Traditional Performances Must Continue To Be Highlighted In Conjunction With Ngabang Gawai
SIMANGGANG: Traditional performances of the Iban community must continue to be highlighted during the Gawai Dayak celebrations at longhouses to ensure that cultural heritage and customs are preserved and recognised by a diverse society.
Sarawak Deputy Minister for Education, Innovation and Talent Development Datuk Francis Harden Hollis said that performances that can be featured include the Gendang Pampat and Ngajat Indu Ngalu Pengabang.
“The pengabang (guests) who visit our longhouses to celebrate Gawai can be presented with these two performances to enable them to understand the culture and traditions possessed by the Iban community.
“By doing so, this culture and custom will become a talking point for them and be spread to people from other races who may still be less familiar with it until now,” he said.
He said this while officiating the Ngabang Gawai Programme which took place at the residence of Wallace Beti in Kampung Putat, Sri Aman on Saturday.
The Ngabang Gawai Programme was organised by the Kampung Putat Sri Aman JKKK in collaboration with the Women’s Wing of the Sarawak United Peoples' Party (SUPP) Lingga branch and the Simanggang Service Centre.
In the meantime, he also urged experienced individuals within the Iban community to continue playing their part in passing down knowledge regarding customs and culture to the younger generation.
He, who is also the Simanggang Assemblyman, explained that this group of elders can utilise their race-based associations as a platform to teach and educate young people about this important heritage from time to time.
“I suggest to the younger generation of the Iban community to make an effort to inherit this treasure so that it can be passed down to the next generation in order to preserve the identity of the Iban community in the future,” he said.
During the event, he also presented Minor Rural Project (MRP) allocation cheques totalling RM22,000 to four Village Development and Security Committees (JKKK) and one women's bureau.
The respective recipients were JKKK Rumah Ayai from Kampung Putat, Biro Wanita Rumah Edward Radin, JKKK Rumah Ipan from Peruan Baru, JKKK Kampung Nanga Peruan, and JKKK Rumah Charlie. — UKASnews
