Gawai visit to Bali

It was a very memorable visit to Bali for eight of us – me and my wife and my two sisters and their families.

We left Kuching early on 1 June 2011 for the Kuching International Airport for Kuala Lumpur where we caught another Air Asia flight to Bali.

We arrived in Bali at about 7.00 pm and after the tedious Immigration, customs and security checks we finally met our tour guide, Gusti Ketut Artha and his driver.

We immediately left for dinner at an open space near the sea.

We stayed at the Aston Denpasar Hotel.

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Day One, 2 June 2011:

Batubulan: This is where we witnessed a Barong play which presents an internal fight between good and evil spirits. A barong is a mythological animal which represents good spirit and Rangda, a mythological monster, represents an evil one. An hour was spent watching this play.

Tohpati: Where witnessed batik painting and hand weaving. Some of us purchased some products.

Celuk: This is where silverware and gold are being produced. We bought some silver bangles, earrings and rings.

Goa gajah: This is the 11^th century of elephant cave temple.

Temen village: We went to Bali Coffee garden, where the best coffee in the world is being brewed. Called Kopi Luak, the coffee seeds were collected from ‘tai munsang’ (fox dung) and processed.

Kintamani: This is where our lunch was served while seeing active volcano and Lake Batur. The last explosion was 11 years ago. Around this area where we found gardens of cabbages, strawberry and other fruits only grown in cool climate. It is very much similar to Bario highlands in Sarawak.

Sebatu: The spring water temple. This spring water has some powers that can cure various illnesses including those who are barren.

GWK (Geruda Wisnu Kencana): This will be the highest statue in the world which will be three times taller than the statue of liberty, when completed. It began its construction in 1997. Even though it is only 20% completed, it has already one of the star tourist attractions. Situated on an area of 145 hectares, the width is about 65 metres while its height will be 170 metres when completed. In and around this area will be shopping malls.

Some 4,000 tons of brass and copper are required to build it. Considered to be the icon of Bali when completed, the statue of Wisnu, who is considered the god of gods will be placed on top of geruda, a divine vehicle.

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Day Two, 3 June 2011:

Taman Ayun: This is the royal family temple of Mengui surrounded by beautiful gardens.

Ulun Danau: This is another mountain top danau (lake) which is 900metres above sea level. It occupies an area of 600 acres. Water sports are being organised in this resort.

Tanah lot: This is a holy temple in the sea. This is the best place where tourists by the thousands are watching the Bali sunset. On the way to this Tanah lot from Ulun Danau, we came across four cremation ceremonies.

According to our guide, who is a Hindu, the dead body is burnt and the ashes are thrown into the sea so that the ashes are expected to be brought to the holy Ganges River. The Ganges is always known as a religious icon in the world.

The cremation is an expensive ritual involving the whole people of a kampong. For those who are rich, the cremation is ready between a few days only. But for those who are poor, cremation may be performed 10 years after the death of the person.

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Day Three, 4 June 2011:

This day was given to us to roam the city of Denpasar, the capital of Bali and where we did some shopping.

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Day Four, 5 June 2011:

We checked out from the hotel and went to Kuta where the most beautiful beaches are found. There were thousands of tourists, 90 percent of them were Europeans, Americans and Australians. This was the place where terrorists bombed two hotels killing more than 200 Australians.

We were supposed to be accommodated at the Aston Kuta hotel, but changed to Aston Denpasar for fear of terrorists attack soon after the death of Osama bin Laden.

From Kuta we left for the Airport on the way to Kuching via Kula Lumpur.

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Comments: When we arrived in Bali we felt proud of being ‘millionaires’ as each one of us carried several millions rupiah. At least we knew we were millionaires even for four days.

On a serious note, Bali depends on tourism as its survival fully exploiting on ancient temples each of which has its own unique tales and history as well as its cultural values.

What Bali is doing in the preservation of its ancient buildings, temples and palaces is the opposite of what Sarawak has done: demolished buildings constructed by the Brooke regime or any other colonial links.

It has also developed its eco-tourism turning even its paddy fields, coffee growing, active volcano mountains into one of the most enterprising businesses. Our tourism efforts (Sarawak) are paled in comparison.

Our tourism ministers should adopt Bali’s approach to tourism. Our politicians are NATO (no action talks only).

Bali is strongly recommended for adventurous tourists.

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

Our wonderful gift for 2009 Gawai Dayak

Many do not realise that our wonderful gift for our Gawai Dayak 2009 is the recognition by the Federal Court of our Native Customary Rights (NCR) over our ancestral land, and the Court has clearly defined that NCR land includes 'Pemakai Menua' (communal land boundaries), ‘Pulau Galau’ (communal forests), ‘tembawai’ (old longhouse sites), ‘pendam tuai’ (old graveyards), farm land and ‘temuda’ land.

The decision of the apex court which was made early in May 2009 is going to open a floodgate of legal actions against government, which leases our land and companies which plant oil palm on our land.

Not only they took away our land by force, but they also destroyed our fruit trees, rubber and pepper gardens, padi fields, destroyed our communal forests, communal land boundaries and graveyards. Some time our longhouses were also destroyed. For all this, we must seek compensations as well as the return of our NCR land.

Thanks to our lawyers and Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (SADIA) for their courageous efforts in fighting for our NCR land. Finally we triumph. And for this Gawai Dayak we have every reason to rejoice and to be thankful.

To all readers of The Broken Shield, we wish to say:

“Selamat Gawai Dayak, gayu-guru, gerai-nyamai, chelap-lindap nguan menua, betuah-belimpah. Sida ke dara bulih laki, sida ke bujang bulih bini, beranak betelesak ngambika bala kitai Dayak maioh ka agi di menua Sarawak”.

We will be going to our village for our Gawai and any reader happens to pass by is welcome to our humble house at Kpg. Sungai Samabang, Jalai Punda, Simunjan. – The Broken Shield