Selamat Gawai or Selamat Gawai Dayak or both?

Posted by B4 on May 28, 2003 at 16:31:31:

How much more (less) gawai spirit still surging within us?
Good question and good recollection of gone-by days too, Snining.
Personally, I seem to concern myself more with the manner in which the season's greeting is presented in the newspapers, radio and tv (mainstream media). Between you and me we've no problem I think. Given our prevailing relaxed socio-political setting it is small matter I suppose. But think back of those tense days following the birth of PBDS and the alleged "dayakism" wave. Anyway, Selamat Gawai, Selamat Gawai Dayak or Sramat Gawea Sawa.

How do you think I should react to this plain "Selamat Gawai" message which greeted me when I opened my May pay slip the other day?
An Iban office mate nearby loudly said:
Bukan Selamat Gawai Dayak kah?
Where are the Dayak, Batu or Antu gone to?
Selamat Gawai apa tok?
Is it Gawai Dayak, Gawai Batu or Gawai Antu?
Well, you're reading from within Iban culture I said to myself.
Iban tradition would seem to have all those types of Gawai.
But read the message from the wider context, a Gawai is a cultural festival allocated to Sarawak natives who have yearned to have and to hold a festival function just like the Chinese hold a Chinese New Year merriment at the end of the Chinese calendar year, and just as the Malay hold a Hari Raya festival at the end of their fasting month, both of which are entered as public holidays on the official almanac of Sarawak Government.
So, the holiday-allocating authority ask what name to give the native cultural festival for insertion into the gazette as a public holiday?
Various names were tried.

It was even entered as "Dayak Day" at one time in the 1970s.
In Sabah, "Tadau Kaamatan," the Kedayan-Dusun community said Well, the authority replied, that sounded much like "Takdah Keselamatan," but OK so long as you remain loyal to BN, support UMNO Sabah, and don't stab anyone
in the back (side).

In Sarawak as the majority native group is Iban, let "Gawai" be entered as the equivalent public holiday. No, says Master Manang (shaman). We have many types of Gawai. Gawai Burung, Gawai Kenyalang, and Gawai Gayu Guru?
Well, the authority said, Bidayuh also have various types of Gawea including Gawea Oran, Gawea Bikarak, and Gawea Sowa.
This is so susah lah, latok, why not just call it Gawai Layak.
Alright, said both Iban and Bidayuh as, for once, they agreed.
Other minority native groups, such as the Orang Ulu, have other ideas.
Isn't it just like Pesta Menuai in Sabah, they ask. Some, including prominent Dayak Cabinet Ministers, said why not just call it "Gawai" instead of "Gawai Dayak"? After all Gawai is an original word, distinctive enough to be native. There is no Gawai Cina, Gawai Melayu, or Gawai Mad Salleh around. Gawai is a native thing. Let's just be social about it, shall we?

How about Pesta Menuai?
We hold our pesta menuai padi at various times of the year lah.
Why observe it on just one particular June 1st day of the year?
The Bidayuh said, Ah yes, yes, yes. That's true.
So Bau Bidayuh village communities do their Gawea Sowa as they please, on any date convenient to their own locality and on any date convenient to other local considerations such as people passing away or some prominent member wanting the occasion to coincide with a wedding ceremony or
the Tukang Nguguoh aruo di eh poya.
Some even go to Bung Bratak to do apparently the same thing.
"Why bother about the gomen and their servants' holidays?
After all, my anak not kerja gomen or what?"

How about Gawai Dayak?
Oh no. That's confusing, an elderly non-Dayak says. For goodness sake, is this another tribe, he asks. In my school days my history teacher teaches us that there are two tribes of Dayaks in Sarawak: the Land Dayak and the Sea Dayak. At this time of the year I hear people talk much of Gawai Dayak.
Is that another Dayak tribe?

Tadau Kaamatan has been bestowed with official recognition in Sabah this year. Its officially staged prgramme of activities was graced by no less than the Agong himself. You saw it telecast live on RTM1, didn't you?
In Sarawak the official Gawai celebration will be in Sibu. The last time I visited Sibu I put up at The Paramount Hotel near former Kampung Dagang. Sorry, no gawai wind there. And the local newspaper article I remember reading then was that Sibu had become Sarawak's major den of drug pedlars & pushers. But ... as there was no follow-up response, comment from Pemadam or other drug authorities, I guess that article was just a bit of sensationalisation or an exaggerated story by a reporter in a rush to get into print. So, I guess it would be safe to celebrate official Gawai
there at the end of this month. Visitors wanting to hear Iban Song would hopefully be obliged by Iban Kapit or Iban Kanowit to listen to music of their preference there.

This Saturday afternoon rambling will not stop until it reaches Gawai Less Ketchup but more Belacan Bintulooo Bigaru bigger you garu garu sampai gerai nyamai. Selamat ngintu Gawai Antu, Gawai Batu, gayu guru Lantang Senang menang lumor ikoh 4D gayu guru Cikgu Gunaswaran Mahaguru Hare Krishna gayu guru Harehari Makan Kari Godaswami orang lain gayu guru
Mana tahan makan kari tiap-tiap hari Bigaru Bigger You SELAMAT GAWAI