Miss Ethnic Bidayuh

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Miss Ethnic Bidayuh is a pageant which complements the celebration of Kumang Iban and Keligit Orang Ulu, showcasing the beauties from the Bidayuh tribes in Sarawak, Borneo.  This category has many names depending on the sub-ethnic in the Bidayuh tribe.  There are 'Dayung Pimaguh' which means the best maiden and 'Dayung Sikora'.

The organizers of Borneo Hornbill Festival has adopted the term Miss Sarawak Ethnic Bidayuh after discovering that there are various names given to the winning title and the complexity of reaching an agreeable title based on the multitude of criteria corresponding to the befitting title. Like the Ibans, Bidayuh tribes have different sets of costumes belonging to sub ethnics in different districts in Sarawak.

At Borneo Hornbill Festival, our objective is to promote the discoveries of ancient customs and the exploration of cultural diversity.  Traditional ethnic costumes have undergone a continuous evolution due to external influences, creativity and imagination of the civilization.  We encourage participants to conduct researches about their own culture so they may understand the stages of change experienced by their ancestors.

As long as they are able to explain the costumes that they are exhibiting and how it was worn in whichever era, their costumes deserve the high mark just like any other costume known to be 'genuine'. Gone are the days when a groups so called 'keepers of tradition' dictate how a traditional costume should look like.  That is an insult to Borneo's cultural diversity.

Adopting the title Miss Sarawak Ethnic Bidayuh also gives the organizers more room to define the judging criteria and effectively implement their own theme throughout the pageant.  This year's theme is Cultural Diversity and Biodiversity while in 2013, it was Cultural Tourism and Conservation of Wildlife and Nature.

Interested to participate? Check out our audition dates and terms & conditions below.

Borneo Ethnic Pageant 2017 Terms & Conditions