The annual Malay CultureFest will be back at Kampong Glam, focusing on the history of the area, as well as the diverse groups that have made the city their home. From Nov 7-27, there will be workshops, dance and music performances as well as exhibitions in the area.
One of them is the Kampong Gelam: Beyond the Port Town (Nov 8-Apr 3) exhibition, which includes a projection called Glimpses of Kampong Glam; four people (three of whom are former residents) talk about how they have made the historical district their home. There is also a photography exhibit, Vestiges and Vibes, which shows how the district has evolved from the ’60s and ’80s, to present day.
Performances include The Path to Revival (Nov14-15), which is about the resilience of Aceh’s residents, who survived the 2006 tsunami and unrest in the region. There’s also Kampong Gelam Tales: A Dramatised Tour (Nov 10), where a guide will talk about the district’s earliest residents at the Malay Heritage Centre. Culture vultures can go for the Wayang Golek (Nov 10), to catch a glimpse of the Indonesian art of puppetry.
On the maker front, there is a perfume workshop (Nov 12-13), where you’ll get to create your own perfume. Also not to be missed: a screening of award-winning film Kuda Kepang: Reviving The Culture (Nov 12), a documentary about the traditional Javanese art form here.
