NORTH BORNEO RAINFOREST FESTIVAL 2026 – INTERNATIONAL EDITION (NBRF2026) “MISOLOOT SOPISUPI – AN ANCESTRAL GATHERING” | “PERJUMPAAN LELUHUR”

31 OCTOBER – 1 NOVEMBER 2026 | KOISAAN CULTURAL VILLAGE, KDCA, PENAMPANG, SABAH

#NBRF2026 #MisolootSopisupi #NorthBorneoRainforestFestival

OCTOBER 2026

The North Borneo Rainforest Festival 2026 – International Edition (NBRF2026) returns for its fifth edition this year, organised by Pertubuhan Kolektif Seni Budaya Sabah (PKSBS), a Sabah-based non-governmental organisation. The festival will be held on 31 October and 1 November 2026 at the Koisaan Cultural Village, Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association (KDCA), Penampang, Sabah, Malaysia, bringing together Indigenous culture, arts, creativity, culinary traditions, contemporary music, community and rainforest awareness in a two-day immersive cultural experience.

NBRF2026 is presented with the support of the Kementerian Pelancongan, Kebudayaan dan Alam Sekitar Sabah (KePKAS), Sabah Art Gallery and Bayu Seni, whose support contributes to the festival’s wider efforts to promote cultural appreciation, creative expression and community participation in Sabah.

Designed as a festival for all ages, NBRF2026 brings together families, children, traditional and cultural practitioners, explorers, enthusiasts, festival-goers, music and arts lovers, foodies, and film enthusiasts. Through a diverse programme of cultural showcases, exhibitions, performances, creative activities, culinary experiences and community-led initiatives, the festival provides a space for audiences to discover, experience and celebrate the rich cultural heritage and contemporary creative expressions of Sabah and the wider region.

Unlike a conventional music festival, NBRF2026 takes a multidisciplinary approach to cultural celebration, with music forming part of a wider programme centred on Indigenous heritage, community participation, creative expression and international cultural exchange.

Guided by its theme, “Misoloot Sopisupi” – an ancestral gathering”, this year's festival is rooted in the idea of returning to the gathering place of our ancestors, bringing communities, generations and cultures together through living heritage, artistic expression and contemporary creative practices. It creates a shared space for Indigenous communities, artists, cultural practitioners and audiences from Sabah, Borneo and the wider region to reconnect, exchange knowledge, share traditions and celebrate the continuing evolution of their cultural identities.

Founded in 2019 by two women from Sabah, Juliana binti Aping and Benazir Japiril Bandaran, NBRF began with a simple idea: to create a platform where the many cultures, communities, music and creative expressions of Borneo could come together, rather than presenting culture as something to be observed from a distance.

From the beginning, NBRF has also sought to create opportunities for local communities and contribute to Sabah’s creative and local economy. Local vendors, artisans, craft makers, food and beverage operators, and creative practitioners form an important part of the festival experience, providing a platform for them to showcase their products, share their skills and connect with new audiences. Through this community-driven approach, the creative economy is not simply an accompanying element of NBRF, but an integral part of how the festival brings culture, community and economic participation together. Juliana binti Aping, a cultural and environmental activist and woodwork artist, and Benazir Japiril Bandaran, a human rights advocate and lawyer involved in preserving Sabah’s customs and cultural heritage, came together to establish NBRF as a platform for communities and cultural practitioners to share their knowledge, creativity and lived traditions.

From its inception, NBRF has been designed as a living cultural experience. Visitors are invited to enter traditional houses, meet cultural practitioners, discover Indigenous music and traditional instruments, experience traditional crafts and culinary traditions, participate in workshops, explore creative markets and connect directly with communities from Sabah. At its heart, NBRF seeks to create a space where culture is not simply displayed, but experienced, shared and lived, while providing a platform for Sabah’s communities and creative practitioners to share their stories, heritage and contemporary expressions with audiences from Malaysia and beyond.

Culture Without Borders

Following the success of its first international edition in 2025, NBRF2026 expands its international cultural exchange programme, welcoming indigenous communities, artists and cultural practitioners from the West Kalimantan, Indonesia; Taiwan; the Philippines; and Guam, United States of America, alongside communities and cultural practitioners from Sabah.

Through this international cultural exchange, NBRF2026 seeks to create a space where indigenous and local communities can share knowledge, artistic practices, stories and contemporary expressions across borders, while strengthening connections between generations and communities with shared relationships to culture, land and nature.

