Sebugey attending the 1st Wedding Reception for 2009

Remy & Kooi Hoon

making an entrance.....
The bride's aunties & uncle...

The bride's father's friends......John Trang,Dulles & Wendell Crocker

L-R: Mr. & Mrs. Ronnie Leong,Mr. & Mrs. Encharang Agas & Mrs. Florence Enau

L-R: Mr. Johnny Kapong & the MC, Mr. Telajan.

The groom's father seated next to Datuk & Datin Joseph Salang,unknown & Christopher Sawan.

Datin Lucy Hon-Salang,unknown,the bride's grandfather & the bride's father..

The ever sweet & pretty Mrs. Telajan aka Theresa smiling for the camera..

Mr. & Mrs. Edwin Asut,unknown,unknown & Robert..

Victor,Flora & Mrs. Victor

L-R: unknown,Julius Linggod,Lesley Linggod & unknown.

Tio Rina Sawan,Jackie Buri, Kim Sawan & Stale Buri

Here come the bride & groom...

The cutting of the wedding cake....

Beautiful Remy with her husband & mum, Mrs. Chang Yi Sawan.

Concerned elders watching to see that nothing goes wrong...

Mrs. Dublin Justin,Victor Temenggong,Dublin Justine & Dulles

Parents of both the bride & groom together with Datuk & Datin Joseph Salang Gandum leading the toast in wishing the newly wedded couple all good things in their marriage.

Cheeerrrssss!!!!

UUUUUUUHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAA!!!!!!

The new Mr. & Mrs. Leong Kooi Hoon thanking parents & all for their presence,gifts & all.

Bujang sigat

Sebugey,Daisy,indai Mit & Javerlyne Jutie

Stand by me......

L-R: Jeffrey Pasang & the bride's father singing "Stand by me".

The bride's father ( in the middle) jamming the jazz away with Jeffrey Pasang(L) & the brother inlaw of Linda (Christopher's eldest daughter).

'Baru datai amat aku ari Selanggau,meda scheme babi indu kitai Iban siko din..lelak amat driving..ti enda setegal anak nuan kawin,enda aku datai."pia ko Dubline Justine.

Cr. Victor Temenggong,Christopher Sawan,Dublin Justin & Dulles

Sebugey,OKB Daisy Nanta & Wendy Tiong

Congratulations!

In true Iban style,the sadong/serving of the ai kahwin/marriage drink(?) is a must & here you see the newly wedded couple accompanied by a proud father/father inlaw,Mr. Christopher Sawan, giving a drink to Mr. Dubline Justine.

Almost half of 2009 has had passed uneventfully in terms of single people,young or old,getting hitched. So when D & I got invited by Mr. & Mrs. Christopher Sawan to attend their daughter,Remy's wedding to Leong Kooi Hoon on the same time & night..& place that of the Miri Divisional Gawai Night 2009, I did not hesitate to tell the bride's mother that we accepted the invitation to attend the wedding reception instead,after all,every year,there's a gawai do like that. Of course,I had to ask permission to be excused with apology from any tugas that I was assigned but I did for the earlier part of the evening rendered some help in the form of pinning buttonholes to the guests who were arriving fashionably late, slowly but surely...could be problem finding parking spaces to park their cars.

I just let the photos do the talking & will add in a thing or two if & when I can think of something to write.

The wedding reception for Kooi Hoon & Remy,the 2nd daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Christopher Sawan was held last night,16th May,2009 at The Musical Corridor,Eastwood Valley Golf & Country Club,Miri. It was well attended by relatives,family friends & friends from as far as the US,KL,Sibu,Kuching & Limbang. The Bario Highlanders led by Jeffrey Pasang,assisted by Johnny Kapong & 3 others entertained us with some evergreen hits. The bride's mother,Ms. Chang Yi was seemingly busy making sure things went according to plan and so was the bride's father even though he looked cool. So we thought...until we heard him giving a speech in which he introduced himself as the 'father's bride' instead of 'the bride's father'...small mistake but he compensated by giving a speech right from his heart.

We wish the newly wedded couple a blessed married life together.

Northern Archdeaconary Mothers' Day Celebration @Mega Hotel

Mrs. Nancy Abit about to cut the Mothers' Day cake,watched by Fr. Stanley & Ven. Solomon Chong & others.

Bala pada & sub deacon benong ngeringak makai...peda tulang manok,pada enggai ke kena telan.

jamah dia meh pada..anang merening camera..makai,anang enda makai...

The Youth from St. Columba's Church,Miri

WF from Good Shepherd,Lutong led by the ever capable chairlady,Puan Esther Rakesh.

The Champion of them all...at least for the Northern Archdeaconary. The final will be held in Bintulu in a few months' time.

WF from St. Columba's Church,Miri doing their very best..well almost...3rd placing out of 3 groups that took part.

WF from St. Thomas Church,Bintulu doing their part who took great pain to come up with their baju which they got from the internet. They got 2nd placing.

