Posted by snining on May 28, 2003 at 15:55:33:
When manuk Kutieng has had his last word, our shaman or tua gawai would have made some important decision to confirm the date of gawai sawa (Sowa - Eksually Bau dialet).
That decision usually took place in mid May when news broke out among the boarding school student, the usual school dinner that evening would have been half eaten, mostly overcame by dramatic excitement of the impending gawai. Words spread like wild fire and by next day it became a common knowledge amongst the bidayuh student of that affected kampong. The page of book for recording of leave would quickly be filled up. Other books would be tossed away momentarily. By Thursday night, the sleep just would not come at all. Friday was too far away.
Whether you are from Stass, Grogo, Sibuluh, or from Plaman Nyabet right to Pichin, the excitement of the coming gawai dominated your mind and nothing else mattered...30 years ago.
What was the excitement about? Many things…new rice, new varendah to run on, more 'kasom' to taste and tear, sweet lemang awaited, money to spend on the tuck shop that spring up during gawai, more 'rubber band' to be won, new shoes which of course usually meant for school as well that came in white for economic reason, new trouser..new new new!
But that was when we were only 15 years old and don't forget…who knows new chick coming to town.
Today such excitement has become a mixed feeling of anxiety and fear and at worst catastrophe.
Take Mr Branja for example.
There's four small children who demand complete set of gawai gear all new of course. That would fork out a substantial sum of rm250 round figure. Please do not mistake this for the figure he first saw on his home minister 18 years ago. On the top of that, he might consider to venture a bit more. He would buy remote control car to go with the new gear. RM89 per car for 3.
Now for the home minister herself. What will be good for her this year. First it must be better than last year and slightly costly. Second it should be still useful for himself in time of need. So a bracelet that cost a whooping rm800.
But hey, what about myself, Branja would ask. That can wait he said. He has got everything he need so what the problem. Ah, he would say, gawai is the time to treat oneself, new haircut, new peirre cardin at least. Time to reintroduce yourself to relative, tua somba and trying very hard to recognize their children too! Okay.
And now for the big ones…how about a 'crack' or two of Tigers for father-in-law this year as a surprise or 5 kilo of the best part of Australian beef for variety. Done. That would include my own parent as well.
So some important monthly bill will have to wait just a little longer then.
Last of all, he thought to himself if only he has slightly more to spare he might pamper himself with new car-stereo system..just to keep in touch with lastest melody on the way to kupuo. But wait. The 4X4 need new all-tarrain tyres and that urgent!
"I do not have to call for Snining everytime I need a jumper cable and I need that too! " He thought. "..and just in case I do stop on the road half-way to kupuo, a can or two in the boot would do just fine!"
Come May 31, all planning has been done fit for the King's visit. Surely he would have applied for few days leave as well and that would mean you could only see Branja in the last week of June! Your urgent call to Branja will have to wait!
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