KUCHING: Professor Datuk Dr Jayum Jawan recently made a comment regarding Kumang Gawai, calling the beauty pageant “demeaning” to Dayak women.
Jayum pointed out that Kumang Gawai was originally not a part of the harvest festival (Gawai). He called on Sarakup Indu Dayak Sarawak (SIDS), a Dayak-based non-governmental organisation, particularly the women’s movement within it, to re-evaluate the contest.
His comment sparked reactions from several politicians, including Kapit MP Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi. They argued that the Kumang Gawai Pageant is a showcase of Iban cultural heritage and does not demean the women in the community.
According to Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi, the focus of the contest is not solely on participants’ physical appearance. Instead, it serves as a platform to display the traditional costumes, headgear called “sugu tinggi,” crafts, and more, which are important elements of Iban culture.
Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas also disagreed with the notion that Kumang Gawai is demeaning to Dayak women. He emphasised that the event is a time to display and contribute to the wealth and heritage of Malaysia.
The New Sarawak Tribune interviewed former contestants and experts to gather their opinions on the matter and to gain insights from their experiences in pageant competitions.
Bitanding Dayung Gawea Tematu
John Pata James, the chairman of the Dayung Gawea Tematu 2024 pageant, said the contest showcases various aspects of the Bidayuh culture through the wearing of the appropriate costumes by the contestants.
The pageant started in 2014 and is open to Bidayuh women between the ages of 18 and 24. The event was held annually until 2020 when it had to be stopped due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2024, there are a total of 145 contestants participating in the Dayung Gawea Tematu.
The pageant was initially established to enliven the Gawai celebration and was founded by the Gawea Tematu Carnival committee, led by John Pata James.
Most of the contestants come from areas such as Serian, Bau, Lundu, Padawan, and others. As long as a woman is Bidayuh or has Bidayuh “blood” due to interracial marriage, she can participate in the competition.
The judging of the competition is done by professional judges with years of experience in pageant competitions.
Contestants are judged based on their costumes, beauty, personality, and how they present themselves on stage.
John emphasises the importance of contestants wearing authentic Bidayuh costumes and not mixing them up with accessories from other cultures.
Contestants who wear accessories from other cultures may be disqualified to preserve the authenticity of the Bidayuh culture.
John believes that the pageant is not demeaning to the Bidayuh culture. On the contrary, he sees it as a way to promote and preserve the Bidayuh tradition.
He mentions that before the competition, Bidayuh people rarely wore traditional Bidayuh costumes.
Since the pageant started, more Bidayuh people have gained the courage to wear traditional Bidayuh costumes, and it has become more common in households in Kpg Tematu.
John hopes that through this competition, the Bidayuh culture will be introduced not only in Sarawak but also throughout Malaysia and internationally.
He wants people to recogniseand appreciate the beauty of the Bidayuh culture.
Priscilla John
In 2015, Priscilla John, a former pageant contestant turned TVS Iban, anchor and presenter, reluctantly entered the “Pekit Kumang Gawai Siol Kandis 2015” competition.
“Then in 2016, I unexpectedly won the Miss People’s Choice Awards at UNIMAS and Miss Borneo UNIMAS.
“I also managed to secure the 3U Idol Angkatan Zaman Mansang Sarawak (AZAM) Pekit Ngajat title, along with a few other Pekit Kumang Gawai winners.
“Since then, I’ve been actively involved with various non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and I even became the youngest secretary for the Sarawak Dayak National Union (SDNU),” she explained.
Priscilla was also appointed as an advisor for Pekit Kumang, guiding the contestants on how to present themselves on stage.
“This includes coaching them on their catwalk and teaching them how to answer questions effectively,” she said.
Initially, Priscilla joined the Pekit Kumang Gawai thanks to her best friend’s insistence.
“At that time, I lacked the motivation and had no desire to participate in Pekit Kumang Gawai, as I was actively involved in traditional Ngajat dance.
“However, my best friend, who also worked in the media, pushed me to join. At first, I declined, but she kept urging me, so I eventually thought, ‘Why not?’
“I consider myself lucky because participating in Kumang Gawai taught me a lot about the essence of Kumang, ‘ngepan’, and other aspects of the Iban culture,” she added.
Priscilla emphasised that Kumang Gawai is not merely a beauty pageant, but also a platform to showcase knowledge and understanding of the Iban culture.
“The biggest surprise was that my entire family supported my decision to join Kumang Gawai.
“None of us had ever participated in such a competition before, so I feel truly blessed to have their support,” she said.
She then revealed that the highest-level competition she participated in was Cats Gawai Darlie 2017.
“After winning the competition, I was invited to become an advisor and coach for other contestants.
“We organised various activities, including corporate social responsibility (CSR), in the week leading up to the competition,” she explained.
According to Priscilla, participating in Pekit Kumang Gawai is an extremely challenging process.
“Why do I say that? Well, because each contestant must be well-prepared in terms of her knowledge and understanding of Iban customs, especially ‘ngepan’.
“Sarawak has a rich variety of Iban cultures, including Iban Saribas and Iban Ulu Rajang, each with its unique characteristics.
“Some of the words and ‘ngepan’ differ between these cultures, so contestants who wish to participate must learn about all these cultural aspects,” she explained.
Priscilla emphasised that in Pekit Kumang, the way contestants present themselves on stage matters the most.
“If you have a deep understanding of our culture, you will naturally know how to answer questions. But if you haven’t learned, how can you expect to answer all the questions asked on stage?
“That’s why you must be equipped with knowledge. For me, Pekit Kumang is not solely about beauty.
“It’s about how you will carry the Kumang title after winning it. Like me, when the judges asked me what I planned to do with the title, I said I would give back to my community. As you can see, the result is here,” she added.
Addressing the criticism that Kumang Gawai degrades Dayak women, Priscilla believed it to be inaccurate.
“Many participants come from diverse educational backgrounds.
“If we don’t continue organising Pekit Kumang, how can we encourage the younger generation to not only learn about our culture but also embrace it?
“Through ‘ngepan’, we gain a deeper understanding of our Iban culture,” she added.
Priscilla stated that through such pageant competitions, outsiders can appreciate the beauty of the Iban culture.
“One thing to note is that our ‘ngepan’ is not cheap; it is expensive. Each ‘ngepan’ is different in origin, such as those from Saribas or Ulu Rajang.
“It is crucial to understand why they differ and how they represent the Iban culture of their respective areas,” she said.
“In my opinion, Pekit Kumang doesn’t degrade Iban women; instead, it uplifts our culture and our races,” she added.
Priscilla emphasised the importance of Iban people supporting each other instead of fighting against one another.
“Everything we do has an objective or reason behind it,” she said.
