(Front row from fifth right) Dr Philip, Gerawat, Aminuddin and others with passengers before seeing them off on the first chartered flight to Bario.
MIRI: The 12th edition of Pesta Nukenen Bario (Kelabit cultural and culinary heritage festival) today promises to be a fun-filled event that will leave good memories.
The difficulty in communications with limited flights connection did not deter hundreds of people from a gruelling 11-hour drive from Miri through logging road by four-wheel-drive to get there.
Some had booked the RM250 subsidised flight in advance – even as early as nine months before the July 27 festival. Others forked out the full fare of RM600 for the return journey by chartered flight.
Community airline MASwings is mounting five extra flights from Miri to Bario in support of the festival – an extra flight daily starting yesterday until July 30, in addition to the normal three daily flights.
The extra chartered flights were possible through a recent agreement between MASwings and Rurum Kelabit Sarawak (RKS) organiser of the festival.
Deputy Speaker of Dewan Undangan Negeri and Mulu Assemblyman Datuk Gerawat Gala, RKS president Dr Philip Raja, MASwings CEO Aminuddin Zakaria and the airline’s commercial head Shauqi Ahmad were present to send passengers off on the first charter flight yesterday.
“We are thankful MASwings is able to mount the five additional chartered flights though they are not enough to meet the demand of those wanting to fly. Many roughed it out, riding the rugged logging road on 4WD vehicles for 11 hours,” Gerawat said at a joint press conference.
He is optimistic the festival could easily have drawn some 3,000 people had there been easy air and land communications to Bario.
RKS acknowledged the constraints of MASwings such as unavailability of flights and need for subsidy approval by the government.
Aminuddin said approval of subsidy by the Ministry of Transport (MOT) was granted for all extra flights mounted specially for Pesta Nukenan.
He assured that MASwings would continue to work to maintain the good relationship with RKS for the success of the annual festival.
The three-day ‘Pesta Nukenen’ brings attention and awareness of unique food of wild ferns, shoots, fruits, fish and meat available in the ‘jungle super market’.
Among the highlights in this year’s festival held in collaboration with Museum Sarawak and Universti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) are the soft launch of the proposed digital museum and exhibition megalith cultures of the Kelabit people.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas is expected to launch the festival today.
A total of 20 villages including one Penan village from the highlands are setting up stalls to compete for the ‘Best Stall’. The village folks will also be showcasing traditional dances, songs and food.
The festival will also showcase 10 of the most talented sape players from Sarawak.
Visitors are welcome to participate in traditional games of climbing the slippery pole, nela’ batuh (throwing boulders), karad, blow pipe and tug-of-war, with side activities like mini marathon, trekking and birdwatching.