Festival & Events

Gawai Dayak
Sarawak's very own festival on 31 May and 1 June marks the end of the rice harvest. during Gawai many urban dwellers return to their ancestral longhouse or village and take part in rituals that go back before recorded time. For days before, the women prepare banquets of traditional food and there is much brewing of tuak, the potent rice wine. This is a time for feasting, dancing and having a good time. It is also a traditional time for weddings and betrothals. Visitors are made welcome and this is the best time to see traditional longhouse life and ceremonies with the women dressed up in thier exotic costumes.

Kaul
Celebrated by the Melanau community between mid-March and early April, Kaul is meant to appease the spirits of the sea at the start of the fishing season. These days, most Melanau are Muslim or Christian but the ancient Kaul festival has an enthusiastic following among both. Among the rituals is the launching of miniature wooden boats containing offerings for the sea spirits. The river mouths are closed and boats are not allowed to put out to sea for several days. The festival's highlight is tibou, a high-spirited but dangerous game where young men compete to see how many can swing from the end of a single 10-metre rope.

Events 2006

Coming Soon....