Best Kumangs (Fair and Lovely queens) for National Gawai Open House

KUCHING: Just when they thought they already won the Kumang Gawai title, the various divisional Fair and Lovely queens and finalists had to go through another rigorous test before being selected to represent the state in the Annual Majlis Rumah Terbuka Malaysia Gawai Dayak 2009 (national-level Gawai Dayak Open House) at Stadium Perpaduan, Petra Jaya, here today.

Datuk Peter Minos, the chief coordinator, said the Kumangs had to be the best of the best.

“Besides beauty, the Kumangs we select must have also their own traditional costumes,” he added, laying particular emphasis on the authenticity of such costumes.

Apart from a minimum height of 5ft 2inches, an age limit of 24 years and looking great in full regalia for the cameras, Minos’ emphasis on perfection lies in the fact that the Kumang Gawai represents the apex of all that the year’s harvest has to offer.

“The apex of the Gawai Dayak is not complete without the Kumang — that’s why it’s the centre of the Gawai. People just think it’s a beauty pageant but the Kumang is a reward from the Almighty. In the past, there were a lot of rituals with religious connotations surrounding the Kumang Gawai,” he explained.

For Janet Bennet, the Kumang Gawai title represents the beauty and uniqueness of Sarawakian women not found anywhere else.

At 5ft 10 inches tall, Janet towers over the average Sarawakian girl. This winner of Miss Fair and Lovely 2009 from Kampung Asap in Belaga, stands out with her grace and composure — and she is just 19.

However, she didn’t succeed all on her own. Besides support from friends and family, she’s also grateful to Sarawak Cultural Village manager, Jane Lian Labang, for encouraging her and boosting her self-confidence.

To Janet, still studying for her diploma in public administration at UiTM, the most challenging aspect of being a Kumang is dividing her time between studies, family, friends and the various assignments she has to fulfil as the reigning ‘queen’.

The composure and inner confidence that won her the crown will serve her well in future when she becomes an ambassadress or a lawyer. In fact, that’s one of her primary reasons for joining the Fair and Lovely pageant.

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