MAY, THE MONTH OF MERRY-MAKING..

May is almost here and everyone who is involved one way or another in preparation for the state wide month-long Harvest Festival celebration in Sabah, is in a frenzy making all the necessary arrangements.

This year,  the State Level Kaamatan Festival will be launched in Kuala Penyu, a district situated in the west coast of Sabah,  on the 1st May 2012 and will be celebrated throughout the State in the month of May.  The highlight of the celebration will be the Unduk Ngadau competition of which the grand finale will be at the Hongkod Koisaan KDCA Penampang on the 30th and 31st May 2012. This annual celebration would usually attract thousands of people from all walks of life, both local and foreign tourists who come especially for this celebration.

THE KAAMATAN FESTIVAL AND WHY UNDUK NGADAU

The Kaamatan Festival

The Kaamatan Festival is an annual cultural observation of the Kadasandusun people who were predominantly farmers and involved in the cultivation of padi, to celebrate a bountiful harvest. It is held in the month of May the beginning of the Kadazandusun calendar year. The festival was previously known by several names such as The Harvest Festival which when translated to Bahasa Malaysia means Pesta Menuai and some may say Tadau Kaamatan or Harvest Day.

The idea of celebrating the district and state level Kaamatan Festival was mooted by the late Orang Kaya Kaya (OKK) Sodomon, a Keningau Native Chief in 1956. However in response to the request of the Society of Kadazans, pursued by letters from various native ethnic groups throughout the state, the first Sabah statewide Kaamatan Festival was proclaimed and held for two days from June 30^th to July 1^st1960 at the padang of the old St. Michael’s School Penampang.

The first level Kaamatan Festival was a significant step towards the integration of the various native ethnic population of Sabah and paved the way in changing the Society of Kadazans to Kadazan Cultural Association (KCA). The State Level Kaamatan Festival has since been officially recognized and supported by the Sabah State Government with active participation of the KCA now known as KDCA.

For many years, the dates and venues kept changing and roving from district to district in response to district request. In 1986 the KDCA resolved that the date be fixed on May 30^th and 31^stand the Kaamatan Festival Month of May be launched on May 1^st. This was designed to align the Kaamatan Festival to cultural tourism promotion. Upon the completion of the Hongkod Koisaan or the Kadazan Cultural Centre, the KDCA Central Committee once again resolved that the annual State Level Kaamatan Festival is held at the Hongkod Koisaan. Year 2001 saw another milestone in the recognition of the Kaamatan Festival when the Federal Government made it among the 6 festivals given a national emphasis along with the Hari Raya Aidil Fitri, Chinese New Year, Christmas Day, Deepavali and Gawai Dayak.

The Kaamatan Festival is sub-divided into five major meaning and purposes:-

1.   Homecoming of the Bambaazon – Kasaakazan do Bambaazon

The Kadazandusun believes that apart from being capable of nourishing life in food form, the Bambaazon or spirit of the rice embedded within the grains of the ripe padi ears, is also capable of germinating into a new plants to yield more grains when replanted. A home-coming is therefore necessary to allow the Bambaazon to dwell in the harvested paddy grains kept in a central storage container called Tangkob.

Tangkob

Photo courtesy of www.MySabah.Com

2. Restoration Ceremony - Magavau

      The word Magavau or Maga’au means to recover what one has lost. During the Kaamatan Festival, Magavau refers to the detailed task of the Priestress or Bobohizanto search and salvage as well as to bring home the lost, stolen or strayed Bambaazon. The Kadazandusun people have high regard for rice and parents have to ensure that no grain of rice should be left wastefully on a dinner plate of their children or the rice may cry. Therefore padi grains that may have been accidentally dropped or spilled during the harvesting process will be retrieved and brought home by the Bobohizan.

Pix courtesy of www.kauluanexpress.com. Thanks Stevie

The Magavau ceremony is performed by a team of Bobohizans preceded by a male bearing a sword called the ilang or gazang. They will form a rhythmic movement with their hands holding the shoulder of the person in front or mogikaakambai. Every time a lost Bambaazon is retrieved the leader will let out a triumphant cry or mamangkis.The process will go on until the 7 Bambaazonare retrieved and brought home to the Tangkob.

3. The Feeding of the Bambaazon - Papaakan do Bambaazon   

While the Magavau is in session, other groups are busy preparing the food offerings for the Bambaazon.The components may vary from place to place. However, the popular inclusions are special fermented rice called Tondut, 7 bamboo cups suki of first class rice wine hiing, eggs, salt and feathers of a specially slaughtered chicken.

4.    The Merry Making Feast –Moginakan

After feeding the Bambaazon, an open to all merry making feast is being held. Prior to the use of public amenities such as community centres, the venue for this is the spacious sitting hall hintuun of a local leader of the community. Those present were traditionally served with chicken porridge, eggs and meat as it is believed that green vegetable connote disrespect to the guests of Bambaazon. Only the best tapai or rice wine is to be served to maintain the qualitative spirit and wellbeing of Bambaazon. 

5.   The Unduk Ngadau Kaamatan – Tohid di Huminodun

In every Kaamatan Festival, the Unduk Ngadau Contest assumes the highlight of the day’s occasion. To the Kadazandusuns, it is the culmination of all the activities undertaken as a symbolic response to Kinoingan’s ever-bounding love for his people.

Unduk Ngadau owes its origin from the part of the Kadazandusun genesis story which pertains to the sacrifice of Huminodun or Ponompuan, Kinoingan’s only daughter. Therefore the Unduk Ngadau Tunduk do Tadau which means “Zenith of the Sun” crowned in the ‘afternoon’completed the meaning of the Kaamatan Festival as the Unduk Ngadau is indeed the Tunduk which can then grow and be the new shoot or Tohid of Huminodun.

Photo courtesy of David Aramaitie

It is therefore to this day, the Kadazandusun people have included the Unduk Ngadau Pageant as a grand part of their Kaamatan(Harvest) Festivals. It is a manifestation to the deep sense of respect and admiration that the Kadazandusun people have for the legendary Huminodun. It is a sacred title ascribed to Huminodun, to her absolute obedience to Kinoingan and love for mankind, so much so as to be a willing sacrifice for the sake of the father’s creation.

 18 year old, Miss Bo Tiza, Unduk Ngadau Kaamatan 2011

Pic courtesy of kauluanexpress.com

In essence therefore, the “Unduk Ngadau” is an enduring event of selecting from among the Kadazandusun beauties and the maiden who has the honour of being selected should bear semblance to Huminodun and will represent all that is virtuous in the revered Huminodun.

While there are disagreements from various quarters regarding the origin of the Unduk Ngadau as a Queen Contest, let no one doubt that within the world views of the Kadazandusuns, Unduk Ngadau is evolved from Huminodun the Sacrificed Daughter of Kinoingan shall always be the soul of the Kaamatan Festival.

Flowing from the life, meaning and purpose of Huminodun, the Kadazandusuns for generations to come, have their permanent foundation of a loving and caring individual, family and society. For Huminodun’s message, soft and gentle, shall remain joyfully true and filled with love and compassion and is unlikely to change for generations to come.

“To understand Huminodun as Soul of Unduk Ngadau thus is to understand the Kaamatan Festival. Huminodun’s love and pure intentions, now idolized and beatified in Unduk Ngadau, is the same, yesterday, today and tomorrow. So too, Unduk Ngadau will always be – the Soul of Kaamatan, enduring where and when all else perish, like Love endures. For Huminodun in Unduk Ngadau is Love, and let no man or woman disgrace it.” Diwato 2007

Sources: compiled and adapted from various Kaamatan Cultural Association Publications