Kaamatan Festival @ Sabah

Been 4 years in Sabah, but didn’t even once get chance to be a part in the Kaamatan Festival. Kaamatan is the Harvest Festival for Sabah ethnic tribes such as Kadazans and Dusuns. The essence of this festival is as thanksgiving for a plentiful harvest. It is held on the 30^th and 31^st of May every year. Usually, I’ll be home during this period but since this is my last year here, I’ve planned to attend this festival.

On May 1^st of each year, the Kaamatan Festival is launched. This gives chances to numerous ethnic communities to promote their unique cultural heritage as well as multi-cultural peace, understanding and harmony.  30^th and 31^st is the final days of the Kaamatan Festival.

Enterance of KDCA

We went to KDCA, Penampang where the festival is held. It also sometimes referred as Hongkod Koisaan (Unity Hall). Here, we can visit all the ethnic groups at their respective houses. The style and design of the houses varies according to their native costumes. 

I even come across bouncing floor that really amazes me. It’s a lifetime experience.

Bouncing floor

 To the multi-sounds and tempo of traditional music, multi-ethnic cultural dances are performed to show guests and visitors the rhythm of life that they too can experience for a moment in time by their participation in action.

  

All around are cheap sales of local products, where one can have the best of choices and great bargains in purchasing the finest native handicrafts direct from the producers themselves. I didn’t get one since already got few but my friends spend quite a time there.

Numerous varieties of unique traditional food and beverages are served too. Various local deserts and delectable rice and coconut wines are completely free until they last.

And lastly for the main highlight of the Kaamatan Festival, Unduk Ngadau. This event stirs the crowd towards the main hall. I didn’t get a good spot to enjoy watching since it is packed until full capacity. But I manage to sneak in for few of the Unduk Ngadau selection.

 Pretty girls, not from the Unduk Ngadau 

To the Kadazandusun, paddy is not only their staple food, it is also a sacred plant, a living symbol of Kinoingan's love for his people. Many believe that “without rice, there is no life”..