KUCHING, Nov 5 — Dubbed as a ‘living museum’, the iconic Sarawak Cultural Village (SCV) on the foothills of mystical Mount Santubong, about 35 kilometres from here, offers the best possible way to explore the state of Sarawak in Borneo Island in a day.
Also known as ‘Land of the Hornbills’, Sarawak, being the largest state in Malaysia, covers a vast land area of 124,000 sq km on the northwest of Borneo, the third largest island in the world, making it impossible for one to explore the exciting experience this land has to offer within a short period of time.
With the basic concept of seeing Sarawak in one day and condensed into just within seven hectares, SVC was set up in the 1980’s, where one leisurely stroll opens seven homes to the visitor and seven ethnic cultures, apart from some famous longhouses of Borneo.
UK’s Prince Charles and his wife Camilla are expected to stop by at this ‘must-visit’ site here tomorrow, for an on-hand experience of a unique blend of multi-ethnic community living in harmony, or basically to see Sarawak’s ethnic diversity at a glance.
An SCV spokesman, when contacted, said all preparations had been made to welcome the inaugural visit of the royal couple, to ensure the visit to be a most memorable one, not only for the royal couple but for SCV as well.
He said the UK’s heir to the throne was expected to explore some of the traditional houses such as the ‘Rumah Iban’ and ‘Rumah Melanau’, and also to be involved in a brief dialogue session with some youths from the various ethnic groups.
He said the SCV would try to include all the different cultural elements in each of its performance, from the welcoming ceremony upon the couple’s arrival to the visit to the model traditional houses and until their departure.
The SCV displays seven traditional houses, apart from several attractions such as the Rainforest Music House, Persada Alam at the waterfall area, nature trail, and also a theatre where dancers and musicians showcase their renowned multicultural performances. — Bernama
