The distinguishing feature of all Sarawakian festivals is "openhouse," where friends, relatives and even strangers are invitedinto the family home and lavishly entertained. Visitors are alsowelcome (or more accurately, expected) to attend "open house"celebrations, whether at the Governor's palace or the most humble kampung house.
Hari Raya
Hari Raya is the most important Muslim festival. It is more properlyknown as Hari Raya Idul Fitri (from the Arabic eid al fitr,meaning "great day") and is a two-day celebration markingthe end of the fasting month, Ramadan. All Muslims dressup in their finest clothes to entertain friends, attend Hari Rayaprayers at the Mosque and give alms to the poor. It is customaryfor young adults to visit their parents and ask forgiveness forall their past failings as sons and daughters. Food and presentsare central to Hari Raya, and guests are offered vast quantitiesof delicious food, including local delicacies such as lemang(coconut rice cooked in bamboo) and rendang (spicy beefcurry). The timing of Hari Raya is determined by the Islamic calendar,and varies every year.
Chinese New Year
This is the most important festival of the Chinese calendar andoccurs at the beginning of the lunar year. It is distinguishedby much feasting and merrymaking, and relatives and friends aregiven an ang pow (red envelope) containing a cash gift.The ritual side of Chinese New Year is concerned with guaranteeinggood health and prosperity for the forthcoming year, and all decorationsare red, the colour of prosperity. To make sure no evil spiritsdisrupt the festivities, enormous numbers of fireworks and firecrackersare detonated to scare them away. The festival lasts for fifteendays, and finishes on chap goh mei (literally, fifteenthday).
Gawai Dayak
Gawai Dayak is the major festival of the indigenous peoples ofSarawak. It marks the traditional rice harvest and falls on 31stMay and 1st June. During Gawai, many city and town dwellers returnto their family longhouse, and it is also the season for weddingsand betrothals. In the longhouse, women spend days preparing sumptuousbanquets of traditional food, which is washed down with tuak(rice wine). Gawai Dayak is two days of singing, dancing and justletting go. Visitors are welcome during Gawai, and as well ashaving a wonderful time they will gain a good insight into thepowerful ties that hold longhouse communities together in an eraof rapid social change.
Kaul
Kaul is the Melanau answer to Gawai Dayak, and is usually heldbetween mid-March and early April. Its purpose is to appease thespirits of the sea at the start of the fishing season. Althoughthe great majority of Melanaus are nowadays Muslim or Christian,the Kaul festival still has an enthusiastic following. Duringthe festival, miniature wooden boats are launched, filled withofferings for the sea spirits. The river mouths are closed, andno normal boats are allowed to put to sea for seven days. Thehighlight of Kaul is tibau, a boisterous and dangerousgame where teams of young men compete to see how many people canswing from the end of a single 10-metre rope. The best place tosee Kaul is the small port town of Mukah.