Despite there being restrictions in this year’s Gawai celebrations due to the conditional movement control order (CMCO), the Gawai spirit still continues. Merrymakers continue to celebrate days after the festival, some in moderation, and some in creative ways.
Keeping their loved ones safe
A time of bonding and connecting, Michelle Ashley Herman said Gawai to her is very meaningful. “Not only is it a symbolic festival to celebrate the end of harvest season but it is also a time where families and friends get together.”
In previous years, Michelle and her family would celebrate Gawai at Kampung Semaba. “We would normally organise an open house where friends and families would go ‘ngabang’ (visiting) at our place. It is a given chance where we can catch up with our loved ones while enjoying traditional delicacies.”
However, the 24-year-old shared that this year’s Gawai was celebrated differently due to the global pandemic. “This year, the special day could only be shared with close family members.” Despite no ‘ngabang’ this year, Michelle said the spirit of Gawai burned brightly nevertheless. “We still enjoyed ourselves and we made sure to stay safe at home.”
Meanwhile, Alistair Menang Philip Seli usually gathers at his family’s longhouse in Sekuau, Sibu. On Gawai eve, he recalled that usually there are many preparations to make. “The best thing about celebrating at the longhouse is everyone would work together to prepare special dishes and traditional food. And on that day, we could hear the sound of traditional instruments.”
Over the years, it has always been a tradition of his family at the longhouse to gather at 7pm and perform ‘Ngajat’. When midnight arrives, his family would mark the celebration with a glass of tuak each, also known as ‘ai pengayu’ (blessed drink) among Ibans. “We would spend the following day ‘ngabang’ our family and friends,” said the 26-year-old.
However, this year the conditional movement copntrol order (CMCO) restricted him from returning to his hometown. “This Gawai is called ‘Gawai Stay At Home’,” he shared. According to him, his family still continued their Gawai ritual by preparing food and following the traditional customs. “The only difference was we did not invite our loved ones for ‘ngabang’ this year.”
The Iban lad said he understood the actions done by the government in implementing the standard operating procedures (SOPs). “I don’t want to risk my family at my longhouse especially my grandmother.” Alistair also hopes that there would no longer be any Covid-19 cases, “So I can celebrate at my longhouse again next year as it is more exciting.”
While not being able to return to her longhouse too, Mitcell Paul thought it was disheartening as she could not see her grandparents this year, “But I know how vulnerable old people can be to the virus, so it will be better if we just stay where we are to keep them safe.” Mitcell also revealed that her grandfather had asked them not to come back otherwise he would chase them away.
However, what makes her sad was the thought of her grandparents celebrating Gawai themselves. Furthermore, Mitcell disclosed that her grandparents live alone as their children are all working in the city and that she could not video call them as telecommunication were limited at the longhouse.
The 27-year-old Mitcell’s hometown is in Ulu Skrang, Sri Aman, and her family would annually go back to her mother’s longhouse to celebrate Gawai, and her father’s longhouse to ‘ngiling tikai’ (closing celebration).
“Thinking about them without their children and grandchildren by their side, i can only imagine how lonely Gawai would be for my grandparents.”
Apart from Gawai being the time to bond, it is also a time for her to relieve her stress by drinking and dancing from night till the sun rises. Mitcell shared that once the time strikes midnight, there would be someone firing seven shots in the air as the others toast to welcome the festival.
On the morning of Gawai, “there would be a group of men slaughtering pigs and dividing the meat to every family in the longhouse.” According to her, there are 27 families in her longhouse, and they will be divided into three groups to take turns cooking during the festivity. “It is all fun until we need to wash the plates,” she joked.
“My dad always tries his best to cook a variety of meals for the villagers because he always told me, ‘In the city, people always get to eat what they want but villagers might never taste different recipes before’,” said Mitcell.
Celebrating this year’s Gawai, Mitcell’s father still cooks for the family but with moderation. “We celebrated modestly this year, only me, dad, mom and my little brother. And no singing and dancing till dawn.”
On a different note, Hansel Anslem celebrated this year’s Gawai by holding a Zoom meeting with all the family members. “It felt fun and different because it was unusual. But, I am still sad because we could not return to our hometown to celebrate together.”
Hansel’s kampung is at Kampung Semadang, Siburan. Each year, there would be a big gathering among families to celebrate the festivity. “Gawai also means a reunion of families that has not met for a long time.”
The 26-year-old shared that every year, they would have a big banquet at the village on Gawai eve. “Then we will have a sharing session. The following day was reserved for ‘ngabang’.”
