‘Gawai Dayak has grown beyond a mere harvest celebration. It has evolved into a force of unity and a symbol of Dayak aspiration and hope in a harmonious and free Sarawak.’
– Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, Sarawak Premier.
DEAR friends, are you counting the days to Gawai Dayak? I don’t blame you if you are.
It is exactly 10 days away and maybe, you are looking forward to catching up with family members you have not seen for years.
For tourists, let me explain that Gawai Dayak is an annual festival and a public holiday celebrated by the Dayak people in Sarawak on June 1 and 2.
It is officially celebrated on June 1 but the festivities continue for as long as a month.
Gawai Dayak was officially recognised and first celebrated formally on June 1, 1965. Before that, the Dayak people would begin the festivities after the harvest season in April or May.
In the Iban language, Gawai means “merrymaking.”
On Gawai eve, i.e May 31, in the longhouses, at the stroke of midnight, a gong is sounded and the tuai rumah (headman) will lead everyone in drinking the Ai Pengayu (tuak for long life) while wishing each other ‘long life, health and prosperity’ (gayu-guru, gerai- nyamai).
After the drinking of the Ai Pengayu, a procession to welcome the spirits known as Ngalu Petara ensues with a procession walking up and down the entire length of the longhouse. The celebration will become merrier with dancing and the playing of traditional music.
More fun continues the next day with cock-fighting and various types of games and competitions.
Yes, welcoming Gawai Dayak in a longhouse is an unforgettable experience.
During the festival, the homes of the Dayaks are open to visitors. Authentic Dayak drinks and food like tuak (rice wine) and penganan (cakes from rice flour, sugar and coconut milk) will be served
By now, the tuak in most households should be fermenting nicely. The basic ingredients for the rice wine are rice, sugar, water and yeast. The process of making the wine usually takes an average of two months.
Whether with or without sugar water, the mixture is left to ferment for at least six weeks to reach the highest alcohol level.
In the Dayak households, the older generation like the aunties and grandmas are usually responsible for making the tuak. It is a skill proudly handed down from one generation to the generation.
While some households may have made their traditional Gawai delicacies, others may be about to start making theirs.
At a shop in Kuching recently, I saw a Dayak woman buying plastic transparent containers for her Gawai delicacies. She was unhappy the shop had run out of the containers.
It is common for Dayak women in the longhouses to make their Gawai delicacies on a “gotong royong” (mutual benefit) basis.
The system works like this: Today, I help you make your delicacies. Tomorrow, you help me make mine. Because many hands make the work light, it is less tedious to make delicacies together than if you make them alone.
Some Dayak friends I know, however, are just buying theirs. “I am just lazy,” explains one.
If you are visiting your Iban friends during the Gawai Dayak, watch out for the traditional kuih chuan, kuih sarang semut and penganan. They are, as one Chinese YouTube cook says, “out of this world” and should be savoured and appreciated.
Many Gawai Dayak celebrants who work in other towns or countries should have returned to their villages or longhouses by now and busy buying Gawai necessities for their families.
When express boats were still operating between Sibu and other towns along the Rajang River years ago, many Dayaks who came home for Gawai would buy sofa sets, other furniture and gas cylinders for their families. These goods would be loaded on top of the express boats for everyone to see and envy
I miss such riverine scenes in Sibu. I guess the disappearances of old lifestyles are the prices we have to pay for development and progress.
Now that many towns are connected by roads to Sibu, such goods are now transported by lorries instead of express boats.
If you have never visited a longhouse in Sarawak before, Gawai Dayak is the best time to do so.
You will not only enjoy the fabulous food but also the beautiful culture and hospitality of the Dayaks.
I am happy to note that many airlines including Malaysia Airlines, Firefly, MYAirline and AirAsia have announced fixed fares for flights to Sarawak and Sabah from Kuala Lumpur and Penang in conjunction with the upcoming Gawai and Kaamatan festivals.
Kaamatan, also known as Tadau Kaamatan, is a harvest festival celebrated by the Kadazan-Dusun tribe in Sabah.
Malaysia Airlines and Firefly will also operate additional flights from May 25 to June 5 to accommodate the influx of passengers returning home for the celebrations.
AirAsia has added additional commercial flights from Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru to Sibu to alleviate capacity constraints to both these destinations for the festive periods.
Thanks to all these fixed fares from the airlines, it looks like many more Dayaks who work or live in Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Johor Bahru can now be home for Gawai Dayak this year.
I won’t be surprised if this year’s Gawai Dayak turns out to be the merriest in a long time for many celebrants.
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of New Sarawak Tribune.
