KUCHING – Gawai Dayak in Sarawak is often associated with various activities such as beauty pageants and ngabang, or Gawai open houses.
And although this is the second year in a row that the Dayak community has had to skip such festive gatherings, they accept that it is a sacrifice everyone has to make in the fight against the deadly Covid-19 pandemic.
“One of the activities I’m going to miss the most is definitely gathering with all my relatives at my grandparents’ house in Kg Stass in Bau.
“I will also miss the ngabang because this is the only time we can go around and catch up not only with our relatives, but also our friends,” said trainee medical officer Grandy Mina Mihim.
Grandy, 26, said she will also miss the Kumang Gawai, a contest to choose the festival’s beauty queen.
“That is also the only time we get to see our Bidayuh beauties showcase their traditional costumes from their respective sub-ethnic groups,” said Grandy, a contestant in past pageants.
Grandy said she will also miss local delicacies like Bidayuh food.
“I can imagine the taste of pogang (lemang), which is eaten with tikasuom (fermented fish) sprinkled with chillies and lime,” she said.
Nevertheless, Grandy said, she fully agrees with the state government’s decision to impose the movement control order throughout Sarawak from May 29 to June 11. Gawai Dayak is celebrated on June 1.
“This is a global pandemic and cases keep increasing from day to day. It is better to take care of ourselves and our families than to go out and be infected with the virus,” she said. – Bernama, May 30, 2021
