SIBU: When it comes to Christmas, the Kenyah community in Sungai Asap, Belaga celebrates it in a big way, with the festivities lasting up to a week.
The 1,600 residents from 15 longhouses are a close-knit community that also spends that time visiting each other’s open house and taking part in a host of activities.
“Christmas is very important for us to celebrate not only the birth of Jesus Christ but also as a family reunion for all of us here,” said Umie Liau, a resident.
Their longhouses will be gaily decorated to fit the occasion. On Christmas Eve, her community – who are mostly Sidang Injil Borneo (SIB) members – will congregate at church for praise and worship that will last until midnight.
The Christmas Day mass is also a compulsory one that usually takes place from 8am to 11am.
“After the church service, we will have our open house that can last up to a week as everybody will be visiting everyone else,” said Umie who is chairman of Kenyah Uma Baha Women’s Association Sibu.
It is common to see Kenyah women donning their traditional attire called ngimba kenyah during Christmas.
A typical ngimba kenyah for women would include tapung sek (headdress), uleng lavang (beaded necklace), bela’ung (hoop earrings), ambai (upper earlobe bead earrings), sapai (top or blouse), ta’a (skirt) and bilang (sash).
Sape (traditional musical instrument) performances are also an in-thing at the celebration.
As for food for the open house, Umie said there are varieties of ketupak, lemang, ‘pansuh’ fish or pork cooked in bamboo, and more contemporary fare.
Another resident, Lasa Lidom, said their Christmas celebration starts with carolling at every door – each of the 15 longhouses has about 20 doors.
“We also have praise and worship for schoolchildren and their parents. Then there is a mini-sport carnival of telematch, football and badminton.
“All these activities are the reason why we are close-knit,” said Lidom, a civil servant.
He said as Christmas is that important, those working outstation in places like Peninsular Malaysia will always make it a point to come back.
Lidom is also excited because this Christmas will be a grander and merrier one.
“Our previous two Christmases were quiet ones due to the pandemic. This time, everybody will be back home for this joyous occasion,” he added.