KUCHING: There is no other place like Sarawak, which has a strong unity and harmony among its multiracial and multicultural society.
Best part of Sarawak is that every festive celebration is for all, including the Chinese New Year (CNY).
Before the Covid-19 pandemic hit and when there was no restriction on gatherings and close physical contact, CNY or during other festivities like Hari Raya, Gawai and even Christmas will see activities like open houses where people of different races join celebrants in the merrymaking.
Besides, in the state, there are many mixed marriages and this has always been one of the ways racial harmony among the people is further promoted.
Like other Sarawakian Chinese, Nur Azalia Irene Sii Abdullah, who is a Chinese Muslim, is looking forward to spending her CNY with her husband and his family.
Better known as Irene and hailing from Sibu, the 33-year-old is half Chinese Foochow and Sekapan, an Orang Ulu sub-ethnic. She is married to Mohd Nurhakim Mohd Hashim, 32, whose father is from Johor and mother is a Sarawakian.
The couple had just gotten married last year and this will be their second year celebrating CNY together.
“This year’s celebration will be a bit different, as I cannot go back to my hometown in Sibu to celebrate with my family there due to the movement control order (MCO) enforced in the district.”
However, she is glad that she is still able to celebrate it here with her husband, and they will have a simple dinner at home.
“Although being married to a Muslim, I still practice some of the customs and traditions in ushering in the new year.”
To her, CNY is more of a cultural celebration that is observed by the Chinese, regardless of their religious background.
“For me, as a Chinese Muslim, celebrating CNY is part of cultural norm that defines our ethnic identity,” she said, adding that CNY and other festivities were also a time to strengthen bonds with family members.
Irene added that what she loved most about CNY was seeing family from far and near coming together to celebrate and meals shared among friends and family.
“However there are certain food that I cannot consume such as pork as Islam prohibits eating pork.
“…and although I have converted, I remain the same person, only my dressing has changed as now I wear hijab.”
Meanwhile, Nurawina Kiprawi, 32, of mixed Chinese-Malay parentage, said her family celebrated CNY without miss. Nurawina’s mother is a Chinese Hokkien.
“We celebrate CNY every year with my mother’s family. Normally, my mother will go to her sibling house for the reunion dinner on CNY eve, and on the first day of CNY, we will usually gather at my uncle’s house to watch the lion dance.”
When asked how her mother adapt Chinese traditions into a new one (as Muslim) in the family, she said everything was still practiced as the same.
“Only the tradition of playing Mahjong (tile-based game) and gambling during CNY is not allowed as it is strictly prohibited. But for the rest that is not contradicting with Islam, the tradition can still be observed.”
Proud of her mixed heritage, Nurawina said that what she was going to miss the most this CNY was the lion dance performances and getting red packets (ang pow).
“However, what matters the most to me is seeing the happiness on my mother’s face when she attends the reunion dinner…it’s what makes me happy always.”
She said being a half Chinese and Malay, she got to celebrate both celebrations – CNY and Hari Raya, and it was very important to respect and recognise both cultures.
“To be honest, it is not really important for me to identify myself with both cultures to other people because since I was little, my father always reminded me that everyone in this world is just the same.
“I will always remember his words, ‘when you create differences in human beings, you will always think of the differences instead of the similarities which is the bond with each other’.”
