GEORGE TOWN: The Boria and Craft Festival was held from July 12 to 14 at the SP Arena Convention Centre in Penang.
National Department for Culture and Arts deputy director-general Rosnan Nordin said its objectives were to elevate Boria performances as a hallmark of Penang’s cultural identity and to reintroduce it to the public.
He added that the festival, which featured competitions, discussions and symposiums with key Boria figures, also served as a talent-scouting platform.
Wan Naqiuddin Mohd Najib, popularly known as Naqiu Boboy, was among the artistes who joined the festivities with a vibrant procession of participants in colourful costumes in trishaws.
Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry deputy secretary-general (Culture) Mohd Yusri Mohd Yusoff said the event was a combination of a Boria and handicraft festival.
“The effort is important to have a positive impact on the sales of crafts as well as to attract more visitors, providing exposure of the art to the public.
“It involves handicraft sales, spillover from outside traders, food truck traders, hotels and so on. We estimate the return is about RM500,000,” he said, adding that the amount involved the value of hotel bookings and the sale of products such as local handicrafts as well as food.
“Boria, which has long been established in Penang, has several accounts of its origins. Among them is the claim it is from the Karbala event, which involved the killing of Saidina Hussein r.a by Muawiyah bin Abi Suffian.”
He said some believed Boria originated from Persia and was introduced here by South Indian soldiers, and was then adapted and further developed by the Malays in Penang.
“Today, Boria performances are theatrical presentations that entertain with specific themes that extend into sketches, dance movements, sea shanties and verses composed by a ‘Tukang Karang’.”
He also said the support and attendance of both local and international tourists have been encouraging, although some locations were held in remote village areas. He attributed this to efforts by tourism agencies such as Tourism Malaysia and Penang Global Tourism to attract tourists.
Eight Boria groups competed in the Children’s Category with 135 participants and six groups were in the Open Category with 90 participants.
This included one group from a secondary school, two groups from Aswara, and one each from University Sains Malaysia (USM), University Malaya and the Institut Pendidikan Guru Kampus Pulau Pinang.
Apart from that, 11 groups involving 165 participants from NGOs and secondary schools, as well as a preschool, were involved in various side performances.
Other activities included the final round of “Bintang Asli Remaja”, Boria Children’s Designer Clothing Competition, Kebaya Queen Competition organised by the Malaysia Handicraft Corporation, a colouring competition for children, Boria Digital Podcast session featuring academic figures from USM’s School of the Arts, and young Boria enthusiasts discussing developments in performance and general cultural heritage.
National Department For Culture And Arts officer Ahmad Fitri Nordin told theSun more than a thousand people attended the closing ceremony of the festival, which was supported by Mydin Mohamed Holdings Berhad, Cititel, Sunway Hotel and Resorts and Penang Hill Corporation.
Trade and Entrepreneurship and Rural Development Committee executive councillor Rashidi Zinol said such programmes contribute to socio-economic growth and provided local craftsmen with the opportunity to market their products.
