UNDUK NGADAU KAAMATAN 2009 - PAPAR

APPEY ROWENNA JANUIN from Papar was crowned as the Unduk Ngadau Kaamatan 2009. She beat 40 other contestants from other district to emerge as the new Unduk Ngadau.

Appey Rowenna was one of the favourite to win the title as everytime her name was called everybody gave her a very good responds and applause.

In 2nd place was Pearl Dianne Petrus who represented the city of Kota Kinabalu and in 3rd place was Joanne Kimberly J. Majalap of Penampang.

In 4th position was Flina Binti Runtum representing Tamparuli while Jacqueline Binti Joseph of Keningau was in 5th place. Frederica Camilla of Tuaran was in 6th placing and Elinna Masiun of Likas was in 7th position.

The atmosphere at the KDCA hall during the Unduk Ngadau competition in progress.

The hall was fully packed as can be seen in the picture as all available space were filled up by the audience who came for the closing of the harvest festival.

FACES OF KAAMATAN - PART 1

As I was sorting out the pictures and zooming in and out, I noticed each individual in the pictures have something they were thinking when I took the pictures. Some of the pictures were taken in groups but my camera have the ability to zoom to any particular objects of the taken pictures and can be saved as a new pictures after editing it.

Most of the people are the older generation and was it that they were thinking about the festival in the future after they are no longer around? Are they worried that their time of celebrating the festival are no longer relevant to the fast changing time, the custom and tradition will erode faster without them around to check it? The older generation are very proud to be part of celebrating the festival and they wear their best traditional attire of their ancestral forefather.

Their face shows how hard it was then to toil your land for the cultivation of paddy using the traditional methods. You spend your time from dawn to dust with your two hands at your paddy field to make sure your family have something to eat at the end of the day.

The keeper of the gongs who happen to be a woman is very sad indeed because no young ladies are interested of the beating the gong anymore. During her time, any young girls knows how to beat the gongs.

She happen to be the only woman of her tribe who can play a set of musical intrument which resembled the 'Kulintangan'. Can she keep this traditional instrument and pass it to the younger generation for the years to come during this time of festival?

This is one of the unique headgear worm by the Rungus of Kudat which we seldom see worn by them. Some years ago I have seen them wearng it when they come to Kota Kinabalu minus the decorative items but just plain turban. Is he thinking that this headgear will be forgotten by the young Rungus youth?

Mr Rung : How do you feel wearing our traditional attire?

Mr Ugus : I feel proud to be wearing my traditional attire although it does not belong to me.

Mr Rung : When you get your money from your small business on tourism ... homestay .. you

buy the attire okay.

Mr Ugus : I will do that ... tell me where to get the cheap but high quality okay?

These young teenagers will keep the traditional customs of their ancestors and they have proven it by participating in numerous activities line-up at the festival venue. After witnessing rarely seen rituals and enjoying traditional sports and games as well as rendition of songs during the singing competition this youth will shouldered and make sure the traditional customs be celebrated in the future.

KOTOBIAN TADAU TAGAZO DO KAAMATAN 2009 – P1

Happy Harvest Festival 2009 to all Sabahan wherever you are.

I was at the Hongkod KDCA, Penampang this morning between 8.00 am to 9.00 am just to capture the multi-cultural parade of the traditional customs of the people of Sabah. I was there early in the morning last year for the same purpose. It would be advisable to come early just to watch all the multi-coloured traditional attire of the multi-tribe of Sabah lining up to welcome VIP.

There were almost hundred pictures I took for my one hour stay at the venue and I will try to post all the pictures that I manage to take for the benefit of all my readers. If I can make it, I will try to attend the selection of the Unduk Ngadau winner tomorrow at the same venue.

Enjoy the pictures and I will post all the interesting, colourful and cultural extravaganza of the many ethnic groups found in the land below the wind, Sabah.

Below is the pictures of the Bisaya traditional house where you will find amazing traditional baskets, a type of traditional fish trap and many traditional items exhibited for the benefit of all to see their traditional ways before.

A young boy donning the Bisaya traditional costume with a headgear which resembled the horn of a male cow.

More pictures coming up so stay updated and visit again. Kotobian Tadau Tagazo do Kaamatan.

KNOW YOUR TRADITIONAL FOOD – Part 2

Today’s posting is about the food prepared by a very sporting lady who only let me took all her food pictures but also posed for the camera. I hope she will read this posting. She had prepared her traditional food and placed it inside the shell of a big clam which was beautifully decorated.

She had prepared a type of dish called Tuhau, a pungent type of pickle but once you are used to the taste and smell, you sure to want to eat more of it.

