Gawai Dayak also commonly known
as Dayak Festival is one of the major festivals celebrated in Sarawak, East
Malaysia. The word ‘Dayak’ is a collective term referring to the several
hundred sub ethnic groups of indigenous people of Borneo. To name a few major
ethnic groups, there are the Iban (Sea Dayak), Bidayuh (Land Dayak) and Orang
Ulu (Kelabit, Kenyahs, Lun Bawangs, etc). Although some have become Christians,
they are traditionally animists and live in the interiors of Borneo.
Nonetheless, as time pass, some have moved into the city to further their
studies and work.
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| Dayak children in their traditional costumes |
Hari Gawai, which falls on the
1st and 2nd of June each year is particularly celebrated by the Ibans and
Bidayuhs. It is both a religious and social occasion as this festival marks the
end of the harvesting season (similar to Pesta Ka’amatan in Sabah) and it is a
festival filled with much singing and dancing as they start a new farming
season. It is one of the major festivals the Dayaks celebrate; therefore, most
of those who work in the city would return to their village for the
celebration.
A month prior to Hari Gawai, most
of the locals would prepare the often raved tuak or rice wine. This famous,
not-to-be-missed concoction is made of glutinous rice collected from the recent
harvest mixed with home-made yeast and is left for fermentation. Another
similar but stronger alcohol that is made by the locals is called langkau. This
is the equivalent of our modern day Vodka whereby fermented tuak goes through a
process of heating and condensation before it is being collected in a
container.
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| "Tuak" or wine rice preparation in Dayak longhouse |
The Gawai celebration is always
an occasion of much merry-making. The celebration will not be complete if not
for the singing, dancing and fair amount of drinking. Sometimes, Christian
Dayaks would go to church for mass and gather after that for a celebration over
dinner.
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| Open house or visiting each others is a tradition during Gawai |
Although officially it is only a
two-day public holiday, the celebration often goes on continuously for over a
fortnight. However, those who work will have to go back after the two-day celebration.
If you have never visited East Malaysia, this is definitely a good time to
visit Sarawak and have a taste of its local culture and be a part of the
festivity.
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