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By Wilfred Pilo
KUCHING, June 13: It was a memorable day for the guests or ‘pengabang’ who were invited to the Gawai Dayak Open House Festival 2023 hosted by Rumah Anyie Rajit of Matop, Spaoh, Betong in the Iban heartland of Sarawak recently on June 9.
Organised by Sarawak Tourism Federation (STF), guests were able to experience how the festival is celebrated traditionally as the venue still has the ambience, artefacts, and atmosphere that is the closest guests could ever experience to how the festival is celebrated at an Iban longhouse.
Upon arrival, guests were greeted and welcomed by the men in their Iban warrior attire, with the women and children fully clad in traditional costumes and accessories.
The finest rice wine or ‘tuak’ was served as guests arrived at the longhouse compound and were entertained by the dance troupe performing the ‘ngajat’ or traditional dance.
Another rare treat for the guests is witnessing the traditional Iban’ miring’ or offering ceremony, which offers prayers for good health, a bountiful harvest, and prosperity before adjourning to the longhouse venue with their host.
By walking along the communal area or the ‘ruai’ to the end of the last ‘bilik’ or the dwelling rooms, they would also experience the hospitality of the individual hosts before being seated and feted with traditional food and cakes.
The organising chairperson of the event, Datuk Robert Lawson Chuat, commended STF for organising such an event and sharing how the festival is celebrated in a longhouse so that visitors better understand the Iban culture and tradition.
Lawson said the longhouse folk settled at the site some 200 years ago. The 28-door-longhouse, built in 1945, is now under the helm of the sixth ‘tuai rumah’ and the first female chief.
He said the Matop longhouse, over the years, has developed and prospered as they supported the government to progress socially and economically.
“We have improved a lot in our social economy and now have modern facilities that have brought prosperity to the longhouse. It has produced many professionals and renowned public figures in Sarawak. For that, we are proud,” he said.
Among the pengabang joining the celebration were Deputy Premier Datuk Douglas Uggah Embas, Deputy Minister of Tourism and Entrepreneur Development Datuk Gerald Rentap Jabu, Member of Parliament for Betong Dr Richard Rapu, Machan assemblyman Allan Siden Gramong, Betong Resident Richard Michael Abu Nawas, former deputy chief minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Numpang and his wife Tan Sri Empiang Jabu, and community leader Temongong Richard Mulok. — DayakDaily
