Gawai Dayak Day

amazed

Monday June 23, 2008
Rich colours of Sarawak

By SHARON LING

SARAWAK put on a grand display of its rich cultural traditions at the Gawai Dayak Open House at the Indoor Stadium here recently.

Head of State Tun Abang Muhammad Salahuddin Abang Barieng was joined on stage by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud to launch the event by winnowing rice in traditional flat baskets.
Also present were Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Shafie Apdal and Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Alfred Jabu.

Authentic: An Iban dance being performed on stage.

A welcoming dance to kick off the celebration was followed by a solo Orang Ulu 搉gajat

amazed

Gawai Dayak
Gawai Day or Gawai Dayak, a festival celebrated in Sarawak on 1 June every year is both a religious and social occasion. The word Gawai means a ritual or festival whereas Dayak is a collective name for the native ethnics of Sarawak; Iban, Bidayuh, Kayan, Kenyah, Kelabit, Lun Bawang and others.

Thus, Gawai Dayak literally means "Dayak Festival". Dayak would visit their friends and relatives on this day. Such visit is more known as "ngabang" in Iban dialect. Those far away would receive greeting cards.

The celebration starts on the evening of 31 May. In most Iban longhouses, it starts with a ceremony called Muai Antu Rua (to cast away the spirit of greed), signifying the non-interference of the spirit of bad luck in the celebration.

Two children or men each dragging a chapan (winnowing basket) will pass each family's 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 or as the sun sets, miring (offering ceremony) will take place. Before the ceremony, gendang rayah (ritual music) is performed.

The Feast Chief thank the gods for the good harvest, ask for guidance, blessings and long life as he waves a cockerel over the offerings. He, then, sacrifices the cockerel and a little blood is also used together with the offerings.

Once the offering ceremony is done, dinner is then served at the ruai. Just before midnight, a procession up and down the ruai seven times called Ngalu Petara (welcoming the spirit gods) is performed.

During this procession, a beauty pageant to choose the festival's beauty queen and king (Kumang & Kelling Gawai) is sometimes conducted. Meanwhile, drinks, traditional cakes and delicacies are served.

At midnight, the gong is beaten to call for the celebrants to attention. The longhouse Chief (tuai rumah) or Festival Chief 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).

The celebration by now will get merrier. Some will dance to the traditional music played. Others will sing the pantun (poems). In urban areas, Dayak will organise gatherings at community centres or restaurants to celebrate the evening.








Iban girls dressed in full Iban (women)
attire during Gawai festivals in Debak,
Betong region, Sarawak



wowzieeeee  cun gak dak pompuan iban ni ek... aku suka tengok muka dorang..comey     kostume tu pun boley tahan, ek..

Sephiroth

That is not a kostum, that is their clothings before they were replaced by jeans and tight T-shirts (which revealed more than those costums could).

Pesta Gawai is similar to Thai ponggal. Both regarded as celebration toward a good harvest (only Hindus thank the Sun God, not sure the East coast people).