Pesta Gawai

Pesta Gawai

The Gawai festival has always been one of the celebrated festivals in Sarawak. The festival originated from the folklore that tells of the adventure of men traveling to the world of the gods and spirits. Later the spirits are invited to join in a feast of their subsequent journey to the world of mortals.

This festival is being celebrated at the end of harvesting season and the start of a new farming season. The Dayak community celebrate Gawai in their villages and urban homes.

Another highlight of the festival is an ethnic beauty pageant. The beauties are normally maidens who possess grace, pose and charm, articulate with a good knowledge of Sarawak's culture and heritage. She must be, in short, a woman of substance.