Bandar Seri Begawan - The long awaited Bruneiana Exhibition, showcasing artefacts mostly from the period of 1850 to 1950, was officially launched yesterday at the lobby of Orchid Garden Hotel.
Present as the event‘s guest of honour and officiating the ceremony was Dato Paduka Hamdillah Hj Abd Wahab, Deputy Minister of Industry and Primary Resources. The programme is a joint venture between the hotel and Kandarzari Krafts International.
In his opening speech, OGH‘s General Manager Shamsul Bahrin said, "Cultural tourism is fast gaining popularity in the Asian region, not only because it encourages tourists to stay a little longer, but it also offers crucial development opportunities to the destination. "Most importantly, it preserves the riches and grandeur of the destination‘s cultures and traditions, presenting them in their most genuine forms. The exhibition is one of our efforts to respond to the Kenali Negara Kita programme initiated by the Brunei Tourism Development Department through the ministry."
The owner and creator of Kandarzari Krafts International, Johan Suhaimi, said, "Orchid Garden Hotel wants to act not only as a home away from home, but also a sup-porter of the local culture and community.
"The exhibition has four different sections. Most of its artefacts are foreign objects that were brought into the Kingdom of Brunei, which was once an empire. Its aim is to make Bruneian people proud of their heritage. Most of the relics are original.
"There are 24 pieces being exhibited, ranging from precious metal and wood to porcelain items, among others. They all come from the family of Pg Hj Iberahim @ Hj Besar and some of the artefacts in fact date back to way before 1850.
The exhibition, which is free of charge for the general public, will run for two months.
Kandarzari Krafts International was established in 1986 and has experience in the collection and restoration of antiques, production of cultural books, as well as organising workshops and most importantly the showcase of an extensive range of Bruneian artefacts and heritage.
Source: www.brudirect.com (16 Januari 2008)
