KUCHING, June 14 ― The Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak is mulling over the idea of holding a “Tuak Festival” as a platform to promoting the product, and also the culture, of the state.
In this respect, Deputy Minister Datuk Sebastian Ting said as a start, it might be held in Kuching first.
“With the ministry looking towards promoting Sarawak culture more aggressively, we thought: ‘Why don’t we have a festival for tuak, a celebration?
“The idea is for us to have this festival, may be (running) for over a week, where we showcase the tuak that we have in Sarawak. Eventually, it might even come to a situation where we have a tuak-making competition in every zone ― the southern, northern and central regions of Sarawak,” he told reporters when met after the launch of “Sarawak Gastronomy (Sago) Incubator 2023” at The Hills here yesterday.
Adding on, Ting said for such an idea, it would need a “beginning”, which he acknowledged as being “always difficult”.
However, he was optimistic that the festival could become successful and sustainable, with Sarawak having many people who could produce tuak, the traditional rice wine of the Dayaks.
“The people who produce tuak are very experienced, and they should be able to organise a week-long festival.
“Our ministry will certainly consider starting off a Tuak Festival. I believe people coming to Sarawak would like to also drink tuak. Now, tuak is very popular in Peninsular Malaysia, from what I gathered.”
Ting said the proposed festival, which could become an annual event, should be able to help make tuak a worldwide-accepted drink.
“Now, we start off with the festival. Then we move forward in the following years. Maybe 10 years down the line, the world would be our market.
“Now, tuak is just a cottage (industry) product; it’s like a heritage being passed down from generation to generation.
“At the moment, its production and consumption are usually during Gawai season, but there are those who are going all out into manufacturing and selling it as a commercial product,” he added. ― Borneo Post
