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| Kaamatan | |
|---|---|
 The bobohizan perform the magavau | |
| Status | Active |
| Genre | Harvest festival |
| Date(s) | May |
| Begins | 1 May |
| Ends | 31 May |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Country | Sabah and Federal Territory of Labuan, Malaysia |
| Participants | Kadazan-Dusun people |
Kaamatan or Pesta Kaamatan is a form of harvest festival celebrated on 30 and 31 of May annually in the state of Sabah and Federal Territory of Labuan in Malaysia.
According to a belief shared by all Dusun peoples, with some variations, the human race, created by the Supreme Being Kinoingan, experienced a severe famine at the beginning of time. Kinoingan's maiden daughter, Huminodun, sacrificed herself to provide food for humanity, resulting in the production of rice as the main staple, along with other essential crops such as coconut, tapioca, ginger, maize, and yams from different parts of her body. The myth further narrates that Huminodun was transformed into Unduk Ngadau, a spirit emerging from a large jar containing the rice harvested by humans on the first day. An essential aspect of the myth includes Huminodun's instruction that, before starting the harvest, the father should take seven stalks of padi (called toguruon), tie them to one end of a spliced bamboo stick, plant them at the center of the field, and then store them in the rice container after the harvest. [1] These seven stalks of padi symbolize the spirit of rice, Bambaazon (or Bambarayon in interior dialects), which is believed to be responsible for abundant harvests [2]
This creation story played a central role in the traditional belief system of the Dusun peoples and formed the basis of numerous rituals performed annually during the rice harvest. [1] The most significant of these rituals was the magavau ceremony, led by the ritual specialists known as bobohizan, to recover grains of rice that might have been lost or left in the field, carrying the Bambaazon with them and thereby preventing future crop shortages. [2] Harvest-related rituals were the most important of the year, involving extensive celebration and feasting within villages. Another traditional ritual was the moginakan, which was costly and held during particularly good harvests, as well as for events like house reconstruction, childbirth, or recovery from illness. [1]
Kaamatan is normally celebrated by the ethnic Kadazan-Dusuns, as well as by other related ethnic groups in the state, and lasts for the whole of the month of May, ending with a public holiday on a date selected by a priestess known as the bobohizan. [3] [4] : 417
A beauty pageant known as Unduk Ngadau will be held and it ends the harvest festival with a newly crowned Unduk Ngadau in the annual host district, Penampang. The Harvest Festival comes under the ambit of what is known as Momolianism, the belief system and life philosophy of the Kadazan-Dusun. There is also a dance performance called the Sumazau, a singing contest called Sugandoi, a bodybuilding competition, and other arts and crafts performances. Competitions such as hitting the gong and folk sports have also become one of the main events in this festival.
Popular drinks during the festival are tapai and Kinomol, which is a traditional alak drink. Tapai is drunk from a small bamboo vessel known as a sumbiling or from special glasses called singgarung, likewise made from bamboo. [5]
Dusun is the collective name of an indigenous ethnic group to the Malaysian state of Sabah of North Borneo. Collectively, they form the largest ethnic group in Sabah. The Dusun people have been internationally recognised as indigenous to Borneo since 2004 as per the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
The Kadazans are an ethnic group indigenous to the state of Sabah in Malaysia. They are found mainly in Penampang on the west coast of Sabah, the surrounding locales, and various locations in the interior.
Tambunan is the capital of the Tambunan District in the Interior Division of Sabah, Malaysia. Its population was estimated to be around 35,667 in 2010. It is located 80 kilometres east of the state capital, Kota Kinabalu, 48 kilometres south of Ranau and 48 kilometres north of Keningau. At an average altitude of 750 metres, this valley town, which is part of the Crocker Range, experiences a mild tropical climate all year long. The valley is peppered with terraced paddy fields and 70 villages. The dense forests of bamboo around Tambunan town are a legacy of the British colonial period, during which an edict stated that 20 bamboo sprouts had to be planted for every bamboo cut.
The Momogun Rungus are an Austronesian ethnic group indigenous to Sabah, Malaysia. They primarily live in northern Sabah especially in Kudat, Kota Marudu and Pitas districts with small minorities in the Beluran district of the east coast Sandakan Division. They have a distinct language, dress, architecture, customs and oral literature from other Dusunic sub-groups. There are around 74,000 Rungus people in the state.
Kadazandusun are the largest ethnic group in Sabah, Malaysia, an amalgamation of the closely related indigenous Kadazan and Dusun peoples. "Kadazandusun" is an umbrella term that encompasses both the Kadazan and Dusun peoples. They are also known as Mamasok Sabah, meaning "indigenous people of Sabah". Kadazandusun tradition holds that they are the descendants of Nunuk Ragang. Kadazandusun is recognised as an indigenous nation of Borneo with documented heritage by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) since 2004. Kadazandusuns are part of the bumiputera in Malaysia having been endowed with rights concerning land, rivers, education and maintaining their own customary laws.
