Life In Borneo

Posted by Daniel on June 13th, 2009 in Culture & Traditions, Events, Festivals, Legends

The Unduk Ngadau Grand Finals of 2009 was held in the Main Hall of KDCA’s Hongkod Koisaan on Sunday, 31st May. This year’s Unduk Ngadau saw 41 contestants representing their respective districts, as 5 more districts have joined the competition, including Putatan, Paitan, Pagalungan and Banggi Island.

The Legend of Huminodun

The event started with a brilliant play called “Teater Lagenda Huminodun”, which tells the legend of Huminodun. According to the legend, the earth, in the days of old, was plagued by the seven scourges sent down by the deity Kinoingan to punish mankind for their sinful ways. The seventh scourge was draught and famine which threatened to end all life on earth.

Huminodun, Kinoingan’s only daughter, took pity on mankind’s plight and sacrificed herself to end the famine that had plagued her father’s people.

Her body parts were planted as seeds and became rice, the food resource of the people. Thus the importance of rice in the lives of the Kadazandusun, as rice embodies the spirit of Huminodun who sacrified herself to save humanity.

Beauties dressed in ethnic attires

Earlier in the afternoon, the hosts introduced each of the hopefuls as they were presented on stage. The ladies were dressed in ethnic attire from native cultures found throughout Sabah, such as the distinctive black-and-white Lundayeh set and the hooded Dusun Tindal costume.

Tati Cecelia Riymante (Membakut)

Tati Sheron Olga Fedilis (Sook)

Tati Efahrina Nicholas (Tambunan)

Tati Gilda J Joeplik (Sandakan)

Tati Wanda Hendryana Pius (Lahad Datu)

Tati Flina Binti Rutum (Tamparuli)

Tati Elsie R Marius (Tanjung Aru)

Tati Sarimah Bt Tangkungon (Pagalungan)

Tati Fredericka Camilla Richard Daut (Tuaran)

Tati Emilda Albert (Paitan)

Tati Roziyanah Bt Mutang (Sipitang)

Tati Hulliwta Eliser (Tungku)

Tati Jukini Gamius (Semporna)

Tati Jacqueline Monalisa (Banggi)

Tati Affy Jackleyinda Entawin (Beaufort)

Tati Joanne Bernadette John (Beluran)

Tati Rachel Martinus (Inanam)

Tati Lydia Binti Binidik (Kemabong)

Tati Jacqueline Joseph (Keningau)

Tati Erra Quency Victor (Kota Belud)

Tati Jovenea Jim Lajim (Klang Valley)

Tati Deizi Sebastian Mojinu (Labuan WP)

Tati Rounnah Beb Robert Sylvester (Tenom)

Tati Elinna Masuin (Likas)

Tati Pearl Dianne Petrus (Kota Kinabalu)

Tati Laine Binti Tinggangau (Kota Marudu)

Tati Maylesthelyn Matius (Putatan)

Tati Appey Rowena Januin (Papar)

Out of 41 contestants, 15 made it through to the second round. During this round, the contestants’ wisdom and intellect were tested which requires them to answer a question chosen from a pile of sealed envelops. The questions ranged from subjects that touched social issues such as cultural identity, to economic issues such as how to improve Sabah’s tourism industry. The questions were many, but none of them were easy. This was definitely the hardest part of the competition.

The Top 15

Tati Pearl Dianne Petrus (Kota Kinabalu)
Tati Elinna Masuin (Likas)
Tati Elsie R Marius (Tanjung Aru)
Tati Joanne Kimberley J Majalap (Penampang)
Tati Maylesthelyn Matius (Putatan)
Tati Appey Rowenna Januin (Papar)
Tati Jacqueline Joseph (Keningau)
Tati Rounnah Beb Robert Sylvester (Tenom)
Tati Fredericka Camilla Richard Daut (Tuaran)
Tati Flina Rutum (Tamparuli)
Tati Stella Nakaran (Ranau)
Tati Gloria Lyne Bami (Kinabatangan)
Tati Rozyanah Mutang (Sipitang)
Tati Jacqueline Monalisa (Banggi)
Tati Jovenea Jim Lajim (Klang Valley)

The 7 Finalists

After the question-and-answer round, 7 finalists were announced in reverse order from 7th to 2nd.

