SDNU: Big no to anyone out to ‘abuse’ Gawai
KUCHING: Sarawak Dayak National Union (SDNU) does not want to see anyone ‘hijacking and abusing’ the real spirit behind the celebration of the Gawai Dayak.
“This is particularly so if one simply calls it a national event without getting some kind of sanction from the relevant authority in Sarawak.
“It would also be a mockery of the Dayak people should anyone call this annual festival a national event when he or she does not have the locus standi to hold it,” said SDNU president Tan Sri William Mawan here yesterday.
His remarks referred to a news report about a certain Gawai Dayak programme being dubbed ‘a national event’ because of the invitation to top government leaders to attend the celebration at a longhouse in Bintulu on May 17-19.
“The Gawai Dayak celebration still carries with it the real spirit and meaning, that is a bountiful paddy harvesting festival, as well as the norms, practices and traditions associated with this to ensure that the event would not be abused by some people,” stressed the Pakan assemblyman.
This is particularly so if one simply calls it a national event without getting some kind of sanction from the relevant authority in Sarawak.
Moreover, Mawan said there ought to be some kind of regulatory measures concerning the holding of any national-level Gawai Dayak event in the country.
“Otherwise simply holding it at a longhouse and calling it a national event, for instance, is demeaning to the well-meaning Dayaks who have been observing the occasion all this while, and what it means to the community,” he said.
According to Mawan, SDNU has a ‘council of elders’ who are very knowledgeable about the norms, practices and traditions of the Dayaks, whom the members of the public could engage in or consult with before holding the celebration, at either state or national level.
“We feel that we ( SDNU) are the custodian of these Dayak norms, practices and traditions
Tan Sri William Mawan, SDNU president
and this is the reason why SDNU was formed 64 years ago. And we have the ‘council of elders’ who are ready to be consulted.
“They are the ones we can refer to when there is a need to discuss matters like this to ensure that the norms, practices and traditions are followed or adhered to strictly.
“We are not against anyone holding the celebration or festival. Anyone can hold Gawai Dayak programme privately but it must be afforded recognition as a sanctioned event if one wishes to make it a state or national-level event.
“There should be some form of authority or organisation to sanction it; otherwise holding it without sanction would be a mockery of the celebration itself,” said Mawan.
The new SDNU supreme executive council members, during a meeting here on Sunday, had decided that the union would hold a Gawai Dayak Bazaar featuring a food sale, exhibition, stage shows and casual dinner to enhance the relationship among members and also to celebrate the festival.
The bazaar would be held at the Christian Ecumenical Worship Centre (CEWC) in Jalan Stampin here from May 20 to 26.
The union would also hold several fundraising programmes to kick-start its welfare fund, while a sports carnival slated from July 19 to 21 would also be held.
The games would feature golf, badminton, futsal, bowling and blowpipe shooting at various venues, which would be announced later.