Make a scarecrow at Kedah Paddy Heritage festival

 

Organised by Kedah And Perlis Rice Millers Association, the festival aims to tell the story of the heritage of Kedah’s paddy farmers through storytelling sessions, music, traditional rice planting sessions, photographs and documents.

 

As part of the programme, the Kedah paddy farmers led festival visitors into the paddy field to plant rice the traditional way. A pair of buffaloes were also used to plough the field.

 

The festival kicked off with The Art of paddy Heritage Workshop from April 22-25. Some 150 students from Keat Hwa High School in Alor Setar took part in this art, music and drama workshop. They learnt how to make a scarecrow and create artworks inspired by paddy planting.

 

On April 29, the Tradition of paddy Seedling, a public talk (and paddy seedling rehearsal) was held. Three paddy farmers of Thai, Chinese and Malay origin shared their knowledge on old farming traditions. Kedah And Perlis Rice Millers Association’s chairman Ong Soon Thye and paddy researcher Ong Ching Zhong talked about the rice mill, types of rice as well as tradition and modern farming techniques.

Festival director Chong Keat Aun says the festival was the first of its kind in Malaysia.

 

“There are plans to rotate the event venue to other rice mills in Kedah and Perlis,” says Chong, an Alor Setar-born arts practitioner.

 

The festival’s slogan is Sesuap Nasi, Warisan paddy (A Mouthful Of Rice, paddy Heritage). From April 30 to May 1, there was be a free concert involving 150 performers. Shows included manora dance, paddy field drum performance (a combination of gendang silat drums and Chinese drums), Chinese opera, and wayang kulit. 

 

A highlight of the festival was Rumah paddy (paddy House) which was erected at edge of a paddy field at the festival site.

 

“Two modified steel containers, timber and bamboo structures are used to set up this temporary structure which will remain until Sept 17,” says Alan Teh, curator of the art exhibition.

Visitors were taken on a tour of the artworks by 15 local artists. Teh says the goal of the festival is to raise awareness to the hardships of paddy farmers, especially to the younger generation.

 

“At the same time, it is also to bring attention to the rapid urbanisation of Alor Setar, where many tracts of agriculture lands are being converted for housing and commercial purposes. This is quite alarming as Kedah is the rice bowl of Malaysia,” says Teh.

 

The closing ceremony will be the Harvest Festival from Sept 15-17 at the same venue.