George town: Taiwan's rich indigenous heritage took centre stage at the George Town Festival (GTF) 2026 at Dewan Sri Pinang here today, with traditional music, dance and indigenous-inspired cuisine offering audiences an immersive experience of the island's diverse cultural traditions.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the programme was held in conjunction with the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples and featured the Malaysian debut of the Formosa Indigenous Song and Dance Troupe (FISDT). They presented The Rainbow Bridge and Ocean Chants, blending the traditional music and dance of the Truku and Amis peoples.
Ahead of the performance, the 2026 International Tour of Taiwan Gourmet Cuisine, organised by Taiwan's Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC), showcased a culinary booth with indigenous-inspired desserts and a live cooking demonstration.
Yu Chen Wen, Cultural Division director at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Malaysia, expressed Taiwan's honour in collaborating with GTF again, especially on an occasion celebrating indigenous communities worldwide. She highlighted the presence of an indigenous chef introducing his cultural heritage through food using ingredients traditionally associated with Taiwan's indigenous communities.
The culinary highlights included indigenous-inspired desserts such as Maqaw Lemon Winter Melon Jelly and Millet Churros, prepared by Seediq chef Chiang Hsin-Yi and assistant chef Lu Wei-Sung. Yu noted that this was the chef's first participation in the George Town Festival, offering an opportunity to share Taiwan's indigenous culinary heritage with local and international visitors.
The culinary experience was also attended by Taiwan's Ambassador to Malaysia Lien Yu-Ping and Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, who visited the booth and participated in the indigenous dessert tasting. Yu emphasized that the combination of food, music, and dance offered audiences a unique avenue to understand indigenous culture beyond conventional performances.
Meanwhile, Chow announced that GTF 2026 had achieved its target of 200,000 visitors over its nine-day duration, with 48 programmes featuring local and international arts practitioners. He mentioned that the encouraging response reflected the growing appeal of the international arts and cultural event.
GTF 2026, now in its 17th edition, featured artists and performing groups from several countries, including Spain, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Germany, and South Korea. Chow added that preparations for the 18th edition had already begun, as certain performances require a long lead time to identify and prepare with the teams involved.
Dr Ang Ming Chee, GTF executive director, expressed satisfaction with this year's response, particularly the participation of families and children in various programmes. She noted that the high visitor turnout demonstrated GTF's growing success in attracting tourists while serving as a platform to strengthen interpersonal connections through creativity and the arts. Dr Ang highlighted events held in open spaces and the Wayang Pacak (outdoor film screening) at Cheah Kongsi as particularly well-received, fostering interaction among the community and visitors and attracting more tourists to Penang.