Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi
KUCHING: The Gawai Dayak celebrations in Sarawak this year will be a big do after 24 years as 4,000 participants from 100 contingents are expected to participate in a procession, which is the celebration’s main event, this Friday (June 22).
The procession is also dubbed by the organisers as ‘Niti Daun’.
According to the organising chairman of this year’s celebrations, Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi, the last time such a procession was held was in 1994.
“The 1.5km procession will start from the Cat Statue in front of Grand Margherita Hotel at Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, then march to the space in front of the main stage at Kuching Waterfront (Main Bazaar). While they march, the contingents will also play their respective traditional music,” he told a press conference here recently.
Dr Rundi, who is Minister of Utilities, also revealed that there would be four checkpoints along the way, and at each checkpoint, members of the contingents would perform their respective traditional dances such as Ngajat.
Deputy Chief Ministers Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah and Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing will also join the procession. Uggah and Masing are the celebrations’ patron and advisor respectively.
“The Niti Daun will end with a cultural showcase from all the Dayak ethnic groups, and there will also be performances from specially invited Dayak singers,” he said.
Dr Rundi said the theme chosen for this year’s celebration is ‘Segulai Sejalai Nengah Jeman Digital’ (Together In Unity Towards the Digital Age).
Niti Daun is one of three main programmes for the celebrations. The others are Gawai Dayak bazaars in Kuching, Sibu and Bintulu from May 22 to June 23, and the Gawai Dayak dinner at Penview Convention Centre on Saturday (June 23).