By Ashley Sim and Yee Mei
KUCHING, Sept 20: It is crucial and relevant for people not to lose touch with their ancestral roots and practices as they are a part of maintaining harmonious socio-cultural and spiritual ties which form a civilisation as well as help to foster a harmonious coexistence with other people.
Former Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu stated this today at a ceremony to launch a documentary on Gawai Antu held at Borneo Cultures Museum here.
Gawai Antu is a festival celebrated by the Iban community in Sarawak to honour the spirits of the dead, as detailed in a documentary film which among others, aims to preserve the knowledge of the practice for future generations.
The documentary was officially launched today by Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
“Our Iban people have a high regard for harmony and cooperation, as well as peaceful mutual coexistence with our fellow Sarawakians, as conveyed in many stories or episodes of oral tradition, which have always described their harmony with nature.
“I have always cherished the many pleasures of good comradeship and admirable strong cohesion of mutual respect and tolerance among Sarawak’s multiracial and multireligious communities, which receive high praise and admiration from visitors from abroad,” Jabu said in his welcoming speech.
He highlighted that the launching of the documentary film by Abang Johari is a very important landmark especially for the Iban community and Sarawak as a whole.
“It symbolises the very genuine appreciation from the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) State government for the socio-cultural contributions of each community, and more importantly, the open-mindedness and respect of the Yang Amat Berhormat Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Premier, who is always caring for the rakyat,” he noted.
Also present were Abang Johari’s wife, Datuk Amar Juma’ani Tun Tuanku Bujang, Deputy Premier of Sarawak Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas and his wife Datin Amar Doreen Mayang, State Legislative Assembly (DUN) Speaker Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohammad Asfia Awang Nassar and wife Datin Amar Fatimah Mohamad Iskandar, Jabu and his wife Tan Sri Dato Sri Empiang Jabu, Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah and his wife Datin Zuraini Abdul Jabbar, and Federal Minister of Tourism, Arts, and Culture Dato Sri Nancy Shukri. — DayakDaily
