May 28, 2010

The Gawai Dayak around the World 2010

 Nearer to Gawai as I see many of my friends and relatives leaving for their kampongs I get a little misty in the eyes. How are  friends celebrating theirs in Saudi or Qatar? Some are even as far away as Florida...may be Gawai will just pass by like any other day or may be Gawai would be a nice reunion for some. I heard one family in England had a street party and the neighbours had a great time one year some time ago..

I was talking to my colleagues that it would be nice to see how  the Ibans and other indigenous Sarawakian communities have spread around the world. And it would be even nicer to see how they keep their traditions alive!! But they all think that the community is too small to have a big do...may be a small bbq would suffice ... But again my colleagues say that when people are overseas traditional celebrations may be set aside because people would be too busy working!

Having studied some statistics and having searched for  photographs of Gawai  and news available both on the Net and elsewhere I must say that I did not get much. info at all to show signs of Gawai around the world.

Very well designed (See the Terong) ticket.


Ted worked in Sibu Old Airport in the 1960's and has been blissfully married to Menai for more than 30 years! He has a large collection of antique and new Sarawakian books.



However from Perth my friend May Dan has done us PROUD!! Perth has a thriving and very healthy Sarawakian (Malaysian) community. And to let you in the Malaysian community has been holding a Gawai bash for several years now.

This year they have celebrated Gawai with a gusto again at the Willeton Community Hall.. Thanks to their chairperson Mrs. May Dan Lingoh!! Well done! I have her permission to use her photos (as I was not available for the celebration over there). So many cross-cultural married couples turned up for the makai and the entertaining programmes. The costumes every one  and even the guests wore were colourful and vibrant.

Tourist(?) Joseph Jinggut - elegant with his Sarawak scarf and camera ready to shoot!

May - the organising chair and her daughter Kirsten -one of the two MCs of the evening.

Great food!! All Sarawakian fare

Lovely ladies from Sarawak....


OOOOOOOhaaaaaaaaa Toasting the Sarawakians and guests and wishing them success and great harvest.



The organising committee with our favourite aunty Menai (Advisor) from Aup of Sibu.

And so the next Gawai will be again in May and in  2011.....Be there

And with this post I wish all my Sarawak friends Happy and Blessed Gawai.....

besampi ka nuan enggau kita sebilik gayu guru gerai nyamai lantang senang nguan menua. Ngarap ka Tuhan majak meri berkat ia ngagai kita seblik.


All photos courtesy of May Dan Lingoh. Thanks May.....

8 comments:

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

May be you remember Dr (Dr?) Harding in primary school. My bro Charles remembered him, and I vaguely too. Charles said he was the best teacher. He must be good because Charles talked about him that I knew about him.

Ensurai said...

Yes I remember Dr. Stanley/Stalin Hardin who came to teach temporarily before he went for his medical studies. The students idolised him..I think I was in Form One but had to come back to the primary school to fetch my siblings...His sister went to university with me. Now a lawyer (I think also a Datin if I am not mistaken).

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

heheheh,

you pretended or gave the excuse to pick your siblings up when you really wanted to see him? LOL.

Pity I really don't remember him, apart from Charles talking about him. He wasn't a dr yet, and they called him Dr. hahaha. No wonder I always wondered why a Dr would be teaching a primary school.

You will make Charles a very happy man if you found out where his hero worship teacher is.

Ensurai said...

Ann

In Sibu there is a Hardin Walk where his father's/family's house is...

I think his name is in the Telephone Directory...he was the Director of Medical Department before he retired several years ago...I don't know if he migrated or not.

When I was in Form One I had eyes only for one classmate who "unfortunately" turned his eyes elsewhere....Then in Form Two I had a crush on somebody else...my bad luck was with me for many years.....hahahahaha...I can write many many novels based on my own and my friends' crushes....those were the days when cycling with a Chinese boy was already an engagement...hahahaha..

Dr. Hardin? He was too high above us ordinary folks lah...

Cheers

Anonymous said...

*gasp*
You got my mum's picture here!
Hehe... Thanks for making this entry. That woman in purple kebaya with Joseph Jinggut is my mum, Anum Lingoh's sister in-law.

Anonymous said...

Any contact info on 2013 event thanks

Unknown said...

Hi, I'm a student in Perth and would love to attend this annual Gawai party! Ive been trying to find out how to contact the committee but have been unsuccessful... Would you happen to have any of the organiser's contact details? Thanks, much appreciated!!

AD said...

Can I have the details of this Gawai celebration in Perth so I can join the Sarawak community here. Thank you

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