KUCHING: The Lun Bawang community of Lawas in northern Sarawak began preparations for the month-long Christmas celebrations in October.
Since then, they have been busy with choir rehearsals and practices for musical and dance performances.
Children, youth, women and parents’ groups from various local churches also began holding early Christmas services last month.
“Christmas is very special to us in Lawas,” said Diana Daniel, a teacher living in Long Tuma village near Lawas town.
“We spent weeks rehearsing for presentations in November, when every church was alive with practices on weekday evenings.
“At the end of November, local churches started holding Christmas services.”
She cited the example of 12 or 13 small churches gathering at host churches for youth and parents’ Christmas services over the past two to three weekends.
Diana, who sang in the choir at one of the services, said the climax of the celebration will be the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services.
For her, one of the highlights will be the lighting of the “pohon trang” (bright tree) on Christmas Eve.
“There will be a procession and then the church pastor and elders will light the candles on the tree.
“Every Lun Bawang church in Lawas has this activity.
“Nowadays we use battery-operated candles,” she said.
The Christmas Day service will be a joyful occasion with choir performances by various church groups.
Women in the choirs typically wear colour-coordinated kebayas, added Diana.
“Although we’re not professional singers, the voices are really sweet and when they harmonise it’s soothing to the ears.
“I always look forward to their singing,” she said.
Diana added that church members also come together to celebrate the Christmas Eve feast and Christmas Day lunch.
She said the men handle the butchering of local livestock and the cooking fire, in a gotong-royong style, while preparing festive dishes.
“The women will prepare soft rice called ‘nuba laya’, cook vegetables and prepare drinks.
“The Christmas Eve meal unites the entire church.”
Diana said Christmas is very special for the Lun Bawang as it is a time for gratitude and celebrating the birth of Christ.
“This is the celebration at the end of the year when we gather in our homes and churches as a family and community to celebrate, feast, sing and worship together.”
