Kaamatan Gawai celebration in Kundasang July 1
PENAMPANG: The 11th joint Kaamatan Gawai celebration which is hosted by the KadazanDusun Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) and its Sarawakian counterpart, the Dayak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), will be held on July 1 in Kundasang.
Organising chairman of the event, Pius Jaua, said they were expecting 400 people to attend the event which would be held at Puteri Nabalu Hall.
KCCI and DCCI take turns to organise the event and last year it was held at the Santubong Cultural Village in Sarawak.
According to Pius, DCCI had asked for 20 tables at the event, meaning that the delegation would comprise 200 people.
“KCCI will reciprocate by ensuring we too will fill 20 tables with our members,” he said, adding that the annual event was to provide a platform for KCCI and DCCI members to establish a working relationship and networking among themselves, especially in business.
Pius who is also KCCI secretary general, said the chambers, through the annual event, were also putting into practice the call by the government for greater national unity and integration.
“The KadazanDusun and Dayak communities have a lot in common, their life, culture, shortcomings, and aspirations among others,” he said, adding that the theme for the event would be ‘To Inculcate wealth creation culture’.
On the business relationship between KCCI and DCCI members, Pius said they did not have any figures at the moment and therefore urged members to inform the chamber should they have any.
He disclosed that the event will start with a golf tournament on the morning of July 1 at the Mount Kinabalu Golf Club where members of the two chambers will vie for the the Tan Sri Bernard Dompok Challenge Trophy.
In the evening, dinner will be held and the highlights of the celebration include the parade of Unduk Ngadau of the KadazanDusun community and Kumang Gawai for the Dayak community as well as the sumazau and ngajat.
“We have invited Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman to be the guest of honour of the event,” he said, adding that KCCI president Datuk Bonipasius Bianis and his DCCI counterpart Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum would also be in attendance.