Thunder in the Jungle

The Rainforest World Music Festival, now in its fifteenth year, brings musicians and music lovers together in Borneo to celebrate the universal language of music. An ideal haven for those of us who dream of a world without hunger, war and injustice. The world music scene is the same no matter where its celebrated.

Workshops with Karim from Mamadou Diabate’s Percussion Mania, Burkina Faso. Photo Rully Zakaria

Over three days the fused sounds of musicians from all over the planet entertained a diverse audience who love to dance and experience new music from Congo, Reunion Island, Brazil, Korea, Mongolia, Czech Republic, France, Spain, Burkina Faso and Palestine.

Musicians from each band collaborated and led workshops together involving the audience, making their individuals stage sets all the more richer. We were lucky to witness rare jam sessions from various nations communicating peacefully through their instruments and voices in one spontaneous performance.

Let’s use music from around the world as inspiration to sit, collaborate and talk to one another, to communicate our everyday struggles for a brighter future.

For interview podcasts with the artists and more photographs, keep an eye and ear out for Merchants of Sound with Phat Kat and Bully Dux, Saturdays at 6.30pm.

Words by Katerina Skoumbas

Live performance by Le Trio Jourban, Palestine. Photo Rully Zakaria