It’s Gawai Dayak and I would like to wish my very good Iban friend David in Brunei a very happy Gawai and “Gayu Guru Gerai Nyamai”!

I got to know David about 13 years ago and we have become very good friends. David is also known as the Brunei Wildman. Before you start conjuring images of an abominable jungle man in your mind, let me assure you that David is actually a nice fun-loving guy and also an MBA graduate.

The Brunei Wildman dressed in Iban warrior costume

David has a passion for primitive arts, handicrafts and antique and has a big collection of such items. He has an in-depth knowledge of Iban customs and cultures and is thus able to explain to you the story or significance behind these arts and handicrafts. Though he does not have any retail outlet, he is one person whom a lot of people will look for when they want to buy handicrafts or antiques in Brunei.

Celebrities who had purchased handicrafts and antiques from him when they visited Brunei includes actress Brooke Shields, tennis star Andre Agassi, Chelsea Clinton and former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.� Don’t believe me? See the photos below.

The Brunei Wildman With Brooke Shields and Andre Agassi

The Brunei Wildman with Chelsea Clinton, daughter of Bill & Hillary Clinton

The Brunei Wildman with Madeleine Albright

Want to know more about the Dayaks? Contact the Brunei Wildman.� Looking for antiques? Contact the Brunei Wildman. Want an eco-tourism tour when you visit Brunei? Contact the Brunei Wildman. He is sure to make your trip to Brunei a very memorable one. David (aka the Brunei Wildman) can be reached at bruneiwildman@yahoo.com.

Tomorrow is Gawai Dayak. This is a harvest festival celebrated by Sarawak�s largest ethnic group, the Dayaks, and the Bidayuhs. It is a time for family reunion, renewal of friendship and paying respects to the elders and the departed. The festival is rhapsody of non-stop dancing and merry-making as well as lavish offerings of traditional delicacies and tuak, a wine made from fermented rice, yeast and sugar.

This is how you make tuak. Glutinous rice is cooked and left to cool in a ‘tapan’ or any flat utensils. For every five kilograms of glutinous rice you will need five kilograms of round ‘ragi’ (yeast) and five pieces of thin slice ragi (round ragi for bitterness, slice ragi for sweetness). The yeast are pounded into powder and mixed with the rice after it has cooled. This mixture is then left to ferment in any clean container (jar) for a week or so. Cool, boiled water plus sugar is added to this mixture (10 kg sugar for 20 liters of water) . Depending on your taste, your tuak is now ready but the longer you keep it, the more potent it will be. Gawai Dayak would be less meaningful without the tuak. The tuak is a must, just like turkey is a must for Christmas. Bottoms up!

On Gawai Dayak, it is a ritual to give offerings to the dead through the miring ceremony, an elaborate and often colourful and noisy ceremony performed to appease the gods and the spirits and to ask for prosperity, good health and other blessings from them. The ceremony is performed by passing a live chicken above the food and drink, or other offerings, in a circular motion several times.

Gawai Dayak, particularly at the longhouses, is an unparalleled example of unity and harmony in the country. The longhouse folks welcome with open arms all guests irrespective of race, gender or religion. A visit to a Dayak longhouse during Gawai Dayak is a real eye-opener. The longhouse folks bring out their gongs and drums. Many of them wear hand-woven costumes lavishly decorated with antique beads and silver. Ladies and men in traditional costume perform ngajat which is a simple, rhythmic, strutting shuffle danced in rhythm to the beats of the gongs and drums. Visitors to the longhouses are often invited to join in.

A Dayak girl dancing

An Iban man performing the ngajat

A longhouse usually has dozens of families living in it so you will be invited to visit all the families. Be warned�.if you cannot handle too much alcohol, you may end up very drunk as you will be served tuak by every family that you visit.

To all my Dayak friends, I wish you all Selamat Gawai Dayak��Gayu Guru Gerai Nyamai!

Gayu Guru Gerai Nyamai