Every first of June is Gawai-Dayak festival, a celebration of the Ibans and Bidayuhs. It is a public holiday in Sarawak and I am blissfully having half day off today!
Entering my third year stay in Sarawak, this was my first visit to the long house to share the joy of this event, thanks to our SN Lorna who invited us for her open-house. It was indeed an eye-opener! Never will I imagine a long house can be so modernized, and the interior design can be even more grand than any of the urbanized house!
The families are friendly, hospitable and treated us like no strangers eventhough it was our first meet. Let the pictures speak its colours and culture.
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| Starting to tour from the first house to the last. |
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| Welcome from the vice tuai rumah. |
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| Every house has got someone to serve tuak (rice wine). And it is a compulsory to take a sip using a sharing cup. So imagine how much alcohol you content when you reach the last house. |
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| The offering tree. |
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| Speech giving by Dr Abi, O&G department representative! |
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| Surgeon representative, Dr Ernest Ong! |
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| Leaving the most modern long house I've ever seen! |
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| A traditional long house on the way back. |
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| As a result of having too much tuak-Chivas, the hyperaemic postcaller knocked off soon after he got into the car. |
A blessed Gawai and gayu guru gerai nyamai!
