MyBlog.Net

Thank You so much for those who read my blog. I just want to ask for forgiveness because I may not updating my blog in these few weeks. I will be very busy in my preparation for Gawai DAyak. For your information, Gawai Dayak is a celebration for the Ibans in Sarawak Malaysia. We will be celebrating it in the 1st June. We have to prepare a lots of things. The foods, drinks, our clothes, our home decoration and bla, bla, bla...

hermm, lemme share with you just a few things about Gawai Celebration in Sarawak.

Present Day of Gawai Dayak

The word Gawai means a ritual or festival whereas Dayak is a collective name for the natives races in Sarawak; the Iban, Bidayuh, Kayan, Kenyah, Kelabit, Murut and a few more. Thus Gawai Dayak literally means the Dayak Festival.

The mode of celebrations varies from place to place. Preparation starts very early. Tuak (rice wine) are brewed and traditional delicacies like penganan (cakes from rice flour, sugar and coconut milk) prepared. As the big day approaches, everyone will be busy with the general cleaning and preparing the food or cakes. On Gawai eve, glutinous rice are roasted in bamboo (ngelulun pulut). In the longhouse, new mats will be laid out on the ruai (an open gallery which runs through the entire length of the longhouse). The walls of most bilik (rooms) and the ruai are decorated with pua kumbu (traditional blanket).

The celebration starts on the evening of 31st May. In most Iban's longhouse, it starts with a ceremony called Muai Antu Rua (to cast away the spirit of greediness), signifying the non interference of the spirit of bad luck in the celebration. Two children or men each dragging a chapan or winnowing basket will pass each family room. Every family will throw some unwanted article into the basket. The unwanted articles will be tossed to the ground from the end of the longhouse for the spirit of bad luck.

Around 6 pm, miring (offering ceremony) will take place. Before the ceremony, gendang rayah (ritual music) is performed. The feast chief thanks the gods for the good harvest, ask for guidance, blessings and long life as he sacrifices a cockerel. Dinner will then be served at the ruai. While waiting for midnight, the folks gather and mingle at the ruai and berandau (talk/converse). Meanwhile, drinks, traditional cakes and delicacies are served.

At midnight, the gong is sounded. The tuai rumah will lead everyone to drink the Ai Pengayu (normally tuak for long life) and at the same time wishing each other "gayu-guru, gerai-nyamai" (long life, health and prosperity). A procession up and down the ruai called Ngalu Petara (Welcoming the Spirits) will follow. The celebration by now will get more merrier. Some will dance to the traditional music played. Others will sing the pantun (poems). In the town, the Dayak will gather at the community centres or restaurants for a enliven the evening.

Other activities that may follow the next day include cock-fighting ( now WE cannot do thins thing anymore. It was illegal ), demonstration of blowpipe skills and ngajat competitions. On this day, 1st June, the homes of the Dayaks will be opened to visitors. In the longhouses, there is a practises called masu pengabang where all guests will be served with tuak by the host before they can enter the longhouse. Dayaks will attend a church mass to thanks God for the good harvest. Gawai Dayak celebration may last for several days. Visitors are most welcome to the homes of the Dayaks during the festival.

Hmm, last time the celebration used to be like this in my mum's village. But, the tradition is slowly being forgotten by people. Now, we just celebrate in an ordinary celebration. They were just enjoying themselves and no one cares to celebrate it the ways the elders usually does. Luckily, I had once experienced it. It was FUN!!!!!HUH!! Hopefully, this year Gawai will be very fun and unforgettable one. HAHA! My English was TERRIBLE!!!

Jako Lalau ngagai semua bala kehak, Lydia, Kayrell, Angela, Caroline, And Bla, bla, bla:

uit!! Lalu ngagai kmpung ku 2hb June tok keyh?? Bc another gawai ba kmpg ku. Gawai Antu a.k.a nyungkup. HAHA!!! Mesti datai k??? 3HB or 4HB kitai plak serbu rumah panjai Lydia. Oya, my kmpg is Rh Radin, Sg Menyan Sibu. Enti kita tesat, jerit jak nma ku, aku akan muncul secepat kilat. HAHAH!!!