VIRTUAL POETRY: SPOKEN WORDS
Date and Time: Sept 16, 9pm
Virtual reality and visual technology outfit Experiential Design Team (EDT) is rolling out a high-tech online poetry event tonight in conjunction with Malaysia Day. Called Spoken Words, the virtual poetry jam will be streamed live via EDT’s Youtube channel.
“We are bringing together three local poets to celebrate Malaysia Day. Their pieces may not directly be related to the celebration itself but they do revolve around the date,” offers Fariz Hanapiah, EDT’s creative technology director.
The 30-minute virtual event will feature British-Malaysian poet educator/community theatre maker Elaine Foster, poet/actor and indie theatre space Asterik Anak Seni Studio co-founder Cahaya Jais and Penang-born poet/creative director Taufik Kamarudin.
The poet performers will be tackling timely themes such as identity, what it means to be Malaysian and their hopes for the future.
Spoken Words will be presented using EDT’s (founded in 2018) Silau Maya platform, which is a “virtual venue”.
EDT is supported by the Cultural Economy Development Agency’s Arts Organisation Resilience Funding.
More info here.
A diorama seen in the MinNature Malaysia gallery tour. Photo: Wan Cheng Huat
VIRTUAL TOUR: CELEBRATE MALAYSIA
Date and Time: Sept 16, 5pm
What better day to get to know our country, albeit in a pocket-size manner, than on Malaysia Day.
Today is MinNature Malaysia’s final Celebrate Malaysia virtual gallery tour, featuring miniatures and dioramas.
For the heritage trail enthusiast, the final part of the tour offers virtual visits to an array of heritage buildings such as Perak’s Teluk Intan Leaning Tower, Johor’s Royal Grand Palace and Penang’s Masjid Kapitan Keling.
Celebrate Malaysia, ticketed, will stream via Zoom.
More info here.
A screen shot of the ‘Aku Malaysia’ series featuring dance icon Ramli Ibrahim.
VIDEO: AKU MALAYSIA SERIES: RAMLI IBRAHIM
Date and time: Ongoing
The Aku Malaysia: A Series Of Voices, presented by CSO Platform For Reform, is a nine-part series leading up to Malaysia Day.
On Malaysia Day, traditional Indian dance icon Datuk Ramli Ibrahim closes out the series with a passionate video.
The veteran dancer speaks from the heart and voices the concern of most Malaysians about the present state of the nation. His vision is for an inclusive Malaysia which is progressive on all fronts.
As the founder of Sutra Foundation, Ramli also shares his stories on what it takes to be Malaysian, how they embody Malaysia, the challenges he has gone through, and the best way forward.
More info here.
A screen shot of Azmyl Yunor’s new video single ‘Orang Kita.’
VIDEO: AZMYL YUNOR’S ORANG KITA
Date and time: Ongoing
Folk rock singer-songwriter Azmyl Yunor’s Malaysia Day video release titled Orang Kita is a rallying cry for the country to look beyond race and religion.
“As an ethnic Malay, you’ll probably be familiar with the phrase ‘orang kita’ being bandied around, obviously referring to fellow Malays within conversations between Malays. For sure different ethnic groups have their own phrases to describe themselves also but I thought ‘orang kita’ is an interesting phrase to repurpose and make it more inclusive since ‘kita’ means ‘us’. Identity is always fluid but it is also a powerful currency wielded by those in power for their own benefits to sway the masses,” said Azmyl, who is also an academic, about his new video single.
“The song is a symbolic resistance to this – if you strip away all the layers of race, gender, and religion – institutions that construct differences – we’re all just human – hence the ‘Aku Manusia!’ refrain. We are all the same species. Never forget that,” he added.
The video was directed by filmmaker Alina Wong, and the single lifted from Azmyl’s John Bangi Blues album.
More info here.
A screen shot of Bil Musa’s ‘Adakah Ini’ video featured on MyPentas’s free virtual concert #BebasDiMyPentas.
VIRTUAL CONCERT: #BEBASDIMYPENTAS
Time: Ongoing
Celebrate Malaysia Day with MyPentas’s free virtual concert #BebasDiMyPentas.
It brings together 16 Malaysian artistes across diverse genres. The virtual concert will feature Anna Chong, Amrita Soon, Avery Fos, Azmyl Yunor, Bil Musa, Bih Zhu, Brendan De Cruz, Crinkle Cut, Jumero, Mafidz, Natasha Saas, Reening Lau, Satwo, Santosh, Trophy Knives and Volatile.
As an added bonus, viewers can get to know more about the artists and find out what Malaysia Day means to them. Comedian Prakash Daniel will be hosting these interview sessions.
The artists will also share how music brought them freedom during the pandemic and updates on their current and upcoming projects in this virtual catch-up session.
More info here.
