Introduction
Gawai Antu is the greatest of all the Sea Dayak feasts for the dead, celebrated in honour of those that have died since the last Gawai Antu feast was held. Sarapoh, who was taught by the spirit Puntang Raga, originated this feast. As the feast is expensive there is no fixed date for the celebration. It would take at least one or two years to prepare for the ceremony financially.
The Gawai Antu ceremony has strong significance to every Sea Dayak heart. Those who fail to celebrate it from negligence are considered disloyal to the religious duty of marking the graveyard with sungkup. Thus all Dayaks for every generation should celebrate at least once in a lifetime.
Ai Garong and Ai Jalong Timang
Before proceeding further, it is necessary to explain in full the qualification demand of the “brave” who are to be selected to drink the sacred libations offered to the spirit of the dead.
The most sacred ai buloh or ai garong as it is sometimes called used to be lavishly thrown away at the foot of the house ladder at the termination of the Gawai Antu.
Later as time passed by, men were inspired by the spirit in dream to drink the ai garong, if they have completed the following deed in battles.
They must have taken the head (bedengah) of an enemy.
They must have picked out the brain of the enemy from his skull (udah ngerok) to entitle them to handle the offerings of the Gawai and the Gawai Burong festivals. The man who has done these things is known as tau nasak.
By these rules, they must have drunk the ai jalong timang wine on a previous occasion before they are entitled to drink the ai garong wine.
A war leader is the highest rank amongst the Sea Dayaks. Due to his exalted status he is not to drink the ai jalong timang which is to be drunk by his leading warriors. The ai jalong timang that is offered to the soul of a dead hereditary chief or war leader (which no ordinary warrior would dare to drink) is to be drunk only by any war leader present. As far as the sacred ai garong is concerned, he who has not completed the above deeds or has not been told to do so in a dream, must not drunk it merely for the sake of fame.
Not to confuse the two sacred wines - ai garong and ai jalong timang, the former is traditional, while the latter was recently invented and has become a feature of the Gawai Antu in the Saribas and Krian areas only.
After the fall of Sadok in 1861, all the principal war leaders of the Saribas and Krian held a historic meeting to honour their brave warriors in one of these feast.
At this gathering, it was agreed that it was vitally necessary for them to honour these warriors by declaring that they alone should drink the wine ai jalong timang at future Gawai Antu.
The Balau, Undup, Lemanak and the Ulu Ai Dayaks do not drink ai jalong timang, which only originated from the Saribas and Krian Dayaks.
Other Dayaks only drink the traditional sacred ai garong originated by Sarapoh following his teaching of the spirit Puntang Raga. Today, only the descendents of past war leaders and leading warriors are selected to drink ai jalong timang.
Summary of the Gawai Antu Ceremonies
The following description is based on observation at five different Gawai Antu celebrations.
Four took place in the Saribas district and one in the Ulu Krian district.
1. Preliminary meeting.
2. Beban: Preparing wood for the making of sungkup.
3. Ngambi buluh : Collecting of bamboo for the nganyam ceremony.
4. Ngeretok: The making of sungkup
5. Ngalu Antu: A welcoming ceremony for the Gods and spirits at dark and dawn on several
occasions (including cock fighting).
6. Nganyam : Preparation of miniature baskets.
7. Minta manok: Begging for chicken.
8. Mandok: Preparation for making tuak (rice wine)
9. Tubai Gawai: Fishing with derris root.
10. Second meeting: To discuss date for holding Gawai.
11. Ngambi Ngabang: Invitation is send out to guest for the celebration.
12. Mantar and Ngeraran: Preparation for the Gawai.
13. Niki Ka Orang Ngirup Buluh: The welcoming of the braves.
14. Makai Lemai: Supper.
15. Bedigir: Seating of guests.
16. Begeliga: A lecture by the senior hosts or the Feast Chief (Tuai Gawai).
17. Ngalu Petara: A procession to welcome the Gods and spirits.
18. Ngerandang Jalai: A dance in order to clear a path free from the spirits of the departed.
19. Ngelalau: A dance performed by the brave to enclose the path.
20. Berayah pupu buah rumah: A dance performed by one old man from each village to lead the
spirits along the cleared and enclosed path.
21. Nimang Jalong: The lemambang sing songs to bless the sacred wine, which shall be drink
by the brave.
22. Muai Rugan: Destruction of the tabernacle.
23. Bebungkar Ruang: The eating of meat with wine after the destruction of the tabernacle.
24. Ngambi Tebalu: Ending of the mourning period undergone by widows and widowers.
25. Nganjong Buloh: The drinking of the sacred wine ai garong.
26. Berangap: The presentation of food and money to the homeward bound guest.
27. Nganjong Sungkup: The erection of monument in the graveyard.
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