CoolerLumpurFestival

2016

TheCoolerLumpurFestivalisSoutheastAsiasfirstfestivalofideaswhich
establishedin2013,aimingtobringtogetherwriters,artists,musiciansand
thinkersfromallaroundtheworldtoshareandspreadnewideas,andto
serveasacatalysttoourculturalconversation.Itisalsoamultidisiplinary
festival.The2016CoolerLumpurFestivalwasonSeptember10and11.

RE:SpiritualResourcesForQueer/Trans
Empowerment

Thespeaker,LeylaJagiellawasborninGermanyandisafellowmember
oftheGlobalQueerMuslimNetwork.Shespentherearly20sinIndia,and
attendedlocalmosque.
InaoneononeconversationwithLeylaJagiella,themoderator,Joseph
N.Gohcameoutwithalotofquestionstodiscussaroundsocialjusticeand
rightsforLGBTQIpeoplewhichhavebeenandstillhavebeenusedpawns
inotherpeoplesvisionarywhichcausestheworldofreligion,culturaland
civilizationclashtogether.Thisallowstheaudiencetounderstandmore
abouttheLGBTQIcommunity.

Whatisspirituality?
AccordingtoLeyla,spiritualityiswhowereallyareasaperson.Ourspirit
defineswhoweare.Spiritualityrepresentsourlivesbasicallyour
personality,ourvisionaryandmanymore.

WhatdoyouthinkisIslamicspirituality?
Thereisnoabsoluteequivalentwithspiritualityitself.Islamicspiritualityisa
waytoknowourselvesanditsalsoapathtowardsGodandmakesusfeel
thatGodisveryclosetousbecauseheis.Thishelpsourrelationshipwith
GodtobestrongerwhichmakesusfeelthatGodisconnectedto
ourselves.

IsthereauniquetransgenderspiritualityinIslam?
Leylamentionedthatthereareacknowledgedplacesfortransexualpeople
inIslam.TransexualpeopleareacceptedintheIslamreligionassheisan
Islamophile.

StoriesForBoysAndGirls,BothBig
AndSmall

ShamaniFlint,JenandNatWhitmandiscussedabouthowitistobeinthe
storytellingbusiness.Theymentionedthatweshouldtakerisksandto
learntoovercomefearofwriting.Towriteabook,takethetimetowrite
whetheritsagoodbookorbadbook.Towriteagoodbook,understand
theemotionalcontextofthestoryyourewriting.Themoderator,Hanna

Alkaf,asksquestionstothefellowspeakerstotellsusmoreonthe
importanceofstorytellingandtheroleitplaysinbrighteningthewaywe
live,workandlove.Weshouldtakeapathofrisksinsteadofapathof
regrets.

MindsOfTheFuture
Thespeakers,KateBassett,PangKheeTeikandLeylaJagiella,
mentionedhowweneedcriticisminourlifetoprovidereflection,
discernmentandconnectionwiththelargerworld.Themoderator,
SharmillaGanesan,hadaconversationwithourfellowspeakerstoknow
aboutrealdiscourseandengagementwhichonlyexistincriticismandhow
ithelptodevelopindependentmindsinaperson.Todevelopan

independentmind,weshouldlistentothecriticismgiventowardsusby
others.Itcanmakeusabetterperson.

ChicLit.OrWhyWomenShouldRule
TheWorld
Thespeakers,ShamaniFlintandCherylLuLienTan,satdownwiththe
moderator,UmapaganAmpikaipakan,tospeakonhowtofindonesown
uniqueliteraryvoiceandhowitisimportantononessocial,politicaland
literarylandscapes.Averylessamountofwomanarerarelyinthespotlight

ofpublishers,criticsandawardpanelswhetheritisintheenglishlanguage
ornot.