Kedayans across Borneo to converge on Sibuti for grand annual feast this weekend

MIRI: A grand feast near here this weekend will gather members of the Kedayan community from Sarawak, Sabah, Labuan and Brunei.

The ‘Makan Tahun Perdana’, to take place this Nov 17-18 at Kampung Danau in Bekenu, Sibuti is a thanksgiving event celebrated by the Kedayans in appreciation of a bountiful rice harvest.

“It will be a grand ‘makan tahun’ (annual feast) for the Kedayans across the island of Borneo, where many activities will be held such as the ‘ Kapala Kapoo’ ( Kedayan beauty pageant), as well as the ‘Junjung’ (traditional Kedayan house) competition involving many Kedayan villages across Sibuti,” said a spokesperson of the organising committee in a recent release.

It is learnt that Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan would be present to officiate at the opening ceremony of the ‘Kapala Kapoo’, scheduled to commence at 8pm this Friday.

The pageant will gather Kedayan women from Miri and Sibuti – all dressed in their traditional attire – vying for the pageant crown.

The highlight of the two- day event will be the official opening on Saturday morning, where Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg is expected to officiate at the ceremony at 10.30am.

“Although padi planting is no longer the main activity of the Kedayans in Sarawak, they still observe this festival annually,” said the spokesperson.

Members of Persatuan Kedayan Miri Junjung gather for a photo-call in front of their ‘junjung’, which will be among the entries vying for the top prize in the competition.