Ninth Brigade holds pre-Gawai Dayak do

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SEEKING BLESSING: Tuai Rumah Lau (standing right) chants the ‘leka sampi’ (mantra) during the ‘bebiau’ (waving the fowl over the head ceremony) after the ‘miring’ ritual was done.

SIBU: The Ninth Infantry Brigade held its pre-Gawai Dayak celebration at Sibu Golf Club in Kemuyang Road here on Saturday.

The event was hosted by Ninth Infantry Brigade commander Brigadier General Datuk Stephen Mundaw and his wife Datin Jacqueline Peris.

About 1,000 people including the community from Rascom and Third Battalion Royal Rangers Regiment camps here, Dayak community leaders and members of non-governmental organisations attended the event.

WELCOME: Stephen (left) greeting guests on their arrival at the event.

Also present were Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (Sadia) president Datuk Dr Anthony Nait, political secretaries to the chief minister Andrew Shilling Bangit and Tengku Gruna, Pemanca Stanley Geramong, Sarawak Dayak National Union (SDNU) Rajang chairman Major Moses Ripai and SDNU Sibu Jaya chairman Steven Rom.

Among the activities held were cultural performance by Ninth Infantry Brigade Malaysian Armed Forces Family Welfare Association (Bakat) members, ‘miring’ ritual, blowpipe competition, singing performance by The Red Hackle band and dinner.

In his speech, Stephen urged the military community to use such an event as a platform to strengthen their ties with the public in tandem with their effort in enhancing national security.

He also told them to maintain unity among them by sharing the joy of such a celebration with the multiracial community in the camps.

OFFERING: Stephen places the ‘miring’ plate inside the ‘teresang’ (woven bamboo basket) as Moses (second left) and Penghulu Enyang Menchol look on.

ETHNIC DANCE: The ‘Sumazau’ dance of Kadazans in Sabah.

MODERN PERFORMANCE: The Red Hackle band performs an Iban song.