Ethnic Beauty Pageant Miss Fair & Lovely WHF 2007

Last Saturday, Tintin and Snowy were invited by our very best friend to witness the Ethnic Beauty Pageant in Sarawak Cultural Village. We enjoy the dinner very much in Dewan Legenda. Among all the dishes served on the table, the manok pansoh (bamboo chicken) and the beef rending are the best.

The Grand Finals of Miss Fair & Lovely WHF2007 started with fifteen finalist, parading in traditional Orang Ulu costumes. As I was told by Mr. Zaini, they are about 100++ girls enrolled for the beauty pagenat contest. First round, somewhere around January, they screen down to 60, then from 60 to 30, then... from 30 to 15 for the Grand Finals.

As a contestant, they had gone through various training such as ethnic dance lessons, public speaking, gooming, cat walk and etc....

The Grand Finals started with the Orang Ulu dance presented by all the beauty peagents. Well, I guess... this is the moment for judges to judge their talents and skills in dancing. To see whether they can dance gracefully or not, their body, hands and feets movement have to be syncronized with the sape music too....

Haa... Here comes the Q & A session. Besides judgin their outer beauty, we must thest the contestant IQ too. Mr. Zaki (shown in the picture below) and Mr. Irwan did a very good job. Both of you makes a good couple. Both of you are talented and spontaneous MC. I really enjoyed the songs "LADY" and "CAN'T TAKE MY EYES OFF YOU" sung by both of you. Zaki and Irwan, you have such an attractive voice. Zaki was the partime newsreader for Radio too.

Wanna be one of the Grand Finalist....? In order to be crown as Miss Fair & Lovely, you must be smart enough to answer a few questions like "-

1) Why Sarawak Cultural Village is a "must visit" destination for a foreigner?

2) As a ambassador of Sarawak, how are you going to promote Sarawak to a tourist?

3) If you are given RM10, what are you going to buy for you mum during Mother's Day?

Apart from these questions, as a Sarawakian, you must know you mother tongue well enough. I guess, this is how the Miss Hazel Desmond win the judges heart.

If I were one of the judges, I will probably ask the pagent this kind of questions :-

1) How do you cook the bamboo chicken (Manok Pansoh)?

2) Do you know how to cook with fire wood? How to light up the fire?

3) Can you make the kelupis? How to make 'tuak', the rice wine?

4) How to make a rattan basket?

5) Can you name any traditional cuisine? such as..... how to cook them?

heeee.....

Miss Fair & Lovely 2007 goes to............

Miss Hazel Desmond, a 24 year old trade product specialist from Sibu, outshone 14 other finalists to become Miss Fair & Lovely, World Harvest Festival 2007. Hazel also took home subsidiary titles Miss Hotlink Beautiful Voice WHF 2007 and Miss Hollywood Personality WHF 2007. The five-foot-two-inch-tall Bidayuh-Iban lass won RM3, 000 in cash prize, a SEGi scholarship to study Diploma in Business Management (Tourism), a Nokia handphone and other prizes. For her subsidiary titles she received a total of RM800, a Nokia handphone, two special crystal trophies and sashes.

The First Runner-up goes to....

Miss Hani Iryani Bonny Leong, an 18-year-old from Kuching. She also took home two subsidiary titles – Miss SMS Voters’ favourite WHF 2007 and Miss Fair and Lovely Talent Anggun. She took home RM2, 000, Nokia handphone and other prizes, while her subsidiary titles earned her a total cash prize of RM1, 500 and other prizes. Hani who just completed her Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) hopes to study business management and aspires to be a successful businesswoman.

Second runner-up goes to......

Miss Eileen Lawrence, a 20-year-old Kenyah-Kelabit lass from Miri. She holds a Diploma in Business Studies and is currently working as a freelance dancer.

The fifth and last subsidiary title, Miss Top Colour Photogenic WHF 2007 was won by Hamaria Mohamad Harun. The 25-year-old Malay-Indian lass from Kuching took home RM500, a ramed portrait, sash and film product.

(Photo shows 24-year-old Hazel Desmond, (centre) a Trade Product Specialist, after being crowned Miss Fair & Lovely 2007 beating 14 other finalists at the World Harvest Festival held at Sarawak Cultural Village in Santubong, Kuching last Saturday night. Hazel, of Bidayuh and Iban descent, also won the titles of Miss Hotlink Beautiful Voice WHF and Miss Hollywood WHF. The new Miss Fair & Lovely 2007 brought home RM3,800 cash, a crown and two mobile phones. Also seen in the photo are the first and second runner-up Hani Iryani Bonny Leong (right) and Eileen Lawrence. )

The other 12 finalist did not leave empty handed. Each one took home RM300, trophy, sash, Marie Claire sunglasses sponsored by Eyesight Optic Sdn Bhd, Hotlink Sarawak Plan, ARS shoes sponsored by Lea Centre and a Fair and Lovely hamper.

Photo courtesy of Koh May Kee

Theme Play - Orang Ulu Legend - "Belawan Burieng Hercules Of Keliman River"

The staging of a theme play based on a Kayan (Orang Ulu) legendary warrior entitled “Belawan Bureing-Hercules of Keliman River. This legendary half-man, half-deity with many wives was staged in a 45-minute themed play with perfectly choreographed dances, war scenes, beautiful costumes and soothing traditional music in conjunction with World Harvest Festival 2007.

The theme play is staged outdoor where the natural ambience and the traditional structures around the Sarawk Culture Village lake is be fully utilised as it had added an unique flavour to the play. It had spice up my weekend with the explosive drama and cultural passion, highlighting the beautiful folk songs, sape and gong music and traditional costumes of the Kayan people.

Tales of Belawan Bureing the son of Belarik Ubong Do the God of Thunder and Lightning, have entertained the Kayans of the Balui River and enlivened their evenings for centuries. Despite the blood and violence, the polygamy and back stabbing, the tales of Belawan Bureing ultimately centre around one universal theme - the triumph of good over evil.

World Harvest Festival 2007

Tintin at the World Harvest Festival 2007

Harvest Festival is an important for the Dayaks communities of Sarawak because the festival reflects their rich cultural heritage as well as to mark the end of a successful harvesting season. This cultural extravaganza is organised by the Sarawak Cultural Village and supported by the Ministry of Urban Development and Tourism Sarawak for the third year (formerly it was known as the Gawai Tourism Night 1996-2004).

Well, I believe that, in many parts of the world, especially in the region of South East Asia, rice, water and bamboo play an important role in lives. In the harvest festival, the respective indigenous people will gives thanks to the gods and spirits for the bounty of the land. With centuries of tradition behind it, this native ritual involves communication with the spirit world, ancestral worship and feasting with friends and family of the whole community.

Among the highlights include the cultural performances and interactive workshops from the invited international cultural groups from Lithuania (Toncius) and Uzbekistan (Uzbegim Yoshlari). As a guest of honour, Snowy and Tintin had enjoyed the walks of life and experienced the different cultures from both of you. We love your music and costume very much!

Thanks Tintin, for rescueing with Flight 714....