GEORGE TOWN – A decade after their first performance in Sungai Pinang to attract public attention to the river’s pollution, Ombak-Ombak Artstudio has made another statement performance to highlight that visible changes have yet to be seen.
Named Seruan Nadi – Battle Cry of a Dying River, it was performed at Hin Bus Depot last weekend. The show depicted the state of Sungai Pinang from the days when it was the lifeline of the early settlers up till today, when it is choked with filth and industrial waste.
Set in a wayang pacak (outdoor cinema) style that was used by the Malaysian Information Department in the sixties in rural villages, the 45-minute show consists of a video projection, contemporary dance and live fusion music that infuses traditional and modern tunes.
The music director of the production, Prof Dr Tan Sooi Beng, told The Vibes that the central piece of the whole show was based on a poem and rap written by Sabrena Arosh and Jasniza Johari.
A four-person band then came together to compose the piece that made use of traditional instruments such as the gu zheng, dizi (Chinese flute), dhol, tabla, tom drum, Chinese drum and gendang sunda.
The show is divided into three sections. The first is when men try to take control of the river, the second is man’s battle with Mother Nature to take control of the river, and the third is when the river is polluted and dying – all depicted in the dance.
Tan said that the goal is to educate and touch the sentiments of those who live and work along the river so that they can take action and stop the dumping of rubbish.
“We did a show 10 years ago when the dancers actually went into the filthy river in their performance to send out a message but today, Sungai Pinang is still dying.
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“The community needs to take action because we cannot depend on the authorities. Toilet waste, industrial waste and rubbish are being thrown into the river.
“There is a blockage placed on the river to sift out plastic waste where authorities will clean up the clogs later but it does not really help clean the river. Even the effective micro-organism (EM) mud balls did not make a difference.
“That is why we are planning to do a bigger one at Karpal Singh Drive, close to the mouth of the Sungai Pinang river, where people living in the flats around the area can watch from where they are. The wayang pacak projection will also be there for a few days to educate the community living in that area,” she said.
She hopes that the authorities will not canalise the river, making the meandering river straight, as it will cause more flash floods. Seruan Nadi – Battle Cry of a Dying River is put together by Tan, Dance Director Aida Redza and Artistic Director Izzardzafli Padzil.
The show is available online for public viewing at https://www.facebook.com/ombakartstudio/. – The Vibes, January 8, 2022
