The 68-year-old Lenti (right) has roped in her grandsons, Stu David, 26, and Damian Mikael Harry, 15, and grandniece Florella Mikin, 20 (left) to help her with the preparations for Gawai. — Photos: ZULAZHAR SHEBLEE / The Star
On the eve of Gawai, preparations were almost at fever pitch in Lenti Abang’s home in Kampung Nangka, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak. Apart from the last-minute cleaning before the festivities (on June 1 and 2), Lenti is busy in the kitchen preparing the goodies that are must-haves for any festival.
Popular Gawai songs like Sepating Bungai Jarau (Rickie Andrewson), Richah Gawai (Ramles Walter) and Gawai Kaamaatan (Ramles Walter and Debra Sia) are playing loudly as Lenti’s grandchildren make sure the home is all spruced up.
Lenti (right) teaches Florella the art of making penganan jala to ensure the younger generation carries on the cultural legacy. Photos: The Star/Zulazhar Sheblee
Lenti is confined to the kitchen, making her signature traditional snack – penganan jala, a crunchy, deep-fried biscuit-like snack made from rice flour, water and palm sugar, or gula apong syrup.
The 68-year-old Iban woman has roped in her grandsons, Stu David, 26, and Damian Mikael Harry, 15, and grandniece Florella Mikin, 20, to help her with the preparations. Over time, this has become an annual ritual for them.
“It is a must to have penganan jala for Gawai,” says Lenti.
“Although it is time-consuming to make this delicacy from scratch, we continue to do it as it is part of our heritage. Penganan jala is also made during special occasions like Christmas, Easter, and weddings.
“I learned this recipe from my grandmother and now, it has come time to teach my older grandchildren this recipe,” said the grandmother of 15, who has been making penganan jala for over 50 years.
Lacy patterns are formed as the mould moves in concentric circles in the hot oil.
Gawai is celebrated as a harvest festival and thanksgiving, to express gratitude for the abundance in the past year, and wish for a better yield in the coming seasons. It is the biggest festival for the Dayak community. Dayak is collective name for the tribes of Iban, Bidayuh, Kayan, Kenyah, Kelabit, and Murut.
In Sabah, Kaamatan (Harvest Festival) is celebrated on May 30 and 31.
Heritage keeper
Lenti is happy that her grandsons and grandniece are enthusiastic about learning the traditional recipe.
“Although it is convenient to purchase these cookies off the shelves, homemade goodies are always fresher and tastier. I am happy the younger generation is willing to learn and preserve this tradition,” said Lenti, who was born and raised in Kota Samarahan.
Penganan jala looks almost like a fish net (hence why it is called “jala”). It is a sweetish, crispy biscuit that is made with rice flour and palm sugar, mixed together with water or coconut milk to form a batter.
Once the batter reaches the right consistency (similar to pancake batter), it’s time to fry the biscuits. Florella takes her position in front of the stove: She dishes the batter it into a mould that is made from coconut shell with holes at the bottom for the batter to trickle down into the oil.
Lenti’s dedication to making penganan jala from scratch symbolises the importance she places on preserving Dayak traditions.
Holding the bamboo handle, she deftly moves her hand in steady concentric circles so the batter forms a fine, lacy layer in the hot oil. She uses a wooden stick in her other hand to tap the mould so the batter passes through the mould evenly.
She then has to fold the circular biscuits in half to form semicircles (in the hot oil) and take them out as soon as they turn a golden brown shade.
Once done, she lays the crispy snack aside to cool and repeats the process.
The process of making pengarang jala is time-consuming and Stu sometimes complains that it takes painstakingly long because they have to make them one by one.
Penganan jala is one of the must-haves for Gawai.
“It takes a lot of time because you have to stand by hot oil and watch carefully to make sure we take each piece out as soon as they turn golden and crispy. You need to watch closely to ensure they don’t get burnt.
“It gets very hot in the afternoons so we try to complete making as many penganan jala as possible by the early afternoon,” says Stu, who runs a food business in Kota Samarahan.