Nunuk Ragang is a site traditionally considered as the location of the original home of the ancestors of the Kadazan-Dusun natives who inhabit most of northern Borneo. The site, nearby a village named Tampias, is located at the intersection of the left and right branches of the Liwagu River to the east of Ranau and Tambunan in Sabah. The two river branches joined up to flow into the Labuk river and drain out into the Sulu Sea. At the site, and under a giant banyan tree, a settlement referred to as Nunuk Ragang was founded. The giant banyan tree was said to be able to give shade to a longhouse sheltering 10 families in it. The legend about Nunuk Ragang had been passed down via oral traditions to the younger generations. No archaeological dig has been carried out to establish the veracity of the legend.
Malaysian folk religion refers to the animistic and polytheistic beliefs and practices that are still held by many in the Islamic-majority country of Malaysia. Folk religion in Malaysia is practised either openly or covertly depending on the type of rituals performed.
Unduk Ngadau Kaamatan is a beauty pageant held annually during the Kaamatan cultural event in Sabah, Malaysia. The reigning Unduk Ngadau Kaamatan is Hyellene Danius of Inanam who was crowned by Unduk Ngadau Kaamatan 2023, Carol Abbey Gail Grimaldi of Papar, on 31 May 2024 at KDCA Hall, Penampang, Sabah.
Sedomon Gunsanad Kina MBE (1894-1966) was a native chief of Keningau, in North Borneo, who later became a politician in unified Malaysia. He was the son of Gunsanad Kina and the older brother of G.S Sundang.
A Bobohizan or Bobolian is a high priestess, a ritual specialist and a spirit medium in Kadazan-Dusun pagan rites. The office of Bobohizan or Bobolian, is also the chief preserver of Momolianism, i.e. the philosophy and way of life of the Kadazan-Dusun people.
The sumazau is a dance performed by the Kadazandusun from Penampang and adjacent areas in west coast Sabah. It is usually performed during Kaamatan. The dance involves male and female pairs who are dressed in traditional clothing. The rhythm of the dance is set by the beat of hanging gongs. It is performed by raising both arms to shoulder height and flapping them.
Lihing is a type of Malaysian rice wine that originated from the state of Sabah. It was made from "pulut", a glutinous rice and is a traditional rice wine for the Kadazan-Dusun people. The rice wine is also referred as hiing, kinarung, kinomol, kinopi, linahas, sagantang as well tapai. They are different from one another, but all are made from rice-based drinks. Lihing is sold widely in Sabah including in some major hotels.
Alcohol in Malaysia refers to the consumption, industry and laws of alcohol in the Southeast Asian country of Malaysia. Although Malaysia is a Muslim majority country, the country permits the selling of alcohol to non-Muslims. There are no nationwide alcohol bans being enforced in the country, with the exception of Kelantan and Terengganu which is only for Muslims. The Islamic party respects the rights of non-Muslims and non-Muslim establishments like Chinese restaurants and grocery shops are excluded from such bans. The federal territory of Kuala Lumpur has the highest alcohol consumption in the country, followed by the states of Sarawak in second place and Sabah in third place.
Momolianism is a belief system of the Kadazan-Dusun people of Sabah, Malaysia.
Huminodun is a character in a myth of the Dusun people. According to legend, Huminodun was a maiden sacrificed to feed her famine-stricken people.
Sabahan cuisine is a regional cuisine of Malaysia. As in the rest of Malaysian cuisine, Sabah food is based on staples such as rice with a great variety of other ingredients and different methods of food preparations due to the influence of the state's varied geography and indigenous cultures that were quite distinct from the regional cuisines of the Peninsular Malaysia. Sabah along with its neighbour of Sarawak is famous for their multi-ethnic population.
Sabah is the third most populous state in Malaysia, with a population of 3,418,785 according to the 2020 Malaysian census. It also has the highest non-citizen population, at 810,443. Although Malaysia is one of the least densely populated countries in Asia, Sabah is particularly sparsely populated. Most of the population is concentrated along coastal areas, with towns and urban centres seeing the most population growth.
The Penampang District is an administrative district in the Malaysian state of Sabah, part of the West Coast Division which includes the districts of Kota Belud, Kota Kinabalu, Papar, Penampang, Putatan, Ranau and Tuaran. The capital of the district is in Penampang Town.
Tenghilan is a small town and mukim under the administration of the Tamparuli minor district office. It is located in the Tuaran District of the West Coast Division of Sabah, Malaysia. The Tenghilan area is centered around a small town of the same name located near the road that connects Kota Kinabalu and Kota Belud. In 2010, its population was estimated at 203 inhabitants, mostly of Kadazan-Dusun origin. The town, which covers about 400 hectares of land, is located about 17 km northeast of Tuaran, and 25 km southwest of Kota Belud.
