It is the Queen's birthday in the British Commonweath. Once in Sarawak, we celebrated this too. When Sarawak joined Malaysia, we celebrate Gawai Day . It coincided with harvesting and can be considered as a harvest festival for the natives. It is celebrated in the 1st of June, but is stretched to a week.
Some of my family are Kelabits and Bidayuhs. I wish them a happy occasion.
Here's my niece Ruth dancing their traditional Kelabit dance. It is important to keep one's culture and traditions. My Save the world theme is just this, Preserve your culture.
This is Elley's relative dancing at Elley's wedding. He had a traditional head gear and long pierced ears. And I specially requested that I have a photograph with him.
4 comments:
You look very lovely in this photo!!!
Happy Gawai! nice..
a Sarawak friend told me that the Kelabits are Christians ad do not celebrate Gawai which is a pagan festival. I have asked a Kelabit and will come back to see what he says.
Another tribe, previously known as the Muruts told me:
Samuel Daring No, we don't celebrate Gawai. We celebrate our own Day called " Irau Aco Lunbawang" which falls on the same day as the Gawai.
It is so true ... preserving one's culture not only encourages community but it also preserves the old ways, most of which are very Eco-friendly. Thanks, Ann!
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