SERIAN: Serian MP Datuk Seri Richard Riot Jaem has called for the preservation of Bidayuh culture as the community prepares to celebrate Gawai Dayak.
He said efforts to uphold traditional practices remain important to ensure their continuity for future generations.
“These kinds of events serve to strengthen unity within the community ahead of Gawai Dayak, which falls on June 1.
“I wish to note that this is the first pre-Gawai event held in the constituency to mark the 2026 celebration, with eight villages involved.
“We want to ensure our adat continues to be practised and appreciated, especially by the younger generation,” he said when officiating the Women’s Bureau ceremony and pre-Gawai celebration at Kampung Sorak Sumpung here last night (May 2).
The pre-Gawai celebration provided an early platform for the community to come together in preparation for the annual harvest festival.
The event also featured the ‘miring’ ceremony, a traditional ritual long practised by the Dayak community.
While miring was once associated with spiritual beliefs, it is now largely observed as a cultural practice, reflecting efforts to preserve heritage.
Among the predominantly Christian Bidayuh community, the ceremony is no longer performed with religious intent but remains an important element of cultural identity.
