A Soulful Symphony at Bumi Kenyalang: Ini Warisan Kita Sarawak 2024

Imagine a hundred passionate young leaders from diverse backgrounds donning distinct attires, vivid and exquisitely laced with intricate beadwork, marching and dancing to mythical symphonies unlike anything heard before. “Baju Burung” and “Ngepan Iban” are traditional ceremonial attires worn by the Iban community in Sarawak, frequently adorned during the Gawai Dayak festival, symbolising protection, prosperity and spiritual guidance — and just the tip of the iceberg of the cultural heritage found in the “Land of the Hornbills”.

As “Ini Warisan Kita”: YSS Student Volunteers Mission to Sarawak 2024 (Misi Sukarelawan Siswa YSS ke Sarawak 2024) wrapped up, it left all 100 YSS student volunteers with fond memories — but their presence on the mission was never just about cultural appreciation. They were there to carve meaningful smiles on the faces of the lives they touched.

Sarawak is home to 101 ethnic groups, with 27 major ethnicities including Iban, Kenyah, Bidayuh, Penan, Melanau, Kedayan and Jawa. Over two weeks, volunteers immersed themselves in the rich tapestry of Sarawak’s culture across six different regions — from knowledge-transfer sessions via the Edu-Venture programme with the Kenyah children of Sungai Asap, to environmental efforts in Nanga Miaw, to the momentous “Night of Cultural Heritage” (Malam Warisan Budaya Bangsa) at Kampung Kolong 2, officiated by Deputy Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Haji Fadillah bin Haji Yusof.

All community engagement missions were tailored to fulfil YSS’s six volunteerism pillars — Unity and Community Empowerment, Education Enhancement and Capacity Building, Climate Resilience & Environmental Sustainability, Health and Well-being, Digital Transformation, and Social Impact Mobilisation — aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and Malaysia’s national unity agenda.

YSS students also joined a health screening programme with the Bintulu Health Department alongside residents of Uma Kelep, Sungai Asap, and ran a Math Adventure Station programme for 36 secondary students at RH. Jala, Nanga Miaw, Song. In total, the mission devised 175 community projects, clocking more than 1,000 volunteering hours that touched the lives of 40,636 individuals across the selected locations — a testament to the power of cultural exchange in building bridges between people.