Kuching will host the Borneo Indigenous Festival from November 12 to 15 at the Hikmah Exchange Event Centre, following a programme announcement reported by Sarawak’s public communications unit on November 2.
Organised by the Sarawak Arts Council, the four-day event brings together performances, cultural displays, workshops and a creative market. Seven programme areas will cover traditional arts and exchanges between communities across Borneo.
The Echoes of Borneo gala on November 13 will include groups from Indonesia, Sabah and Labuan alongside Sarawak performers. Ruai Sarawak will present traditions, clothing, crafts and food through 12 ethnic associations, with particular attention to different forms of Iban attire.
The programme also includes the 36th Sarawak Festival of Malay Traditional Dance and Songs on November 14 and 15. Bernama reported that officials outlined the schedule at a Kuching press conference, describing the festival as a way to bring community traditions to wider urban audiences.
Archive photograph: an Iban Ngajat dance performance photographed on September 11, 2015. This cultural illustration is not a photograph of the 2026 Borneo Indigenous Festival. Photo: John Ragai / Flickr, CC BY 2.0. Resized proportionally.
