SIBU, May 24 2026: The Miring ritual, which is a traditional practice of the Dayak community seeking blessings from Petara, has great potential to be recognised as an Intangible Cultural Heritage at the national level before being considered for recognition under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).
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National Unity Minister Aaron Ago Dagang said the ritual has high cultural and spiritual value because it is full of elements of gratitude, respect for nature and requests for the well-being of the community.
According to him, the ritual is still practised to this day, especially during Gawai celebrations and traditional ceremonies of the Dayak community.
“It is still practiced to this day, especially in the celebration of Gawai and traditional ceremonies of the Dayak community.
“Therefore, the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) through the National Heritage Department needs to gazette this ceremony as a National Heritage first so that it can be documented, preserved and promoted more comprehensively,” he said when officiating the Sibu Division pre- Gawai Dayak celebration 2026 last night.
Aaron, who is also Kanowit Member of Parliament, also drew attention to the successful recognition of the traditional Ajat as a National Heritage in 2007 which proves the country’s commitment in upholding the culture of indigenous people.
According to him, under the National Heritage Act 2005 [Act 645], Intangible Heritage refers to the practices, expressions, knowledge and culture of a community that has aesthetic, historical and high identity value to the country.
He said this heritage encompasses various forms of traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation and have become a symbol of the identity of the multi-racial Malaysian community.
“Therefore, the National Heritage Department continues to strengthen efforts to conserve and preserve intangible heritage through four the main branches are Custom and Culture, Performing Arts, Language and Literature and Fine Arts and Crafts.
“All these elements play an important role in ensuring that the country’s cultural treasures continue to be sustainable and appreciated by future generations,” he said.
The Sibu pre-Gawai celebration was jointly organised by the Sarawak Dayak National Union (SDNU) Sibu, Sarakup Indu Dayak Sarawak (SIDS) Sibu, Orang Ulu National Association (OUNA) Sibu and the Dayak Bidayuh National Association (DBNA) Sibu.
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