7th Place was won by Tati Elinna binti Musiun, who represented Likas

6th Place was won by Tati Fredericka Camilla Richard Daut, who represented Tuaran

5th Place was won by Tati Jacqueline binti Joseph, who represented Keningau

4th Place was won by Tati Flina binti Rutum, who represented Tamparuli

3rd Place was won by Tati Joanne Kimberley J. Majalap, who represented Penampang

2nd Place was won by Tati Pearl Dianne Petrus, who represented Kota Kinabalu

And the Unduk Ngadau 2009 title goes to…

Tati Appey Rowena Januin from Papar!

The full list of winners:

Unduk Ngadau: Tati Appey Rowena Januin
2nd Place: Tati Pearl Dianne Petrus
3rd Place: Tati Joanne Kimberley J. Majalap
4th Place: Tati Flina binti Rutum
5th Place: Tati Jacqueline binti Joseph
6th Place: Tati Fredericka Camilla Richard Daut
7th Place: Tati Elinna binti Musiun
Digi’s Miss Popular: Tati Clarencena Kadius (represented Matunggong)

This year’s Harvest Festival has finally come to an end. Lifeinborneo.com congratulates all the winners of this year’s Unduk Ngadau and to all those that participated in this event and hope that the Spirit of the Harvest will be merrier next year!

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Posted by Daniel on June 23rd, 2008 in Culture & Traditions, Events, Festivals, Legends

The World Harvest Festival 2008 was held at the Sarawak Cultural Village in Santubong, Sarawak on the 24th and 25th of May. Lifeinborneo.com took this opportunity to cover the two day annual Borneo cultural event which featured ethnic music and costumes, locally made products such as food and handicrafts, an Ethnic Beauty Pageant and a spectacular theme play based on a Bidayuh folklore.

In the third part of our coverage of the World Harvest Festival 2008, we have a theme play based on a 500 year old Bidayuh legend, titled Panglima Kulow. The show was played out at the Sarawak Cultural Village’s lake at night, with an army of casts and a display of impressive special effects worthy of a movie.

Once Upon A Time, In The Land of the Hornbills…

The theme play for World Harvest Festival 2008 was titled Panglima Kulow – The Saviour of Bung Bratak. Several generations ago in Sarawak, Panglima Kulow was the leader of the Bidayuh village of Bung Bratak, which have prospered peacefully for generations. He guided his people in time of prosperity, in times of hardship, and in times of rebuilding and renewal. This theme play retold that epic story, using Disney-like special effects and dozens of actors and actresses to play out the tale in front of live spectators.

Lights Off. Silence Please.

As any show would do, the theme play started with the telling of the origin of Panglima Kulow’s tale. But what caught our attention was HOW they start off the show.

Before they began the theme play, they turned off the lights. The entirety of Sarawak Cultural Village was covered in total darkness. Only the whispers of the audience and the creaking chatter of insects could be heard.

Blind as a mole and with only the staffers’ flashlights to illuminate the walk path, we made our way to the guest seatings while imagining how they were going to perform this theme play. As we reached our destination, we discovered that the seating was positioned directly overlooking the lake. It was at that moment that a realization set upon us: they were going to use the lake and its surrounding as their stage.

A Legend Re-enacted

Seven fireballs flew down from the night sky like meteorites, each one trailing after another, and splashed down into the lake in front of an audience of hundreds. A spotlight then moved to highlight the rooftop of one of the longhouses by the lake, where seven dancers were dancing in a graceful and hypnotic motion.

That was how the show’s introduction went off – it gripped the audience’s attention right from the start.

Watching the theme play was like hearing those mystical stories your grandparents used to tell you about, only that it was actually happening right before your waking eyes. Suffice to say, we have never seen anything like it before (in person at least). The amount of special effects that went into this production must have been immense; without those visual effects, the theme play would not have been as jaw-dropping or as memorable.

