Selamat Gawai Dayak
The Gawai Dayak’s festival is here soon and it’s the harvest festival for the Dayak community in the state of Sarawak. It’s a two-day public holiday in Sarawak which is on the 1st and 2nd of June. This celebration of unity, aspiration and hope for the Dayaks mark the end of the rice harvest and ushers in another year of bountiful goodness. Tuak (rice wine) and an array of traditional food are generously served. Widespread celebrations are held not only in the main cities and towns but also in the interior settlements. Gawai is an occasion for simply a time for merrymaking.Usually, the first hint one gets when the festival neared is the beauty pageant, which culminates in the crowning of several Gawai Queens and Kings (Kumang and Keling), one each for Iban, Bidayuh and Orang Ulu communities. Obviously, Gawai Dayak is the best and most interesting time to visit Sarawak as you can see and sample the lifestyle and its festivities.
This year, my family will be celebrating the festive season moderately with a low key. With the recent passing of my father in August, 2005 our family has not really got over with not having him around us whenever there’s any events or celebrations we partake in, especially on special occasion like this one. Gawai Dayak is a festival that is very unique and one of the traditional cultures that are much to be proud of by the natives of Sarawak. My late father had always been proud to belong to one of the tribal groups, the Iban, and he never got tired of talking about how he spent his younger days living with many other families in one longhouse with many rooms under one roof!
Well, this time round my mother and I will be spending our Gawai Dayak's Day at Semumok Baroh, Betong, a town located in the second division of the state of Sarawak. We are not going there to celebrate the festival rather it is about administering our family’s properties and assets belonging to my parent. It’s a business trip and most probably the number of days we are going to spend for these matters might drag on until after the first week of June.
This will be the second time I am spending Gawai Dayak’s Day away from home. In the year 2001 during the month of May and June, I was on a vacation to Florida, USA. That I won’t consider as a "Gawai Dayak celebration in the USA" because there wasn’t even a single bit of Gawai mood felt, rather I was busy enjoying my traveling in and around Florida and the mention of Gawai festival then was out of mind! :)
Well, to all dear people out there, enjoy your holidays and think safety. Road deaths escalate during every festive season. There is no doubt that there will be more cars on the roads during a festive period. Thus the probability of meeting an accident is much higher. Much of this has been attributed to the carelessness and recklessness of the driver. Furthermore, be cautious of our road conditions; there are areas where the quality of our roads is not the best! There are not many proper road sign boards to guide us of where to expect a road junctions, bottle necks, hilly slopes and of course the very much undesired pot holes!
This year, my family will be celebrating the festive season moderately with a low key. With the recent passing of my father in August, 2005 our family has not really got over with not having him around us whenever there’s any events or celebrations we partake in, especially on special occasion like this one. Gawai Dayak is a festival that is very unique and one of the traditional cultures that are much to be proud of by the natives of Sarawak. My late father had always been proud to belong to one of the tribal groups, the Iban, and he never got tired of talking about how he spent his younger days living with many other families in one longhouse with many rooms under one roof!
Well, this time round my mother and I will be spending our Gawai Dayak's Day at Semumok Baroh, Betong, a town located in the second division of the state of Sarawak. We are not going there to celebrate the festival rather it is about administering our family’s properties and assets belonging to my parent. It’s a business trip and most probably the number of days we are going to spend for these matters might drag on until after the first week of June.
This will be the second time I am spending Gawai Dayak’s Day away from home. In the year 2001 during the month of May and June, I was on a vacation to Florida, USA. That I won’t consider as a "Gawai Dayak celebration in the USA" because there wasn’t even a single bit of Gawai mood felt, rather I was busy enjoying my traveling in and around Florida and the mention of Gawai festival then was out of mind! :)
Well, to all dear people out there, enjoy your holidays and think safety. Road deaths escalate during every festive season. There is no doubt that there will be more cars on the roads during a festive period. Thus the probability of meeting an accident is much higher. Much of this has been attributed to the carelessness and recklessness of the driver. Furthermore, be cautious of our road conditions; there are areas where the quality of our roads is not the best! There are not many proper road sign boards to guide us of where to expect a road junctions, bottle necks, hilly slopes and of course the very much undesired pot holes!
Drive safely when you are on the road and remember not to drink and drive. May God bless and protect you and yours always.
~He will not let you fall; your protector is always awake.~ Psalm 121:3
“SELAMAT GAWAI DAYAK”
Gayu Guru, Gerai Nyamai, Senang Lantang, Nguan Menua.
Ooh Har! Ooh Har!
Gayu Guru, Gerai Nyamai, Senang Lantang, Nguan Menua.
Ooh Har! Ooh Har!
Labels: Gawai Festival
