BY JACINTHA JOLENE & ALEXANDRA LORNA
KUCHING: The scorching heat did little to dampen the enthusiasm of 91 contingents who proudly took part in the Gawai Dayak 2025 ‘Niti Daun’ Parade at the Kuching Waterfront today.
The parade began at the Tun Jugah building with a traditional ‘mamat’ ceremony led by Pemanca Tonny Kulleh, representing the Kenyah community from Belaga.
The ritual sought blessings and permission from ancestral spirits to proceed with the cultural and traditional parade.
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg led the parade from the Tun Jugah building to Kuching Waterfront, spanning a distance of 1.2 kilometres.
The parade was made more eventful with the presence of Raja Muda of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra ibni Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Jamalullail, and Raja Puan Muda, Tuanku Lailatul Shahreen Akashah Khalil, and their children.
Also present were Deputy Premiers, Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, and Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian; Deputy Minister in the Premier’s Department (Labour, Immigration and Project Monitoring) Datuk Gerawat Gala, who’s also the organising chairman for State-Level Gawai Dayak celebration; ministers and deputy ministers and other distinguished guests.
Uggah, when met at the event, described the vibrant parade contingents from various Dayak ethnic groups in Sarawak as a clear reflection of the community’s contribution to national development.
“This is a contribution from the Dayak community to the nation’s development,” he said.
He also described the parade as a meaningful platform to celebrate and promote cultural diversity.
“This is one way for us to showcase how we can enrich the already rich culture of Malaysian society.
“It also allows other communities to better understand the traditions and cultural inspirations of the Dayak people,” he said.
Uggah expressed appreciation to the organising committee for successfully coordinating the event and also extended his gratitude to the Premier for attending the event along with the Raja Muda of Perlis.
This year, the participation also included those from the Kadazan-Dusun community through the Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association (KDCA) Sarawak Branch and cultural groups from North Kalimantan.
The vibrant parade drew more than 3,000 attendees, including participants and members of the public from all walks of life.
Persatuan Tagal Okolod Sarawak clinched the best contingent award in the Orang Ulu category, while Persatuan Pewaris Adat Asal Singai Bau won for the Bidayuh category, and Persatuan Raban Iban Betong triumphed in the Iban category.
Each first-place winner received RM10,000, while second and third place winners were awarded RM5,000 and RM3,000 respectively.
