MIRI: The beauty queen competition featuring transvestites using Iban traditional customs or theme should be banned immediately as it tarnishes the cultural, historical and sancity of the old-age tradition of the Iban community in Sarawak.
Dayak Association of Miri (DAM) president Serawa Budol said this type of competition or popularly known as drag queen competition should not be organised at all as it was insulting to Iban culture, race, religion, legend, tradition, image and sensitivities.
“Pondan (transvestites) in the first place is not acceptable to Iban culture,” she told Bernama here yesterday.
Her comment was in the wake of fierce criticisms by the Iban community here of the Draq Queen competition organised by a local cafe which depicted transvestites in Iban female traditional attire in conjunction with the Gawai celebration that will be celebrated on June 1 and 2.
The competition was scheduled to be held on May 22 themed ‘long evening dress with Pua Kumbu motifs’ and it was widely advertised in the social media.
“The organisers can name the competition with any names but do not use the term ‘kumang’ and definitely not Iban customs,” she said adding that kumang always referred to a woman and had never been a transvestite.
The ‘Kumang’ which means ‘mother goddess’ in Iban mythology is synonymous with Iban ethnic beauty pageants due to its beauty and womanly attributes.
She said even the organiser cannot use the ‘pua kumbu’ theme as it is part of the Iban cultural heritage and must be respected.
The competition went viral in the social media with many criticising it, including former national sprinter and 100 metres record holder Watson Nyambek who was a vocal critic.
Meanwhile when contacted by Bernama, the organiser of the event, who requested anonymity, said the event had been cancelled indefinitely. — Bernama