On the table in the kitchen are several containers of ready-to-eat penganan jala which Lenti has made over the last few days. She plans to distribute them to her four children and to her neighbours tomorrow morning.
“On Gawai, it is a must to distribute sweet snacks like kek lapis, kuih penyaram (a chewy sweet snack made from rice flour, wheat flour and palm sugar), and kuih bunga ros (made from rice flour, coconut milk and sugar) to our neighbours and relatives.
"By giving away sweet snacks, we hope to sweeten our relationships with loved ones,” said Lenti, who is a widow.
Food for the soul
Gawai is always celebrated with a lot of merriment, traditional food and rituals. In Lenti’s home, it is a must prepare Dayak dishes like kacangma (chicken cooked with ginger and motherwort), daun ubi tutuk (stir fried pounded cassava leaves) and midin goreng belacan (stir fried bracken ferns with shrimp paste).
Clockwise from top right: Kasam ensabi, steamed fish, manuk pansuh, Sarawak layer cake, purple rice and kuih jala (centre) are among the items served during Gawai.
Rice, harvested from their farm, will be served as well, as it symbolises abundance and prosperity.
Her daughters, Linda Judin, 46, and Monania Judin, 43, and her son in law, contractor Antau Saong @ Udak, 49, are busy preparing manuk pansuh (chicken cooked in bamboo) over firewood in Lenti’s backtard. This is also one of the must haves for Gawai for her family.
One of Lenti’s signature dishes during Gawai is pekasam ikan (fermented fish) which she usually prepares a couple of weeks before Gawai to get the best of its flavours. It is deep fried, or steamed, and served with piping hot rice and other side dishes.
Lenti has prepared five large glass jars of pekasam ikan this year to serve to her guests during Gawai. She prefers to use river fish like sultan fish (hoven carp), wallago catfish (ikan tapah) and ikan palau because the flesh of these fish are tender and sweet.
Lenti (centre) guides Stu (right) and Damian, through the process of making pekasam ikan, a must have during Gawai. Photo: Linda Judin
Stu and Damian helped their beloved grandma prepare the fish – incidentally their favourite. In Lenti’s kitchen, are also several jars of her homemade tuak, an alcoholic beverage made of fermented rice, yeast and sugar.
Lenti says it is customary for Dayak men and women to drink tuak at the stroke of midnight, to mark the start of Gawai.
“Before drinking it, the traditional shout of ‘oooha’ is called out. It is to a mark that the Gawai celebrations have begun. We also say a short prayer for good health, prosperity and happiness as we welcome Gawai. On the first day, we welcome guests to our home. On the second day, we practise ngabang (visiting relatives and friends) to enjoy their delicious food and tuak,” shared Lenti, who has five children.
Florella (left) and her aunts are all set to perform traditional dances during Gawai. Photo: Tayren Gorden
In some Iban longhouses, a ritual ceremony known as “miring” is conducted to honour the gods, spirits, and ancestors and seek their blessings for the community.
As part of the tradition, some communities place a “ranyai” (a chopped banana or Nipah tree) in the communal hall. This ranyai acts as a central backdrop for various cultural performances, including “ngajat” (a traditional dance), “bepencha” (a sword dance), and “bekuntau” (a self-defense martial arts performance).
Stu (right) and Damian spring clean their home, ensuring it is spotless and ready for Gawai. — Photo: LINDA JUDIN
These rituals and performances not only pay respect to spiritual entities but also serve to strengthen communal bonds and preserve the rich cultural heritage of the Iban people.
On Sunday, the second day of Gawai, Lenti plans to visit her relative’s longhouse at Kg Teg Lam in Simunjan, about an hour’s drive from her village. There will be dance performances and everyone comes dressed up to soak in the festivities.
“Gawai brings families and friends together, especially those from afar. The joy of reuniting, sharing stories, and feeling happy over tuak and food makes Gawai truly special.”
