Gawai Harvest Festival

Sarawak's version of the Harvest Festival is known as Gawai. One of the state's largest and most popular events includes indigenous communities such as the Bidayuh, Murut, Kayan, and Iban. Gawai, like Kaamatan, began as a pagan holiday but has since grown into a public festivity rather than a religious feast.

Sarawakians frequently host a plethora of open homes with an abundance of food and drink. Friends and relatives are expected to attend, and it is common to visit numerous open houses in a single day. 'Tuak,' Sarawak's version of rice wine, is consumed in considerable quantities throughout the day. They also have a beauty pageant called Kumang and Keling Gawai, which is open to both men and women. Gawai culminates in the coronation of the Festival's King and Queen (Keling and Kumang).

Few foreigners get the opportunity to attend the Harvest Festival, which is highly recommended if you happen to be in Sabah or Sarawak at the time. Various public events are held, and if you have a local acquaintance, you will almost certainly be invited to attend.

When: 1st and 2nd June

Where: Sarawak state

Highlight Of The Festival: Traditional dances, feasting, and free-flowing tuak