Gawai Antu Returns to Celebrate Iban Heritage and Honour Ancestors
KUCHING, Oct 15: The Iban community’s sacred Gawai Antu festival has returned to the spotlight, reaffirming the community’s deep respect for its ancestors and commitment to preserving its heritage amid a fast-changing modern world.
Held only once in a generation, Gawai Antu is one of the most meaningful and elaborate cultural events for the Iban people. It brings together thousands of members from longhouses across Sarawak to honour the spirits of their departed loved ones while strengthening unity among the living.
To commemorate this rich tradition, the Gawai Antu Documentary Film will once again be screened at the Borneo Cultures Museum in Kuching from October 19 to 24, 2025. The documentary was first launched on September 20, 2022, at the same venue, officiated by the Premier of Sarawak.
The upcoming screening will take place twice daily, at 11am to 12 noon and 2pm to 3pm, at the Auditorium, Ground Floor, Borneo Cultures Museum. The event aims to rekindle public appreciation for the Iban people’s ancestral customs and collective identity.
Following the opening screening on October 19, a special sharing session and press conference will be held, featuring Barbara Dubah Jabu, the Executive Producer, and Loo Shun Ming, the Producer and Director of the documentary.
Barbara, known for her leadership in community transformation programmes and efforts in promoting indigenous narratives, said Gawai Antu is more than just a traditional festival.
“Gawai Antu is more than a festival. It’s how we remember who we are. In the act of honouring our dead, we give life to our culture,” she said.
Meanwhile, Loo Shun Ming, an award-winning filmmaker and Lead Content Strategist at Image Farm Productions Sdn Bhd, said she hopes the documentary will help Malaysians appreciate the deeper meaning of the Iban culture and inspire greater understanding of indigenous identity.
Loo, whose works have been featured on National Geographic Asia and Channel NewsAsia, said the film serves as a bridge between generations, capturing the emotional and spiritual heart of the Gawai Antu celebration.
The documentary also highlights the important role of women in Iban society. Throughout the six-day event, women from Rumah Gensurai, Layar, Betong will be present to represent their longhouse community. Their involvement, Barbara said, symbolises the strength and resilience of Iban women, who are the keepers of oral traditions and cultural practices.
“Their presence allows them to share their stories directly with the public, giving others a true sense of the festival’s spirit,” she added.
The screening is made possible through the support of the Sarawak Museum Department, which has partnered with the organisers since the first screening. W T K Holdings Berhad serves as the official sponsor, with Ta Ann Group as a supporting sponsor and KUPIKUPI FM as the media partner.
Barbara expressed her gratitude to all partners involved, saying their collaboration has been vital in keeping the spirit of Gawai Antu alive.
“Through this collaboration, we hope to create a meaningful platform for sharing and celebrating our heritage. When our stories reach beyond our community, our culture remains alive for future generations,” she said.
The Gawai Antu Documentary Film is not merely a showcase of rituals but a profound expression of identity and remembrance. It reminds Malaysians that even as the nation moves forward, traditions must remain rooted as the foundation of unity and belonging.
Through this celebration of life, death, and continuity, the Iban people of Sarawak once again demonstrate that true progress honours the past while embracing the future — a lesson that resonates deeply in the multicultural heart of Malaysia.