MIRI: The Gawai Dayak Traditions Carnival 2025 has emerged as a significant platform for celebrating and preserving Sarawak’s rich ethnic heritage, said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.
He highlighted that the event showcased a variety of cultural elements, including exhibitions on traditional customs, ethnic attire, ngajat dance performances, traditional cuisines, and folk games.
He said the carnival serves not only to celebrate the harvest season but also to strengthen cultural heritage, promote unity, and reinforce the identity of the Dayak and multi-ethnic communities.
“The uniqueness of communities such as the Orang Ulu, known for their vibrant traditions and diversity, could attract both domestic and international tourists, enhancing Sarawak’s cultural tourism appeal.
“Thus, the public must value and preserve cultural heritage as a source of pride and strength for current and future generations,” he said during the carnival’s opening event today.
Meanwhile, Telang Usan Assemblyman who is also the chairman of the carnival, Datuk Dennis Ngau, echoed similar sentiments.
He described the carnival as an important platform to empower Dayak cultural traditions and foster ethnic harmony under the spirit of ‘Segulai Sejalai’, which calls for unity and mutual respect among the Iban, Bidayuh, Orang Ulu, and other groups.
He encouraged young people to use the event as an inspiration to learn, appreciate, and carry forward their cultural legacy with pride and to share the experience with their communities.
Throughout the carnival, 13 traditional games representing various ethnic groups were held, including blowpipe shooting (MYSED), casting nets on coconuts (Kayan), tug of war (Kenyah), ‘batak lampung’ (Iban), stone-throwing (Kelabit), ‘sikon’ (Bidayuh), ‘madiep dueng pew’ and ‘nkai rak’ (Saban), mat weaving and bead embroidery (Lakiput and Berawan), rice winnowing and firewood splitting (Lun Bawang), ‘tarik papa Piasau’ (Bisaya), and ‘selekit’ (Petipun).
Other highlights included the ‘Datun Julut’ and ‘sape’ music competition, as well as the Miss Gawai Sarawak pageant.
