Gawai ‘ngabang’ Good Way To Promote Goodwill

May 24, 2010, Monday Borneo Post

KUCHING: The ‘ngabang’ (visit each other’s open houses) concept during Gawai festival should be maintained as it has proved to be an effective way to strengthen comradeship and improve understanding and tolerance of each other’s cultures. Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department (Islamic Affairs) Datuk Daud Abdul Rahman, who said this on Saturday night, also hoped to see more open houses in individual homes instead of just limiting it to ‘dewan’ (multi-purpose halls) only.

“It is not about eating or drinking but it is about strengthening one’s relationship and fostering closer ties among the various races in the community. I hope that the ‘ngabang’ and open house concept would be continued by all races in all celebrations,” he said. Daud, who is also Assistant Minister of Infrastructure Development, mentioned this at the ‘Pre-Gawai Celebration 2010’ at Taman Malihah here.

The dinner was jointly organised by Taman Malihah’s Dayak Social Welfare and Recreational Cub together with Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Taman Malihah II branch . According to Daud, he finds the Gawai festival as becoming more prominent as it also attracts attention from people of other ethnic groups and religions, even from outside Sarawak.

He said come June 1, it is a norm to see many different races flocking to the longhouses to witness first hand the ‘Miring’ and the ‘Ngetas Ranyai’ ceremonies to mark the opening of the Gawai celebration. “Dayaks should be proud of this appeal. Even though every race has its own celebration, this sentiment shows that each and everyone of us has a place in Sarawak. “When everybody celebrates each other’s culture, clearly that sincerity is in place and this proves that the 1Malaysia spirit has always been practised in the state way before our Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak introduced his 1Malaysia concept,” he said.

Two villages selected for Tourism Gawai venues

April 30, 2010, Friday Borneo Post

KUCHING: Kampung Annah Rais in Padawan and Kampung Bunuk in Penrissen have been selected as the venues for the inaugural Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) Tourism Gawai to be held on June 12.The Council’s Landscape and Tourism Standing Committee chairman Edward Kurik said the event was initiated by MPP in collaboration with the State Tourism and Heritage Ministry and the Tourism Promotion Board Malaysia.

Speaking to reporters at a press conference after the MPP full council meeting yesterday, he explained that the main objective of the Tourism Gawai was to promote the home-stay programme in the two destinations.

“Most importantly, since it coincides with the Gawai Dayak festival season, foreign visitors in particular, will have an opportunity to get first hand experience on how the Bidayuh community prepare for their Gawai celebration,” he said. He said for that purpose, some visitors would be staying at the two participating longhouses to experience for themselves the unique and interesting Dayak tradition and culture.

“From the feedback we have received from the Tourism Promotion Board Malaysia and Sarawak Tourism Board so far, we can expect about 150 visitors to stay overnight in Kampung Annah Rais on the night of June 11. We don’t know how many will be putting up at Kampung Benuk homestay.

“Apart from those staying in the home-stay in both places, we also expect that many will be coming for a day trip to see the Tourism Dayak celebration on June 12. On that day itself a number of cultural performances will be presented and we can promise lots of interesting and enthralling experience for that,” he said.