She had also prepared the ever popular Hinava, a dish made from raw fish mixed with a couple of lime juice, salt to taste, shallots, onions and a type of tropical fruit called Bambangan seed (grated). Some people will put chili and bitter gourd for some crunchy texture. Actually it depends on your creativity how you like you Hinava taste as long as you follow the basic ingredients.

A type of preserved fish called Noosom was among her list of traditional dish. The preparation of the dish is quite easy to prepare. Usually fresh water fish were used mix with salt, rice and a type of seed called Panggi and put inside a jar which is tightly sealed and kept for two weeks before consuming it.

I didn’t wait for the results what position the lady won but surely the food she prepared were already a winner as hers were very unique.

One way to preserve our traditional food is through us by promoting it through whatever media which will be read by all especially the younger set of young people. I will be posting all the pictures I took so stay tuned.

YOU ARE UGLY, FAT AND NOT PRETTY ANYMORE.

To all husband in Malaysia to watch their tongue or else they will end up in jail. If you tell your wife that she is no longer pretty in an attempt to humiliate her, this can be classified as an emotional violence offence if amendments are made to the domestic Violence Act 1994.

The aim of proposing the amendment was to safeguard women both physically and emotionally. It was said emotional violence was a form of abuse that would deeply scar a woman and lower their self-esteem, dignity and self confidence.

So husbands, beware of uttering such word in future if you don’t want to end up in court.

WHY UNDUK NGADAU CONTEST DURING HARVEST FESTIVAL

Unduk Ngadau or beauty contest during harvest festival is being held to remember the sacrifice of god’s only daughter Huminodun. The winner of the Unduk Ngadau (beauty contest) is supposed to embody all the qualities Huminodun had that are grace, strength and bravery.


All the potential ladies will parade in their best traditional attire and knowledgeable with their traditional customs. They will be bare footed during the catwalk as a symbol of simplicity.

Unduk Ngadau contestants will be donning this foot in the future competition.

UNDUK NGADAU RESULT CHANGE

Since this is the month of Kaamatan festival (Harvest festival), more news about these traditional events will be highlighted here this month. The finale of this festival will be at Hongkod Koisaan, Penampang on the 30th and 31st December 2009. The crowning of the Unduk Ngadau, which symbolizes Huminodun, will be crowned on the last day of the festival.

In the district of Tawau, the father of the 1st runner-up of the Unduk Ngadau has expressed shock when her daughter results were changed. He alleged that the organizing committee change her daughter position to the 2nd runner-up and taken the prizes from her after the prize presentation at the backstage.

He made the objection but was rejected by the organizer. He urges the organizer to return the trophy to his daughter and considering legal action if the organizer refuses to comply with the judge’s decision.

It was not reported why the organizing committee took such action.

KNOW YOUR TRADITIONAL FOOD

Here are the pictures of the traditional food, which I promise to post and to those of you who never tried this recipe should try it. It is very simple to prepare and the raw items can be bought at the Sunday market or Tamu. I myself have not tried some of the dishes prepared and looking forward to try preparing it soon.

CLICK ON THE PICTURES TO ZOOM-IN


Below is the preserved fresh water fish but I never tried this recipe, which was fried. I don’t know how they prepared it but would be curious how they fried the preserved fish.



Below is the young Manggo skinned and cut into pieces and mix with a good quantity of salt and Sugar. A very simple to prepare and eaten as appetiser.

I have eaten Banana heart fried with dried shrimp with cilli but preparing it with lime, a pinch of salt, cilli and fried anchovies looks exciting. I noticed the banana heart was cut into small pieces and looked very tasty. This dish is sure to be tried by everyone.

Here are the recipe of some of the recipe for the benefit of my readers to try this very simple recipe.

This is only the 1st part of the traditional food competition pictures. There are 55 pictures and I will try to post all the pictures here. Enjoy and good luck when you tried the recipe.

TRADITIONAL FOOD COMPETITION @FOOD CARNIVAL

In conjunction with the Kaamatan festival (Harvest Festival) the main organizing committee organized a traditional food competition at the Hongkod Koisaan building in Penampang last Sunday. I went there before noon and taken pictures of the many types of food for the competition.

I will post later of all the food that you have not seen or tested before but alas audience was not invited to sample the food except for the judges appointed by the organizing committee. It was announced that food will be served to all but I didn’t wait for it.

To tease you all, I will post pictures I took outside the main hall of the Hongkod Koisaan building. Items posted here are the traditional winnowing, Wakid and traditional replica of the Wakid.

Visit again to see pictures and stories of the traditional food competition.