KUCHING: The Gawai Harvest Festival is once again celebrated in the new normal similar to other festivities due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Celebrants are in favour of a moderate celebration despite the stringent standard operating procedures (SOPs) and enforcement of the movement control order (MCO).
New Sarawak Tribune managed to get the public to share their views and celebration wishes.
All of them share a common nostalgia for the ways things were and how Gawai was celebrated before the pandemic.
While some expressed disappointment at not being able to celebrate Gawai with family and friends, they understood that it is necessary to keep Covid-19 at bay.
Azreen Octavious, Coway independent contractor
My family and I will be celebrating the festival in moderation again but it’s okay. We should not take the risk given the current situation as it will not be worth it in the long run. I wish all my fellow Dayaks a Selamat Andu Gawai and stay safe.
Laura Dee Dee Cotter, actress
It feels disheartening to know that we cannot visit our relatives and spend Gawai with them again. My family and I are just going to stay home, we will treat it like a normal day just like last year. I would like to wish those celebrating Selamat Hari Gawai wherever you are. Times may be tough and celebrations continue to be different, but we must take comfort in the knowledge that this is only temporary and it shall pass.
Lorenzo Isaac, broadcast journalist
It feels bittersweet and nostalgic to celebrate Gawai without the gatherings, huge crowds, karaoke or visiting. However, we must embrace the new way of living to protect our family and community. We’ll never know when this pandemic will end but if we were able to survive previous plagues and diseases in history, we can get through this too.
Timothy Baran Jagah, Unit Trust consultant
Before the pandemic, we would already be on our way to our villages, busy getting ready for Gawai. The celebration and environment are totally different in the new norm, but all we can do is just follow the SOPs for our own as well as others’ safety. Selamat Hari Gawai — Gayu Guyu Gerai Nyamai, Lantang Senang Nguan Menua to all Dayaks in Malaysia.
Sandra Sinom Anggat, student
The celebration is definitely less enjoyable but my family and I have put in more effort in preparation as a way to cope. The pandemic may separate us physically for the time being, but let’s make full use of technology as a means to bond and unite with our loved ones. I would like to wish everyone celebrating the harvest festival a Selamat Ari Gawai Gayu Guru Gerai Nyami!
Tijan Hendrick Hank, village head (ketua kampung)
Our culture and heritage are still preserved even if family reunions, visiting or open houses are not allowed for this year. We can opt to use services like Grab Express to send special home-cooked delicacies to our loved ones to keep the spirit of Gawai alive. I would like to take this opportunity to wish Selamat Hari Gawai to those celebrating. Let’s together stop the spread of Covid-19 by staying home and staying safe, so we can have more Gawai and celebration years to come.