And they lived happily ever after

The essence of the story, I believe, was unity. Panglima Kulow held his people together in times of hardship throught the unity of his people. Towards the end of the theme play, he united two communities together through the marriage of his son and the daughter of the other tribe. Like the bedtime stories our grandparents used to tell us, the tale of Panglima Kulow’s mystical pull was that it combined entertainment with storytelling in the most surreal way. And like those bedtime stories, there’s always that moral-of-the-story at the conclusion of the tale, and in Panglima Kulow, the point of it was unity. Take out all those visual effects, all those colourful props, and you’ll find a story that teaches you the virtue of living in harmony.

Entertainment, art, culture, teaching – all creatively woven into a brilliant theme play.

Up next, the most unique ethnic beauty pageant…

Stay tuned to lifeinborneo.com as we bring you the final part of our coverage of World Harvest Festival 2008, where we have the Miss Fair & Lovely Ethnic Beauty Pageant.

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Posted by Promoter on June 10th, 2008 in Culture & Traditions, Hot Spots, Legends

The legendary Monsopiad was an actual warrior who lived 200 years ago in the village of Kuai. The main mission and objective of the Monsopiad Cultural Village is to become a Living Museum, a cultural showcase of Kadazandusun culture, and a unique attraction for travelers coming to Sabah, be they from international or Malaysians. Monsopiad Cultural Village is the legacy of this fearsome warrior, located beside the Penampang River, about 30 minutes from the Kota Kinabalu City. It is a living museum built around the village where he once fought to protect. Read more about the Legend of Monsopiad here>

Once you step into village, you are transported back in time where headhunters and spirit worshippers roamed the land; a place and time when the village was controlled by the Bobohizans (female high priestesses of the Kadazan). The village keeps the culture, beliefs and traditions alive. The Village is run by Monsopiad’s direct descendants and theirs stories will leave a chill down your spine… so vivid they are that it felt as if the warrior is still living amongst them.

Many who have visited feel that one of the true essences of Sabah is the Monsopiad Cultural Village. You cannot say that you have been to Sabah if you did not pay a visit to this historical site.

Operating Hours
Monday to Sunday 9.00am till 5.00pm

Address
Monsopiad Cultural Village Sdn Bhd
Kg. Kuai/Kandazon, Penampang
Kota Kinabalu
Sabah, Malaysian Borneo.

Tel : +6 088 761336
Fax : +6 088 761680
Email : info@monsopiad.com
website : www.monsopiad.com

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Posted by Daniel on June 4th, 2008 in Culture & Traditions, Events, Festivals, Legends

The Unduk Ngadau Grand Finals was held in the Main Hall of KDCA’s Hongkod Koisaan on 31st May 2008. 36 contestants represented their respective districts, including one from Klang Valley. Dressed in traditional ethnic costume, the contestants graced the audience with their charm and beauty in the most anticipated event of this year’s Kaamatan Festival.

In the footsteps of a Legend

The first Unduk Ngadau competition was held in the early 1960s, but the true history and meaning of the beauty pageant goes back to the time of myth and legends, when the earth was plagued by the seven scourges sent down by the deity Kinoingan to punish mankind for their sinful ways. The seventh scourge was draught and famine which threatened to end all life on earth. Kinoingan’s only daughter Ponompuan, often referred as Huminodun, took pity on mankind’s plight and sacrificed herself to end the famine that had plagued her father’s people. Her body parts were planted as seeds and became rice, the food resource of the world. Thus the importance of rice in the lives of the Kadazandusun, as rice embodies the spirit of Huminodun who sacrified herself to save humanity.

Ethnic Beauties of the Harvest

Earlier during the event, the hosts introduced the contestants one by one on stage as they walked on stage, accompanied by roaring cheers from the crowd, which filled up every seats there were on that day. The ladies of the pageant were garbed in the most dazzling traditional ethnic costumes, with accessories befitting a princess of princesses.

