His Majesty King di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan of Pahang and Malaysia's Head of State, wishes Sarawakians a happy Gawai Dayak day!
Gawai Dayak is a regional public holiday in the Malaysian state of Sarawak observed every June 1st and 2nd. June 1st also celebrates the anniversary of the Royal Malaysian Air force.
This holiday is a harvest festival used to showcase the heritage and traditions of the indigenous people in Sarawak. This tradition comes from the word Gawai, meaning festival, and Dayak are the native people of Borneo, the largest island in Asia.
The festival may have originated in centuries-old agricultural traditions, but the origins of the modern festival date back to the early 1960s when it was first introduced as a way to celebrate Dayak traditions and culture after decades of colonial rule.
Gawai Dayak has been gazetted as a public holiday in Sarawak since June 1st 1965. The festival focuses on food and drink, dancing and the wearing of traditional dress.
Though not a Christian festival, many Dayak converted to Christianity in the past, so local churches celebrate the occasion with special masses, in which elements of tribal prayers are inserted, songs and dances.
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is the constitutional monarch and Malaysia's Head of State. The office was established in 1957, when the Federation of Malaya gained independence from the United Kingdom. They also renamed their country to Malaysia. Read more about the elective monarchy of Malaysia:
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| Sultan Abdullah of Malaysia and Queen Tunku Azizah at King Charles III Coronation |
His Majesty Sultan Abdullah and his wife, Queen Tunku Azizah attracted global attention in May when they attended the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla in London.
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| From left Queen Rania, King Abdullah II of Jordan with King di-Pertuan Agong and Queen Tunku Azizah ©Istana_Negara |
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| From left: King Jigme of Bhutan, King di-Pertuan Agong, King Vajiralongkorn of Thailand, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei, and King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain ©Istana Negara |
They joined other foreign dignitaries and royals attending the historic ceremony and had an opportunity to unite with fellow Asian royalty.
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