The participating international communities and practitioners include:

• Galeri Pantang – Desa, West Kalimantan, Indonesia

• Mahakarya Tenun – Iban, West Kalimantan, Indonesia

• Riki Yonda, Suhaid, West Kalimantan, Indonesia

• Rennel Lavilla, Panay, Philippines

• Bukidnon Guam – Chamorro, Guam, USA

• Kacalisian Performing Arts Troupe – Paiwan, Taiwan

• Lumamiling – Rukai/Drekai and Paiwan, Taiwan

• Bunun, Pangcah and Pinuyumayan communities, Taiwan

In line with the theme of “Misoloot Sopisupi” – an ancestral gathering, the participation of international delegations in NBRF2026 creates a meeting point for Indigenous communities across the region. It offers visitors a rare opportunity to experience, in one setting, diverse traditions, music, crafts, stories and contemporary cultural expressions from communities across Borneo and beyond.

More importantly, this cultural exchange is envisioned as a two-way platform. It provides Sabah’s communities and cultural practitioners with an opportunity to share their knowledge, stories, traditions and creative expressions with the wider world, while at the same time providing international Indigenous communities and cultural practitioners with a platform in Sabah to share their own heritage, perspectives and contemporary creative practices. Through this exchange, NBRF2026 seeks to foster meaningful connections between communities, cultures and generations across borders.

Across the two-day festival, NBRF2026 will bring together music, Indigenous culture, arts, heritage, community and environmental awareness through a series of curated programme areas.

NBRF2026 – A Festival for Everyone, Where Culture is EXPERIENCED, SHARED and LIVED

Curated for families, young people, artists, creatives, travellers, culture enthusiasts, and both seasoned and first-time festival-goers, NBRF2026 offers audiences of all ages multiple ways to participate, connect and engage with culture. From immersive exhibitions and hands-on cultural activities to music, film, traditional crafts, food, dance and community-led programmes, the festival invites visitors not simply to observe culture, but to experience it, share it and become part of it.

NBRF2026 is structured across three (3) main programme areas: the NBRF Concert, the Koisaan Cultural Village, and the Parking Space & Booth Area. The festival’s programme brings together local and international music performances, Indigenous exhibitions, community-led initiatives, traditional crafts, children’s activities, culinary experiences and cultural exchanges. Highlights include the International Indigenous Exhibition, Borneo Indigenous Film Festival, Papak: A Traditional Tattoo Gathering, Threads of Heritage: International Weaving Exchange, and an Indigenous Cultural Dance Parade featuring participating communities from Sabah, Taiwan, Guam, Indonesia and the Philippines. Together, these programme areas create an immersive platform for cultural exchange, community participation and the celebration of Indigenous heritage and contemporary creativity.

KOISAAN CULTURAL VILLAGE

Time: 1.00 PM – 8.00 PM

Step into the Koisaan Cultural Village, where culture, community and creativity come together in an immersive cultural setting. Visitors can explore Indigenous heritage and contemporary creative expressions, meet community practitioners, discover traditional crafts, enjoy local food and products, and take part in hands-on activities for children and families.

The Koisaan Cultural Village is organised into several programme areas:

A. INTERNATIONAL INDIGENOUS EXHIBITION

The International Indigenous Exhibition brings together cultural communities, artists, organisations and practitioners from Sabah and beyond, with each traditional house offering a different cultural experience.

• Rumah Tambunan — Sumbali (Indigenous Philippines) and Ruang Tamu Ekosistem

• Rumah Keningau — DJ Live x Social Dance Club

• Rumah Ranau — Bunun (Taiwan), Lumamiling (Pintung, Taiwain), Gonding Gen, Barait, Bundu, Kundasang Ranau & Community

• Rumah Tuaran — Galeri Pantang, Showcase ‘Kain Ikat’ (Sintang, West Kalimantan), Mahakarya Tenun, Kapuan Hulu, West Kalimantan, and Kacalisian performing arts troupe (Taiwan), IMounkid Diary (Taiwan)

• Rumah Bisaya — Book Exhibition

Local Community & Environmental Exhibitions

• Rumah Kimaragang — Persatuan Penanam Herba Borneo Utara, Sabah

• Rumah Kota Belud — Chanteek Gallery & Ropuhan Di Tanak Wagu

• Family Friendly Corner- Near Rumah Tombunuo – Green Lab with Michael

  • Upcycled Shack

These exhibitions create opportunities for visitors to discover local knowledge, environmental initiatives, creative practices and community-led efforts from Sabah and the wider region.

B. COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT EXHIBITION

A dedicated programme area highlighting Indigenous knowledge, cultural heritage, creativity and community-led initiatives.

• Borneo Indigenous Film Festival — Rumah Tenom

• Papak: A Traditional Tattoo Gathering — Rumah Panjang Rungus

• Bah, Kanou Magansak! — Rumah Kota Belud

• Threads of Heritage: International Weaving Exchange — Rumah Tuaran

The Community Empowerment Exhibition provides a platform for communities and cultural practitioners to share knowledge, stories, skills and contemporary interpretations of Indigenous heritage.

C. CRAFT SECTION

Location: Pathway beside Rumah Tenom

A dedicated space celebrating traditional crafts, handmade products and Indigenous creative practices.

• Jason Labunda — Brass Show and Exhibition

• Safwan — Henna & Sapok

Visitors can discover traditional techniques, handmade creations and contemporary interpretations of Sabah’s cultural craft traditions.

D. KIDS SECTION

Location: Rumah Tradisi Labuk

A dedicated space for younger visitors featuring interactive, educational and hands-on activities.

The Kids Section encourages children to experience culture through participation, creativity and play, making the festival accessible and engaging for younger audiences and families.

E. ARAMAITI SECTION

Location: Bawah Kolong Rumah Panjang Rungus

A social and community gathering space where visitors can relax, connect and spend time with fellow festival-goers and participating communities.

Inspired by the spirit of Aramaiti, the space offers visitors an opportunity to pause, gather and experience the communal atmosphere of the festival in a relaxed rainforest setting.

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3. PARKING SPACE & BOOTH AREA

A lively community space where visitors can enjoy local food and beverages, discover festival activations, and experience the Indigenous Cultural Dance Parade.

The area will feature:

• Food Village — Local food and beverage vendors offering a range of Sabahan and regional culinary experiences.

• Sponsorship Activation Booths — Dedicated spaces for festival partners and sponsors to engage with visitors and showcase their products, services and initiatives.

• Indigenous Cultural Dance Parade

  Time: 4.30 PM – 6.30 PM

  Days: Both Festival Day

Indigenous Cultural Dance Parade

Different Cultures. Shared Rhythms. One Gathering.

One of the main highlights of the event, the Indigenous Cultural Dance Parade brings together participating Indigenous communities from Sabah, Taiwan, Guam, Indonesia and the Philippines in a vibrant celebration of movement, music, traditional attire and cultural expression.

More than a parade, it is a shared cultural gathering — creating a space where communities can walk, dance, perform and celebrate alongside one another. Through traditional dances, music, costumes and cultural expressions, the parade highlights the diversity of Indigenous cultures while creating opportunities for connection, cultural exchange and community participation.

Rooted in the spirit of “Misoloot Sopisupi” – an ancestral gathering invites communities and audiences to come together, share their cultural expressions and celebrate the connections that bring people closer across borders.

Different roots, different traditions, one shared gathering, in our ancestors’ home, Rumah Kita, Sabah, the Land Below the Wind.

FAMILY-FRIENDLY EVENT

A family-friendly journey of culture, creativity and connection.

NBRF2026 is designed to give young people and families, particularly those in Sabah, the opportunity to explore and experience cultures from different parts of the world without having to travel abroad. We recognise that international travel is not an opportunity available to everyone. Yet culture has the power to connect us, and NBRF creates a space where children, young people and families can encounter different cultures, stories, artistic expressions and ways of life right here in Sabah.

For children, the festival offers an opportunity to learn about culture through seeing, touching, listening, creating and participating. Through the International Indigenous Exhibition, children can explore traditional houses and discover different Indigenous cultures from Sabah and other parts of the region. They can encounter traditional music, dances, costumes, crafts, stories, books and cultural practices, while the dedicated Kids Section at Rumah Tradisi Labuk provides interactive and educational activities designed especially for younger visitors. Rather than simply learning about culture from a distance, children are encouraged to experience it through hands-on participation, creativity and play.

Through NBRF2026, Sabah’s Indigenous communities, artists, cultural practitioners and creative collectives also have the opportunity to connect with Indigenous communities, cultural practitioners, artists, and researchers from across the region and beyond, including Guam, the Philippines, Taiwan, West Kalimantan, Indonesia and Singapore.

