Hari Warisan (Cultural Heritage Appreciation Day) was introduced in 2021 by the Malay Heritage Foundation (MHF) to acknowledge and appreciate Malay cultural practitioners and activists in Singapore who create and contribute to their cultural heritage.
This year, our event was graced by Guest of Honour, Mdm Som Said, a Cultural Medallion Recipient (1987) and The Stewards of Intangible Cultural Heritage Award (2020), comprised two segments (morning and afternoon). Those in attendance were MHF’s invited speakers for the past lecture series, arts and cultural practitioners, academics and MHF board members.
Saturday, 10 December 2022 –The first segment of Hari Warisan began with the arrival of the Guest-of-Honour (GOH), Mdm Som Said, who is not only a pioneering and award-winning Malay dance choreographer but is also perceived as an important ambassador of Malay heritage, especially in modern pop culture.
Malay Heritage Foundation (MHF) Chairman Dr. Norshahril Saat opened the session by delivering an introductory speech to welcome on-site guests at Wisma Geylang Serai and virtual audiences tuning in via the live stream on MHF’s Facebook. Following his speech, a short video was presented highlighting MHF’s Teman Warisan (Cultural Heritage Ambassadors) for 2021 and their progress thus far since the inaugural Hari Warisan.
With this, the appointment of three new Teman Warisan was presented.
Teman Warisan recipients:
- Ahmad Hasif Mohammad Amran, 24 (represented by MHF)
- Nur Shireen Marican, 27
- Rosemainy Buang, 34
At last year’s Hari Warisan, a live painting of an abstract artwork was done by Singaporean contemporary artist/singer/songwriter, Shafyre. President Mdm Halimah Yaacob also provided the final finishing touches to the painting, adding much value to the artwork, which seeks to represent the events of the first-ever Hari Warisan. This was recapped in a video on the art piece titled “The Heritage”. Shafyre was joined by Mr. Idris Ali, a prominent Malay artist who has painted the vast Singapore landscape with his notable use of watercolours and MHF’s first Hadiah Warisan (Heritage Prize Award) recipient, to unveil the finished painting.
The painting holds a plethora of symbolic meanings relating to cultural and heritage preservation in Singapore. It illustrates the artist’s observations of the inaugural Hari Warisan in 2021. Subsequently, the launch of the charity art auction for the painting was announced. The auction aims to raise funds for MHF programmes such as Cendekiawan Lestari Series (CLS) and Wacana Warisan Series (WWS). Click to learn more about the painting and artist and secure your chance to make this exclusive and meaningful artwork yours. “The Heritage” will also be available for viewing at the Permata Singapore Restaurant (73 Sultan Gate Singapore 198497) from 2nd January to 14th January 2023. The Restaurant’s opening hours will be daily from 12 pm to 10 pm. All proceeds from this auction will go to the artist and MHF to fund its educational and community outreach programs and initiatives.
Performing two songs: Embun di Rumput and Joget Serampang Laut, are AltoAura, fronted by former 2021 Teman Warisan, Anis Qurratu’aini Azman. The performance, accompanied by a live band, boosted the liveliness in the project studio of Wisma Geylang Serai.
After the delightful performance, keynote speaker, Mr. Aqmal N. was invited on stage to present his address on “Merentasi Denai Bergelora: Berkarya di Singapura” (Traversing a Tempestuous Trail: Arts in Singapore). In his presentation, he shared his journey in the local arts industry from its dawn to its present day. Aqmal exhibited his skills and wowed those in attendance by performing two songs. GOH Mdm Som Said presented a token of appreciation to thank him for his keynote speech and performance.
A much-anticipated part of the first segment of Hari Warisan was the performance by guest artist Mdm Rahimah Rahim, Recipient of Cultural Medallion (2021). She is a well-known entertainer who started her lasting career at six and has more than a dozen hit albums under her belt. Mdm Rahimah performed a medley of her hit songs with the accompaniment of the band of AltoAura. Accompanying her was Heema Izzati Zainudin, an up-and-coming youth artist. Heema is only in her teens at 16, yet she is exceptionally skilled in piano, cello and guitar, as well as singing, and recently started writing her own music. Heema has also worked with numerous artists on the international scene.
This exhilarating performance concluded the first segment of Hari Warisan 2023.
Our emcees, Shahril and Hikmah, thanked the GOH Mdm Som Said, guests, virtual audiences on FB live stream, performers, sponsors, and award recipients for the second rendition of Hari Warisan. Guests of the first segment were invited to the second segment of Hari Warisan titled, “Digitalisation – Impact and Opportunities for the Malay Arts and Cultural Sector”, which took place later in the afternoon.
Hari Warisan is supported by the National Arts Council (NAC) and National Heritage Board (NHB) and in appreciation of the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) and Muhammadiyah Association of Singapore.
To read the programme highlights for the afternoon session of Hari Warisan, click here.
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Useful Links
- Full Video Segment I: Hari Warisan 2022
- Full Video Segment II: Digitalisation: Impact and Opportunities for the Malay Arts and Cultural Sector
- Dr. Norshahril Saat’s Opening Speech
- Aqmal N’s Keynote Presentation
- Hari Warisan 2022 Media Release
- “The Heritage” Painting by Shafyre
- BERITAMediacorp – MHF lancar lelongan amal sebuah lukisan; lantik tiga Teman Warisan by Hakim Irwan
- Berita Harian – Teman Warisan pupuk bakat, iktiraf penggiat seni muda