Sarawaks Harvest Festival

Public Message Announcement : Selamat Ari Gawai to all Dayaks of Sarawak!

The harvest festival is celebrated every 1st and 2nd of June by the Iban and Bidayuh tribe of Sarawak. Lets not forget the grand happennings that'll keep you pumped up on the night of the 31st ushering in the Dayak New Year. Yes, for us Dayaks it is the new year. It starts when the Harvest is done and it's time for a celebration before the next batch is planted.  

Unfortunately, not a lot of people know about the Gawai festival, even Malaysians themselves. In the olden days, Gawai was the highlight of all yearly events. People would make Tuak (rice wine) beforehand and prepare Kuih Jala for guests. The newly harvested paddy (we call it new paddy) would be packed and given out to relatives. Almost everything would be rice base. Before the Dayaks turned to Christianity, they worshipped the elemental Gods. A sacrifice would be made to thank them for a good harvest, and is usually done by a Priestess on a swing, and lots of chanting in the middle of the village. 

Nowadays, Gawai is still celebrated although most of the Dayaks have turned to more professional jobs  and buy rice from the supermarkets. It's a celebration of tradition and culture. For those who still have paddy fields, the culture of giving away new rice is still done. In some communities, offerings are still given to the Gods, but most would attend a church service to thank Jesus for the Harvest.  

On the first and second of June, it's usually a huge feast with lots of eating and drinking. This is the time to visit friends and family (and meet new extended family you never knew), an act we call "Ngabang". The Iban dan Bidayuh villages will have a sweet smell of charcoal in the air as most of the cooking are done on an open fire. Instead of pots and pans, we trade them for something better. The bamboo. All sorts of dishes are cooked in bamboos. We have the "Pansoh" which is generally chicken or pork with tapioca leaves stuffed in bamboos and cooked on the open fire. Chicken rice in the bamboo is also a favourite. Besides that, we have "Pangkang" which is almost like lemang but without the banana leave on the outside. 

For me, the most exciting part of Gawai would be having roasted pork with cold beer and great company.  Although I haven't been back for the harvest festival for the 5th year this year, I still can remember details of the yearly event, especially when my late grandmother was still around. She would be fussing over going back to the village for about a monthe before the day itself. On the day itself, you won't have luck finding her in the house as she will be out visiting for the whole day.    

With this, I would like to wish all family, friends and all those celebrating, a Blessed Gawai!!

Leftovers are always the BEST

Selamat Hari Raya Malaysia, its people and also to other Muslims celebrating.

Yesterday was the first day of Raya here. As a Malaysian, I joined in the celebration of this annual event. (that's the same as Chinese New Year, Deepavali, Christmas, Gawai, now that theres a Sabahan in the family, Pesta Keamatan juga saya mau celebrate bah)
Be Thankful you're a Malaysian.

No, I don't have any pictures available.
1. I woke up late. Of course that's followed by rushing.
2. I have to carry my dodging DSLR if I want to take photos.
3. The chains of my handbag could not stand any heavy weight objects. (it broke in me a few times)
4. Ironed my baju kurung resulting a hole in it.
    Than i decided to put on my kebaya. Ironed it and stained it from the melt-stain of the last baju kurung.
    Put on another kebaya and no, I dont have a white singlet.
    (my grandmas kebaya requires you to show the public how expensive your bra is)
5. I walked for a vast 2 minutes and the rain started pouring!!


Celebrated Raya at a Malaysian family's home in Regensburg. Same place where we had our first Raya gathering back in 2008. Time flies super fast (and I keep saying that).

To me it doesn't matter if the festival celebrated is align with my believe or not.
We may have different beliefs and culture. What matters is how strong we hold on to our belefs. No one says that going to a Malay friends house for Raya will turn you Muslim or celebrating Christmas will turn you into a Christian.

As a Malaysian, we are born rojak. And who does not love rojak. (I'll pick nanas and tauhu first!!)

Usually every Raya, I'll be going around Satok area, the kampung Melayu visiting friends and my ex school teachers (is there suppose to be an ex in front?). Feasting on rendang and lemang, and culturally, the Kek Lapis Sarawak.

Yesterday I brought my own self made Kek Lapis Sarawak. Sekejap jak dah abis. Sik sempat aku mok potong agik.
New product on market plan. huahaaha..

I'm happy I get to bring leftovers hom *nom nom nomm*

Little things that matters for a student. I'm thankful I'm blessed.

Selamat Hari Raya dan maaf zahir batin.
Happy Holidays to others who are not celebrating!! (like me, I'm having summer hols)

Malaysia : Yours? Mine? or Ours?

Malaysia, truely Asia. As a Malaysia, I'm proud to tell people I'm from Malaysia and I'm a Malaysian.

Bu how many Malaysians are as proud of their nationality in their own land. Lets see.

You ni bangsa ape ek? (Insert answer here)
You olang Melayu ah? Boleh makan kedai Cina ka? (insert facial expression here)

And then there's the typical stereotype.

Malays are lazy.
Chinese are selfish.
Indians are liars.
Orang asli stays in the jungle.
Sarawakians live on trees.
KL drivers are crazy.
People with tattoos are bad.
Guys with long hair are evil.
wah, awek Melayu freehair jahat.
... and on and on and you can list some as you comment.

The fact is, living in a multicultural Malaysia is like that. There's nothing positive about stereotyping I tell you. But we still do it. We never try to look positively towards others. We do it. We have kids we teach them, and they teach their children, and their children teach their children and children and another batch of children. In the end, we stay stagnant with such mentality installed in us. That another person with certain skin color or eye shape will do nothing good to us because they are different. And how far can Malaysia go like this? C'mon Malaysia, open up!!

If one day, Malaysia is reset-ed back. Tanah Melayu with only Malays and Orang Asli, no Javanese, All Chinese are back in China, Indians to India, Sarawakians and Sabahan all back in Borneo. No Baba Nyonya. No Portugese decents. All of us are pure blooded. Our History text books are blank. The whites never came. We only speak one language and that is our native language.

Think of that. Will you be happy?
Do you think we will know that oil lies beneath our shores? or gold beneath our grounds? or timber is a currency itself?

And again if British never left Sarawak, how many of us will be engineers, doctors, teacher, researchers and professionals? Most of us will be sitting down being clerks. Our parents farmers. Think the whites will make us brownies above them? Think again. Try walking down Oxford Street London and see how many would want to be your friend or even smile at you.

Like a body without one part is disabled. So is Malaysia without it's people.

We may think our politics are sick, but we are even sicker if we follow their wrong teachings. Don't play racial politics. Don't play anything racially at all. Just take that typical Malaysian mindset off and pull down those dirty moldy racial wall. We may not control the politicians, but we do have our own brains right?

We have come a long way since then. 53 years is enough to break down racial barriers and call ourselves bangsa Malaysia. Long enough to call Ali, Raju, Ah Seng and Peter our blood brothers, look them in the eyes and share rojak with them.

Malaysians, please be proud of who you are and teach your younger generation not to distant themselves from another who's different, but instead to break down racials barriers, fight for the right of Malaysians. To accept anothers for who they are whether they had nasi lemak, curry or nyonya kuih for breakfast.

We are Malaysia for a reason. For a purpose.