OUR Kedap longhouse remained vibrant even after the Mangkung Tiang event of 1995. Most of the decorations stayed intact for months following the celebration.
The funds provided by Ujang were seen as vital in uplifting the community spirit and morale of the residents under the leadership of TR Michael Abunawas.
In 1996, we used these funds to upgrade the entire longhouse exterior and gallery, ensuring that all galleries became uniformly adorned with bright, colourful curtains.
Outside the longhouse, a common room was established for community cooking and dining, along with two badminton courts that also served as sepak takraw courts.
These facilities proved invaluable for recreation and exercise, promoting a healthier lifestyle among the residents.
Some of the funds were also allocated to improve the gravity-fed water pipes sourced from the Jangung stream of the upper Kedap River.
The longhouse organised a mutual assistance event to clear the gravity feed channel from Jangung to the new longhouse and constructed two shelters in front of the building for communal use.
Each shelter included two toilets and two shower rooms, which later proved useful for washing, bathing, and even cleaning cars and vehicles, thanks to the high water pressure from the pipes.
Daily schedules were established to check the pipes from Jangung, ensuring a steady and reliable water supply and monitoring for leaks along the five-kilometre route from the longhouse to the source.
Regular mutual assistance events were also organised to clear the grass along the two-kilometre footpath from Kedap to the main road.
These endeavours were crucial in ensuring the pathway remained clear of obstacles, such as potential threats from snakes and other creatures.
I recall once being bitten by a scorpion while walking inattentively along the path, just about 500 metres from the longhouse, during an intended morning visit to our rubber garden and farm at Nanga Burui, located roughly three kilometres away.
As a result, I had to abandon my plans and hurry home to rest and apply ointment to soothe the bite.
On Gawai Dayak in 1996, I returned home from Kuching and spent a few days with my father and brothers. I was joined by my wife, our son Jay Kingley Gara, aged six, and daughter Dawn Sara, aged three.
The children had a wonderful time reuniting with their first cousins, the children of my brothers, Jon @ Chandi and Edward Jelani.
Gawai Eve was a grand event where we all gathered in our respective ‘ruai’ galleries for dinner, sharing food and drinks.
From 10:00 pm onwards, most of the elders and some children assembled at TR Michael Abunawas’ gallery and two adjacent galleries for a Gawai talk and blessing.
The evening continued with entertainment, including karaoke and, finally, the Kumang Gawai Beauty Pageant, which featured around twenty teenagers.
Before the pageant, there was a procession of men, women and children through the entire longhouse, accompanied by the gong ensemble. This event, known as ‘Ngalu Petara’ (Welcoming the Deities), was a highlight of the celebration.
On Gawai Day, we visited the ‘Tiang Pengingat’ (Commemorative Pole) to pray for blessings from Almighty God, with the prayer led by Mathew Banyin Nyaru.
Afterwards, we returned to the longhouse and began the ‘Ngabang’ (Goodwill Visit), starting with a visit to the longhouse chief, Michael Abunawas.
By the time the guests reached us at Room 17, it was nearly noon. We joined forces with Brother Edward from Room 18 to host visitors, who by then were mostly intoxicated.
We then continued our ‘ngabang’ with my first cousin Bujang, who, together with his brothers Sabang, Buma and Kinchang, hosted the next round of guests.
After that, I was too intoxicated to remember much, but the Gawai Day of 1996 was truly a day worth mentioning and remembering.
The unity and harmony of the Kedap longhouse community remained strong, and our collective spirit reached its peak during the Gawai celebrations and ‘Ngabang’ activities.
Such events were the true driving force behind our unity and harmony. The Kedap residents’ love for these celebrations and acts of communal assistance has become the bond that unites us all.
The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of Sarawak Tribune. The writer can be reached at tawisalok@yahoo.com.