These connections extend beyond performances and exhibitions. They create opportunities for knowledge exchange, collaboration, cultural learning and meaningful conversations between communities and generations. NBRF2026 therefore seeks to bring the world to Sabah, while giving Sabah’s communities a platform to share their own heritage, knowledge and contemporary creative expressions with the world.

For the younger generation, this means being able to discover that the world is culturally diverse, while also recognising the richness of the heritage that exists in their own backyard. NBRF2026 is a place where children can explore, families can learn together, communities can connect, and cultures can be shared — because culture connects us, and we gather at NBRF2026, misoloot sopisupi.

NBRF CONCERT

Venue: KDCA Hall

Time: 7.00 PM – 11.00 PM

Date: 31st October-1 November 2026

Music remains at the heart of NBRF, and the 2026 programme brings together traditional music, contemporary local Malaysian Sabah based artists, regional performers and international acts. Across the two (2) days festival, music and live performance will be ongoing at the KDCA Hall from 7.00pm-11.00pm where local and international artists will perform as part of the festival’s main evening programme.

i. DAY 1 – CULTURAL SHOWCASE

(31st October 2026)

The opening day of NBRF Concert will showcase cultural music and art performances presenting:

• Gi Matan Guma’ (Guam, USA)

• Sumbali (Philippines)

• Bornneon (Sabah, Malaysia)

• Sundatang Fusion (Sabah)

• Itu Bunun Tu Mindu-Duaz (Dongbuchin) (Taiwan)

• Borneo Inclusive Ensemble (Sabah, Malaysia)

• Kacalisian Performing Arts Troupe (Taiwan)

This cultural showcase brings together Sabah and international indigenous musical traditions while creating opportunities for artists and communities from different cultural backgrounds to share the stage.

ii. DAY 2: NBRF MUSIC CONCERT: “A Gathering Through Music”

(1ST November 2026)

NBRF MUSIC CONCERT

NBRF Music Concert is a gathering of musical voices and sounds connected by culture, heritage, community and shared stories. Bringing together artists from Sabah, Indonesia and Guam, the concert creates a meeting point between Borneo, the Nusantara and the wider Indigenous region, where different musical traditions and contemporary expressions can meet, interact and be experienced together.

More than a series of individual performances, is conceived as a musical meeting point — connecting Sabah with Borneo, the Nusantara and the wider Indigenous region through sound, culture and shared creative expression.

From contemporary and electronic music to Indigenous musical influences and Borneo-rooted sounds, the concert creates a space where artists from different places and generations can meet, collaborate and introduce audiences to musical traditions and creative expressions that may be familiar, new or unexpected.

In the spirit of “Misoloot Sopisupi” – an ancestral gathering brings people together through music while celebrating the cultural roots, stories and identities that continue to connect communities across borders.

The 2026 line-up features:

Alffy Rev – an Indonesian composer, music producer and visual storyteller known for blending contemporary electronic music with traditional and cultural sounds of the Nusantara;

Dakota Camacho – Matao/CHamoru multidisciplinary indigenous artist, composer, chanter and cultural practitioner from Guam;

Elica Paujin- - Sabah’s own powerhouse modern-pop singer, celebrated for her rich Dusun cultural roots.

Mingse & Akbar Chalay – Indonesian music talents from Jakarta, known for “Astaga Bercanda”, bringing their vibrant sound and contemporary Indonesian music to the NBRF2026 stage.

Rolou Pomogunan, a young Sabah-based fusion music group;

Gonding Gen- a group of ethno-vocalists from Bundu Tuhan, Sabah and custodians of Lilihis, a form of Dusunic oral poetry;

Harvard – Borneo Rising star; and

Ordin J., Sabah’s own local and self-produced alternative-pop duo, from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.

MORE THAN A CONCERT — A FESTIVAL EXPERIENCE: LIVING CULTURE AND BEYOND

A ticket to NBRF2026 provides full access to the festival grounds and the two-day programme, including the NBRF Concert, cultural showcases, Indigenous exhibitions, community-led programmes, cultural dance parade, cultural exchange activities, traditional crafts, food and other festival experiences taking place throughout 31 October and 1 November 2026.

NBRF2026 is designed not simply as a concert to attend, but as a cultural experience to be explored, shared and lived — bringing together music, heritage, creativity, community and cultural exchange in one festival setting.

Online Ticket buys: www.myticketempire.com/nbrf2026