The get-together ceremonies are grand displays of love, loyalty and gratitude to His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam during the monarch’s birthday celebrations.
Every year, from the oil district of Belait to the most populous Brunei-Muara, residents from all walks of life gather to take part in the national celebration as His Majesty tours each of the nation’s four districts to meet the people.
This year was no different. Despite the heavy heat and humidity, they braved the weather with smiles and laughter.
At the heart of every gathering were the field performances organised by the district and participated by eager youth.
With intricate costumes, traditional garb and the pride of one’s nation, they seek to dazzle, showcasing the country’s culture and passions, united under one ruler.
The Bulletin spoke to some of the performers, who shared their emotions and experiences as they prepared to step up onto the big stage in each district.
In the Temburong District, local performers expressed pride in being able to represent their ethnic backgrounds, brilliantly highlighting their culture through traditional dance and costume.
Thirteen-year-old Kelvin Bennet, a member of the Iban community, shared how nervous he was with the idea of performing the ethnic dance of his people on such a huge platform.
There are aspects of his culture that he is still unfamiliar with, he said, adding that he was glad to have the opportunity “to learn more about my culture and to be able to showcase it to the public and His Majesty”.
Ethnic dances performed during the event were the Joget Iban as well as the jipin or zapin dance of the Kedayan ethnic group.
Sisters Nur Aiman Syuhada and Syazana binti Muhd Zulkifli, members of the Lun Bawang ethnic group, said they were initially anxious in learning an ethnic dance that was outside of their own culture.
“With the zapin dance being part of the Kedayan community, there was a bit of pressure for us to perform it right, to give proper representation to the Kedayans and their culture,” said 20-year-old Nur Aiman.
Meanwhile, Syazana, 22, said, “As part of Temburong’s youth, we were also pleased to learn about the different aspects of the other ethnic groups as it helps us understand and value each other more.”
In the Tutong District, Syasya Alisya Aqilah binti Abdullah Mohd Iskandar Shah shared her enthusiasm at being one of the performers, acknowledging the weight of their roles in the get-together ceremonies.
“This is undoubtedly a great responsibility that we embrace, especially in bringing the performance theme forward for Tutong in the presence of our esteemed national leaders,” she said.
Syasya said their district theme, Kekal Beraja, Kekal Bernegara, portrayed a wise ruler leading his subjects and country towards prosperity and peace by upholding the national philosophy of Malay Islamic Monarchy, central to the country’s sovereignty and Muslim ideals.
“It’s not just about the performance itself, but what we hope for is that the next generations will continue to uphold the beauty of Brunei’s heritage arts and culture, even as we navigate through modernity,” she added.
At the heart of the nation, in the Brunei-Muara District, the performances tugged at heartstrings through songs and dances.
One of the singers, Amier Daud who is in his late thirties, said that this was his second year of participating. Despite his previous experience, he said he almost succumbed to nerves.
When the time came, however, he pulled together and echoed his song firm and loud across the performance field, drawing strength from nightly practices since June.
This year, the Brunei-Muara ceremony included a special line-up of schoolchildren singing the Brunei children folk songs, Oh Kanak-Kanak and Cok Kerapang.
Thirteen-year old singer Nor Ummi Aziqah binti Haji Abdul Zamri said she felt lucky to be selected again this year to perform in front of His Majesty. The Year 7 student said that she was grateful to be given the opportunity to be part of the special performances again this year as it allowed her improve her singing even further.
There were also martial art practitioners, displaying their skill and prowess alongside performers.
Mohammad Baharshatri bin Haji Muhammad Rashid, a karate instructor, said it was the first time for the karatekas to be involved in the special performance Five were from the national team, while another 10 were from the Department of Youth and Sport’s karate scheme.
Meanwhile, kindergarten three students from the Chung Hua Middle School, Bandar Seri Begawan put on an adorable showcase, performing birthday songs in three languages – Malay, English and Chinese, dedicated to His Majesty. – Rokiah Mahmud