Muk & Dulles

Joseph James,Doria Tangkun,muk & Dulles

No commentary for this function..please enjoy the photos.

WF from St. James,Kuala Belait. ..they did not take part in the competition..just a poco-poco presentation.

some more photos during the Preliminary Round

R-L:Katherine Kiai,Cr. Kijan Toynbee,Mr. Kahti Galis & Capt.Bernard Idit

Miri City Mayor,Mr. Lawrence Lai,Cr. Dennis Ngau,Cr. Robert Ingging

Mayor Lawrence Lai,Cr. Dennis,Cr. Robert Ingging,Mr. Jetli Jelian & Mr. Rojo Cornas

Mr. Kadir Ngumbang,Cr. Kijan Toynbee & Puan Katherine Kiai.

Julia Linggi,muk,Jacqueline Selaka,Josephine Tuah & Julia Juwen

Preliminary Round Keling,Kumang/Keligit Gawai Beauty Contests

Bala judges..the judges

Keling Contestants..bala sida contestants Keling tu pan sigat magang

Bala dayung...

Lihat lah..pandang lah,pinggang ku yang ramping......

Keligit contestant

Keligit

Bajik bajik indu Iban enggau bepekit Kumang Gawai taun tu..begaru pala bala judges & this year bisi 12 contestants for the Iban Catergory

Kumang Bidayuh Contestants

Keligit Orang Ulu Contestants

Keligit Orang Ulu Contestants

Kumang Iban Contestants

Kumang Iban Contestants

The preliminary round for the above mentioned beauty contests was held at the hall of Boulevard Hypermarket,Miri @3.00pm this afternoon. Despite the heavy rain + lightning & thunder,the function was very well attended judging from the packed hall. The Mayor of Miri City was the guest of honour. The judges had a difficult time selecting 6 finalists for the 3 catergories for the final...the Gawai Night on 16th May,2009 at Eastwood Golf & Country Club,Miri because all the girls're so pretty,charming & beautiful.

I left earlier so I do not know who are entering the finals but if you want to know more,(Mirians) please get your tickets from Kitty Janggot at Rumah Dayak,Jalan Merpati,Miri Tel:085-435467 or Caroline:013-8398438. The RM400/- table tickets are sold out so the tables remaining are the RM500/- table tickets. Do not miss this evening out!! Be THERE!!!! & we'll see you there.

Tai burung covered car...

Ha..ha...ha.. (for Mirians) the next time you attend a function at Mega Hotel,think twice where to park the car. Last night,we attended the Zone 3 Women Fellowship Dinner held in aid of the Bishop's House at Mega Hotel. We reached the parking space in front of EON Bank (opposite Mega Hotel) about 6.30pm & we said,"Thank God" there're still 3 empty spaces left but we did wonder how come they were not filled since we arrived quite late. Ha..ha..ha..it was only after we came back from the dinner did we realise the reason why nobody took up those empty spaces. The tree that's infront of the bank is where all the city birds congregate & have fellowship at night. Like us,after every input there is bound to be some output..same goes to the birds. They really berak on my car & this morning before church service,I had to wash my car. My goodness,theyre already dried up..the tai,I mean..I had to use extra force to get rid of them.

So nya meh cerita aku ke pagi tu..balat endar Ini Andan kentut...(That's my story for today...it's raining & thundering outside.)

Happy Mother's Day

Last Friday night,quite a handful of us,members of SIDS celebrated Mother's Day at the Senior Citizens Activity Centre,Krokop. We thank Herry Nang for making & donating the cheese cake & the other ladies for decorating the cake with penganan iri & kuih sepit...modern traditional cake.

To me,everyday is mother's day & I thank the good Lord that I do not have to wait for this particular sunday to wish my mother 'Blue Skies & Everything Nice & good health'. I give thanks everyday that she can still walk with some helping hands at times to take her out to the coffee shops,markets & Kuala Belait to get her supply of Clorox. Even though at times, I do have my mood swings but when I think of the Love she has for me & my family,I'd drive the 'hundred'miles to Kuala Belait so that she can jalan jalan cuci mata & let her do what she wants to do. I'd close my eyes when she finishes a plateful of rice which is a NO NO for diabetics like her..the kuih muih she would swallow in no time & the spoonfuls of sugar to go with her coffee. For if I tell her to control her food,she would say,"Sigi ka mati..nadai ga utai di empa." (Memang sudah mahu mati..tak ada pun makan)

She would only listen to her doctor and I love the way the doctor told her(after almost 5 months of dressing her infected toe last year) that if she so valued her life & wanted to live longer to be with her family,she'd better listen to what he said. I think it is about time to take her to the doctor for some counselling.

That's my mum & I don't think my story is any different from the rest of you. As they grow older,we have to speak in a tone that is melodious to their ears for they are super sensitive. Don't blame them..blame their hormonal inbalance,if any.

Happy Mother's Day!!!