The Gawai Festival or Harvest Festival in Sarawak also marks the culmination of the harvest celebration. The official date is June 1 (but the celebration is on for a whole month). It is an occasion when the Dayak race renew their friendship, forget their worries of the past year and make amends for old quarrels. It is an opportunity for new friendships, family reunions and to pay respects to the elders and the departed.
The ‘Miring’ or ceremonial offering is especially fascinating. In this religious ritual, the Dayaks together with their guests would participate by placing several different kinds of foodstuff and ‘tuak’ (local rice wine), on plates as an offering to the gods. A special poem for the occasion is then recited and a cockerel is sacrificed.
Once the offering ceremony is over, the main celebration begins. It is best to watch this celebration at a longhouse, the traditional home of the community (sometimes 40 families living under one roof!), where there is virtually non-stop feasting, dancing and merry making, and of course the ‘tuak’ flows just as freely too. ‘Tuak’ consumed in abundance can knock you out flat without any warning.
In the city of Kuching there are a lot of festivities going on – including a beauty pageant and cultural performances at the Sarawak Cultural Village. Holding an open house is also the order of the day.
This article has been transferred from Expat KL
This article has been edited for ExpatGomalaysia.com
This article has been edited for ExpatGomalaysia.com
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