Driving
along at the South China Sea coast (Miri – Bintulu Coastal Highway) will lead
you to the district called Bekenu
where are populated by the Kedayan’s people of Sarawak. Kedayan’s are one of
the 26th subs ethnic in Miri that making the total of 37,000
populations over Sarawak. Like other ethnic in Sarawak, Kedayan’s people have
their own unique traditional ceremony that shared with other communities in
this region. “Makan Tahun” held annually by the Kedayan’s in northern parts of
Sarawak is not only represents the unique traditions inherited but it also as a
platform for their brotherly bonding.
“Makan Tahun” is a thanksgiving
festival held to indicate happiness and appreciation for a successful rice
harvest and it’s also a symbolic of the unity of the Kedayan’s people,
family and relatives alike. Thus, families, relative and friends from far and
near get together during these celebrations. The Kedayan’s has the belief that
if there is disunity among them, a curse from the ancestors will fall upon the
living. Thus, they still have an active social obligation to these ancestors.
Without this, they will lose the common cause of mutual respect among
themselves. Now “Makan Tahun” is alike “Tahlil” or “Doa Tolak Bala” (Muslim prayer). Such
cooperative activity is expressed when all assemble because of their social and
familial ties, for the continuity of culture and safe keeping of tradition, the
bond of union between the dead and living thus maintained”. Even though rice planting is no longer the main activity
among the Kedayan’s in Sarawak now, the “Makan
Tahun” is still practiced and celebrate between the month of May and July
every year. The origin, history and the processes the ritual “Makan Tahun” are still not fully
understood by many. The unique about this ceremony is every villagers has their
own duties and responsibilities to take care and all the task given by the “Penghulu” or “Ketua
Kampung” are done and normally these job will be involve all the entire
villagers. Other unique things you can discover about this celebration are
every inch of the locals will took some of their own foods from their house
such as local rice, coconuts, coconuts shoots, or sugar and salt that will be
given as a part as to make the sure all the food are enough for everybody.
These practices are usually done by the older in the past, to helping and make
sure all the ingredients are enough but now days these practices no longer
practice anymore by the the younger generations.
Normally the
first day the Kedayan’s people will do it on Friday where the first group of
man and women will do the “Kelupis”
and “Ngelupis” (rice that wrapping in
the “nyirik” leaves) and steam it using
the giant steal pot that cook using the fire wood. The man will setup a camp, a
cultural place and get ready the fire wood as well as helping the women task. The
activities on the second days are normally cooking and cultural entertainment.
The second group of another man and women will be packaging the ”Kelupis” and
other local cakes such as wajid and panyaram to be given as a gifts to all visitors as well as villagers. At the night
time, another group of man will cook all the foods using the firewood. The
women only prepared all the spices and the ingredients. “Bermukun” or” Gendang
Sarawak” will entertain the villagers and also the visitor that normally
starts at 2100hrs. “Bermukun” or ” Gendang Sarawak” is a unique traditional
entertainment of Sarawakian’s where combines pair or group of dancer by the
men in the tandem to dance follows the drum beat called “Nopeng”. Drum beaters are done by two or three women’s while
exchanging poetry or “pantun” between
the dancers and the drum beaters. Special place were prepared to be the dance
floor and a spot for the drum beaters to sit. This cultural performer will
ended until the wee hour of the morning. This traditional culture only can be
practice in the big celebration and wedding ceremony.
The third days will be the peak celebrations
for this ceremony. The
elders pray for a successful celebration. All rituals are followed closely especially in
the preparations of making the kalupis, wajid and panyaram (also
known as kelupis, wajik and penyaram among the
Sarawak Malay community) so that each will turn out well for the occasion. The
rituals of cooking the rice and other dishes for the guests are also attended
to carefully. If the rituals are not observed, it is believed that many
unwanted things could happen such as the rice in the pot will not cook properly
or the dishes will turn bad or stale. It is also reported that reminders are
passed down from one generation to the next about not mixing the religious
element i.e. the “Tahlil” with entertainment. In addition,
there is reminder about ensuring no wastage of food during the occasion. At 0900hrs the “Penghulu” or “Ketua Kampung” (headman) will start the ceremony with
“Doa” and “Tahlil” (muslim prayer), after that prayer finish “Penghulu” will welcome all the
villagers and the visitors to having meals together. The event will be finish
by noon time and after that all the villagers will work together to clean up
the area.
The Kedayan’s are now very much
influenced by changes such as heterogeneous marriages, education and
communication. Due to this, the “Makan Tahun” is celebrated in
variations from one village to another. Still, the kalupis, wajid and panyaram remain
vital to the celebration of the “Makan Tahun” tradition and
culture and not forgetting the “Tahlil”. The communal spirit
observed to be still very strong among this group. They still hold strong to
the belief that they must remain united and have social obligation to their
ancestors. Without this they will lose the common cause of mutual respect among
themselves. Time and provision are among the challenges in organising the “Makan
Tahun”. Yet, among the Kedayan’s in Bekenu and Bintulu, the
sense of responsibility to their ancestors and their “adat” surpass
those obstacles. It is hoped that the “Kedayan’s Makan Tahun”
continues to carry on the tradition and the culture of the community in the
future.
