RIUH carnival promotes ethnic heritage for posterity

MELAKA, Aug 7 (Bernama) -- The Kembara RIUH Keluarga Malaysia event can help revive and promote cultural or ethnic heritage and bring a community’s unique traditional products to a higher level.

 Baba Nyonya community icon, Allan Wan said without the holding of such a mega carnival, many of the heritage items such as clothing and food could become extinct. 

"I am a sixth generation member of the Baba Nyonya community. Definitely, the actual lifestyle of this community is disappearing, especially with the intermarriage involving many individuals in my community with those from other ethnic groups.

"Hence, with a carnival like this, the young generation will become closer again to their own old cultural practices,” said the actor and chef after holding a performance at RIUH NAU! which is the third edition of the carnival at Dataran Pahlawan, here, today.

Known as Bibik Huat, Wan said that old heritage could also be a platform for entrepreneurs to promote the unique products which were part of a community’s lifestyle. 

"With the absence of such a performance for two years, I sold Baba Nyonya traditional food as a source of income while also using social media such as Facebook, Tik Tok and Instagram to teach those interested to learn how to cook these dishes.

"The impact was great because although the videos produced were short, I could still promote our traditional food while also telling the viewers about our culture,” he added.

Wan hoped that the Kembara RIUH Keluarga Malaysia programme would be continued in future for not only promoting the products featured but also the old traditions and culture.

"Good also if we can hold it at least once a month because looking at the response to the three-day RIUH carnival, the public still want culture-based entertainment," he said.

-- BERNAMA