KUCHING: Busy scenes are unfolding at the Kuching International Airport (KIA) as anticipation grows for the upcoming Gawai celebration.
The melting pot that Sarawak is has been very much on display with people from all races taking the opportunity to head back home for Gawai or go away for the holidays with their loved ones.
Similat scenes have been reported at other public transportation hubs in the city.
New Sarawak Tribune interviewed several people at the Kuching International Airport and Kuching Sentral Complex and Bus Terminal.
Student Sisca Lim, 21, is going back to Kota Kinabalu to be with family as they celebrate Kaamatan there. The Lun Bawang who currently stays in Kuching, is excited at the prospects of celebrating harvest festival which falls on May 30-31.
Another girl, Khasyea, 24, who will be celebrating Gawai in her longhouse in Julau said she was excited to go back after working in Johor Bahru as a cashier.
“I will be going back to Bintulu first to meet my family there and then I’ve decided to reside permanently in Julau, so my Gawai celebration will be in my longhouse in Julau,” she said.
Andria Gelayan, 65, who used to work in the oil and gas industry is similarly excited to celebrate Gawai at his wife’s longhouse in Ulu Skrang, Nanga Entalau.
“The longhouse people have actually laid out a couple of programmes, and this is one of the grandest Gawai we’ve had after two years of Covid-19.
“Everybody is excited, some are getting engaged and some are getting married. This makes the Gawai celebration merrier,” he said.
Accountant Cenny Low, 38, was with her family at the airport, sending her parents to Kuala Lumpur and will be celebrating Gawai in Kuching.
She said the Gawai holidays will spent camping and also making house visits.
Meanwhile, a staff member of the Lanang Bus company, Rahman Arshad, 66, said the company had to add two additional buses due to high demand.
“Since mid-May, we have had ticket reservations from people who wish to go back home to celebrate Gawai at their longhouses.
“Most have chosen to come back on June 26 and they’ve bought their tickets early because they were afraid it might sell out,” he said.
Rahman said that the majority of those coming back home were not just the Dayak community but also the Chinese and the Malays.
“Perhaps they have families celebrating Gawai or maybe their family members married into Iban or Bidayuh families. Many are taking the opportunity to just go home for the holidays,” he added.
