a Nusantara set from his forthcoming album.

The inaugural London Malay Festival next month could be a catalyst for bigger things for the Malay diaspora. DARYL GOH spoke to the festival’s artistic director recently.

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