There was an air of festivity at the Esplanade of KLCC Park despite the rain, floods and massive traffic congestion that gloomy Thursday evening. The place was filled with revellers of various nationalities.
But the downpour hardly dampened the gala performance of the Malaysia International Mask Festival (Mimaf). Despite starting late (no doubt due to the jam and rain), the glitzy event managed to entertain and educate the audience with its vibrant display of dance, culture and tradition.
Held for the very first time, Mimaf – which took place from Aug 13 to 16 – featured the uniqueness of masks.
During the grand launch, about 380 performers – from Malaysia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, China, South Korea, Italy, Thailand and the Philippines – donned assorted costumes and enthralled the crowd on a special stage that basked under the glorious lights of the Petronas Twin Towers.
The four-day affair consisted of five main components: Performance, exhibition, demonstration, competition and parade. The exhibition featured masks and costumes whereas the demonstration emphasised mask-painting and carving, along with face and helmet-painting.
- China’s Shufengya Yun Opera House in Chengdu showcased the face-changing, or bian lian, performance that has become an important sub-genre of Chinese Sichuan opera.
- Performers of the Gangryeong Mask Dance Drama Group from South Korea. They performed the Saja dance, in which two white lions dance together.
- A Thai dancer from Bunditpatanasilpa Institute’s College of Dramatic Arts who performed a masked dance-drama of the Ramakien.
- A vibrant mask from the Philippines where the Masskara Festival is a celebration in which smiling masks are worn by dancers and participants.
The gala event was officiated by newly appointed Tourism and Culture deputy minister Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin.
The day after the launch, celebrations continued with a 1km parade that took place from Jalan Ampang (in front of the Malaysia Tourism Centre) to Suria KLCC.
Showcases were also held in various places such as the Central Market, Sungei Wang Plaza and Nu Sentral.
The public’s snapshots of the festival can be viewed on social media through the hashtags #mymask2015 and #mysenibudaya.
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