Young working adults miss going home to celebrate Gawai Dayak
KUCHING: Many young adults working at various town and cities across Malaysia are not making the highly anticipated once-a-year trip home to celebrate Gawai with family at longhouses and villages.
Celebrating Gawai in the confines of her home never crossed the mind of 22-year-old hotelier Gabriellia Hazel until Covid-19 pandemic struck.
“Gawai during previous years were great as I could visit my relatives and friends to enjoy authentic Dayak dishes and different flavours of ‘tuak’ (rice wine) served.
“As ‘ngabang’ (Gawai visiting) is not allowed this year during Conditional Movement Control order, the celebration would not be as merry though I’m thankful to be with my family in Siburan,” she said.
Technical service engineer working in Sepang, Selangor, Magdelson Hayes, 31, had to cancel his flight back to Sarawak and will not be able to celebrate Gawai with his big family at his village in Simunjan but be content with a simple celebration with Sarawakian colleagues instead.
Gawai means a lot to me. It is a time to feast and be with our parents, big family and relatives. I am going to miss seeing my parents during Gawai. Even our ‘tuai rumah’ (longhouse chief) does not permit those working outside to return for the celebration. — George Embie
“I will miss my father’s barbeque food and local delicacies served at houses of relatives while visiting,” he shared with a heavy heart.
Meanwhile, George Embie, working in Kuching, usually goes home to celebrate the festivity in Saratok. However, with travel restriction this year, the 29-year-old Grab driver will not be celebrating with his parents at their longhouse.
“Gawai means a lot to me. It is a time to feast and be with our parents, big family and relatives. I am going to miss seeing my parents during Gawai. Even our ‘tuai rumah’ (longhouse chief) does not permit those working outside to return for the celebration,” said George who will video call his family to toast for good health (ngirup ai pengayu) on the eve.
Similarly, Tommy Akam will not be returning to Sarikei but stay put in Bintulu where he is working as an operator.
“I will miss meeting my family, gathering together to feast and ngabang,” he added.