Gawai Dayak has added meaning to Simunjan people

The 2010 Gawai Dayak has an added meaning to the longhouse people along the Simunjan Road because they are able to have contacts with the outside world after the installation of an ICT tower in the Kpg. Ruan area, all because of the efforts of YB Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum, Deputy Minister of Information, Communication and Culture.

Many overseas workers who were unable to return for the Gawai Dayak were able to contact their parents and relatives. For instance, my son, Rudy Tawie, who is studying for his PhD (civil engineering) in South Korea, was able to contact our Kpg. Sungai Semabang, Simunjan to convey his Gawai greetings to us.

It was indeed a very happy moment and a very special meaning to us to be able to speak to my son and his family. We would like to express our sincere thanks to YB Datuk Salang.

We were also able to use our internet connections through Celcom broadband and followed what was happening around the country especially on the minor cabinet reshuffle announced by Prime Minister Najib.

However, the services need to be upgraded as the lines sometimes “putus”.

While I conveyed our Gawai Dayak greetings to YB Datuk Salang, I also informed him of our problems. He promised to speak to the local authorities to improve the ICT services in the Simunjan area.

Meanwhile, Gawai Dayak was celebrated modestly by the people of our village. It was an occasion to meet our relatives and friends.

The Gawai began with the drinking of “ai Pengayu” (long life water) at the stroke of midnight on 31 May. This was followed by various cultural events till the early morning of the 1 June.

At 10.00 am, all the people of Sungai Semabang gathered at the ruai of Tuai Rumah Sipi Anak Narang where the festival continued with cultural performances, drinking and eating.

Later in the afternoon, all they came to our humble house where delicious foods such as pansoh manok, panggang manok, pansoh jani, and so on were served to the pengabang (visitors).

Source: http://www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com/

Jetty's family members after the drinking of "ai Pengayu". They have to open their shirts in order to get rid of 'bad luck' and welcome the new Gawai spirit.

Mr. Juah performing the "ngajat"

A memorable Gawai Dayak

This year’s Gawai Dayak was one of the most pleasant and memorable occasions in several years for members of our family, although we missed our dear parents/grandparents – my father who was a pillar of strength and a beacon of hope for the family passed away on 1 July 1996 and our loving mother who had become a source of inspiration and love passed away on 28 February 2005. During Gawai they were the centre of our love and affection.

For me personally, it was a happy gathering of family members. My youngest son, an engineer with Shell, came all the way from Miri. His wife and a three-month old daughter were unable to come. Except for my third son, my two other children and their families were with us. However, my third son, who was in South Korea for his PhD studies, managed to call us that night before we “ngirup ai pengayu”.

As tradition would have it, our celebration began in the evening with a BBQ session and at the stroke of mid-night we prayed to God the Almighty and thanked Him for His protection and blessing. We also sought His guidance and blessing for the coming Gawai. Only then we drank “ai pengayu” and wished every one “gayu-guru gerai-nyamai”.

Celebrating Gawai at Kampung Keniong Jaya, Simunjan where I was born more than 60 years ago

As we do not live in a longhouse, but in a Malay-style of a village of 26 houses that make Kampong Sungai Samabang, Simunjan, the heads or representatives from the 26 houses have to assemble at the house of the Tuai Rumah to pay our first Gawai visit the first thing on the first day of Gawai (1 June). Then they next visited our house.

As agreed, 13 houses were to receive visitors (pengabang), while the other 13 houses would receive their guests the following day. This arrangement would enable every household to reciprocate each other’s Gawai visit. Visitors from other villages or longhouses could come any time, as the “ruling” only applied to folks of Kampong Sungai Samabang.

During the Gawai visit it was an opportunity to have met and talked to some of my relatives and friends whom I have not met for years. Some of them returned to the village once a year or once in two years as they worked in far-flung places like Johor, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Penang.

Later in the evening some of my family members went to another longhouse, Kpg. Keniong Jaya, where we met literally hundreds of relatives and wished them “gayu-guru, gerai-nyamai”. It was in this kampong where I was born more than 60 years ago.

For me this year’s gawai was just like walking down memory lane full with nostalgic feelings and sweet memories. It was indeed a memorable and pleasant one. – The Broken Shield