The Finalists

Out of 36 potentials, 15 made it through to the second round. Also known as the question-and-answer round, the second round has always been regarded by many as the most difficult stage of the competition. This is the stage where the contestants’ wisdom are tested; to walk on the path of a legend, one must not only have the heart but also the mind. The winner of this year’s Unduk Ngadau gave the best answer to the best question, in which the crowd responded in a thunderous applause.

After the second round, only 7 finalists were shortlisted.

The results were announced in reverse order from 7th place to 3rd place. It all went down to these two lovely ladies; Ms. Florence Masimbin and Ms. Leonie Lawrence Gontuni.

And the Unduk Ngadau 2008 title goes to..

Ms. Leonie Lawrence Gontuni!

The full list of winners:

• Unduk Ngadau: Ms. Leonie Lawrence Gontuni (Penampang)
• 1st Runner Up: Ms. Florence Masimbin (Kinabatangan)
• 2nd Runner Up: Ms. Emily Majil (Tambunan)
• 3rd Runner Up: Ms. Petronella Cherry Bernard (Papar)
• 4th Runner Up: Ms. Verone Lansu (Keningau)
• 5th Runner Up: Ms. Aloysia Thecla Philip (Kota Belud)
• 6th Runner Up: Ms. AnneMary T. Khan (Klang Valley)
• Celcom Tati Tavanus: Ms. Florence Masimbin (Kinabatangan)

The end of Harvest Festival

The winner of Unduk Ngadau, Ms. Leonie Lawrence, gave the best answer to the best question of that day. The question was: “What makes the Unduk Ngadau Beauty Pageant different from other beauty pageants?” And Ms. Leonie’s answer was: “Unlike other beauty pageants, Unduk Ngadau re-lives the story of the legend of Huminodun, who sacrified herself to save mankind.” That answer tells a lot about the people of Sabah, their traditions and their culture. And for that, the title of Unduk Ngadau was deservingly hers. Lifeinborneo congratulates all the winners and all the participants for re-living the legend, and preserving the ways of the Kadazandusun.

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Posted by Daniel on May 29th, 2008 in Culture & Traditions, Events, Festivals, Legends

The World Harvest Festival 2008 was held at the Sarawak Cultural Village in Santubong, Sarawak on the 24th and 25th of May. Lifeinborneo.com took this opportunity to cover the two day annual Borneo cultural event which featured ethnic music and costumes, locally made products such as food and handicrafts, an Ethnic Beauty Pageant and a spectacular theme play based on a Bidayuh folklore.

A Cultural Event Extravaganza

There were a line-up of events for visitors to see during the two day cultural extravaganza, and Lifeinborneo.com managed to cover what we considered as highlights of the festival:

International Cultural Concert

An international concert featuring cultural groups from around the region. This year they brought in Bahbola from Pahang (a cultural group consisting of Pahang natives, the Semai) and Sanggar Bengkawan Cultural Group from Kalimantan, Indonesia. World Harvest Festival also invited 22-year old Erhu virtuoso Ell Zain Hyder Zainuddin from Perak who enthralled the audience with her soulful play. She is also more famously known as Endang.

Theme Play – Panglima Kulow

Based on a Bidayuh folklore five centuries old, this theme play tells the epic of Panglima Kulow and how he guided his people in times of prosperity, hardship and rebuilding. The play was performed at the Sarawak Cultural Village’s lake at night, with a cast of dozens and a display of amazing special effects.

Ethnic Beauty Pageant Grand Finals – Miss Fair & Lovely WHF 2008

The grand finals for the Miss Fair & Lovely WHF 2008 was held on the first night of the festival. 14 young and beautiful contestants made it through to the finals, but only one will don the queen’s tiara. Introduced 10 years ago, Miss Fair & Lovely is different from other ethnic beauty pageant in that it is open to all single ladies regardless of race. The brand name Fair & Lovely has been sponsoring this event since 1998.

More to come

Stay tuned to lifeinborneo.com as we will bring you more coverage of the events at the World Harvest Festival 2008!

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