Life In Borneo

Posted by Xander on October 22nd, 2008 in Culture & Traditions, Events

An Art & Tattoo exhibition is being held at the Monsopiad Cultural Village, every Friday to Saturday for the month of October. For the people of Borneo, Tattoos are a part of our culture and tradition. While modern tools have almost replaced all traditional methods, ancient tribal patterns are not forgotten. Flora and fauna motif passed down from generations are still being used till today.

Some people display tattoos to celebrate or memorialize a significant point in ones’ life and at other times, to commemorate a loved one, may it be name(s) or even an illustration of a person. Though these times in history are not depicted using words, rather they are more like etchings using designs of places and dates which only the person that received the tattoo would know the meaning behind them.

Here, a Tattoo artist is inking a Chinese character for a customer.

Those that exhibit their tattoos regardless of age and/or ethnic backgrounds mostly prefer designs that somewhat depict their personality. Usually these types of tattoos are represented using Japanese and Chinese characters or even illustrations of animals or even mythical creatures which are diverse in every culture known throughout the world. Characters or designs using different languages or inspirations are not unheard of and it mostly depends on the recipient of the tattoos and the tattoo artist.

Tribal patterns are also famous due to the fact that its origin is widespread across the world. To name a few the Berbers of Tamazgha, Ainu (indigenous people from Japan) and Maori of New Zealand have been known to have facial tattoos though these days you rarely see those types of designs. It is also known that tattooing were also widespread among the Polynesian peoples and numerous tribal groups from Borneo, Philippines, Mentawai Islands, North America, Africa, Cambodia and Micronesia just to name a few.

Regardless of where or when the art of tattooing came into widespread popularity, you’ll find that Borneo is never short of places to get your ink from. With much diversity in ethnicity and multifarious in its history and culture it is an opportunity not to be missed if you ever find a chance to come here and get a tattoo done by some of our very talented local tattoo artists.

Read more about Monsopiad Cultural Village>>>

Photos by Eshark of EsharkDesign.com

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Posted by Raz on May 28th, 2008 in Events

Learn more about Sabah’s many ethnic costumes and its significance to its respective group. Make music the Sabahan way and discover the various musical instruments used in local ensembles. All this awaits you at the Monsopiad Cultural Village!

Date : 04 - 30 June 2008
Organiser : Monsopiad Cultural Village
Contact Person : Monsopiad Cultural Village
Telephone : +6088 761336
Fax : +6088 761680
Email Contact : info@monsopiad.com

source: www.sabahtourism.com

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Posted by Daniel on May 5th, 2008 in Culture & Traditions, Events, Festivals

Sabah Fest 2008 - The Launching

“Welcome to the most spectacular celebration of Sabah’s cultural riches, Sabah Fest!”
That was the first two lines printed on the introduction of the booklet. Indeed, the launching of this year’s Sabah Fest on 3rd May, held at the Magellan Sutera last Saturday, was nothing less than spectacular!

Sabah Fest 2008 - Harmony In Diversity

Sabah Fest is a yearly event aimed to provide visitors the opportunity to see, taste, hear and feel Sabah’s unique culture through a kaleidoscope of cultural performances and spectrum of activities lined up throughout the month of May. Visitors will get to sample local delicacies such as cakes and traditional foods, and also witness unique works of crafts demonstrated live by skilled handicraft makers of various ethnic groups.

This year’s theme is ‘Harmony In Diversity’, which paints a picture of the people of Sabah living in unity within a society of diverse races and cultures. This was strongly reflected in the opening presentation of the launching ceremony with a mock enactment of a wedding ritual of a Bajau bride and a Murut groom. The display began with the matrimonial preparations and celebrations of Bajau bride’s family, which was then joined by the various races to celebrate that occasion and then concluded with a bridewealth presentation and dances of the Murut.

A Spectacle of Diversity and Unity

The evening started with a cultural dance performance by several ethnic groups. Dancers dressed in multitudes of colourful costumes - symbolizing the unity of the people of Sabah - bore gifts to bid a warm welcome to the dignitaries. Among those that attended the event were Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Haji Aman, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Joseph Pairin Kitingan, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Yahya Hussein, Datuk Masidi Manjun who is the current Minister of Culture, Tourism and Environment, and Sabah’s Head of State Tun Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Ahmadshah bin Abdullah, who officiated the launching.

Tun Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Ahmadshah bin Abdullah officiated the event with the hitting of the Gong

Datuk Masidi Manjun presents a souvenir to Head of State Tun Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Ahmadshah bin Abdullah

After the opening presentation, the guests were treated to a variety of ethnic performances. Traditional dances of the Kota Belud Bajau were showed earlier on, namely the Limbai dance, the Kuda Pasu and the Berunsai.

Kudapasu Dance

Igal Tabawan Dance

As the evening went on, dances from other cultures were displayed such as the Dusun Tindal Mongigol, the Igal-Igal dance of the Bajau of Semporna, The Sumazau Penampang and the Sazau Papar of the Kadazandusun, The Nainung and Umang Ting-Ting by the Brunei Malays and the Dansa of the Cocos.

Umang Ting-Ting Dance

Some of the attention-grabbing presentations were performed by the youngest performers of the night. The children of the Dance and Cultural Society of the SK Kiawaian primary school from Tambunan performed the Pangkulian, a creative dance with the inclusion of bamboo play as its central theme.

Pangkulian Dance

Pangkulian Dance

Medtemu Dance

The Medtemu dance of the Ranau Dusun was awe-invoking, where the dancers performed a symbolic war dance of ‘a meeting to settle disputes’. The audience was also treated to a mock traditional Murut Tagal Wedding and the Murut Anggalang, a dance ritual traditionally performed in celebration of a victorious battle or a successful headhunting party (a part of Sabah’s culture no longer in practice). One of the best performance of the evening was the Magunatip, a fascinating dance where the dancers must dextrously skip between clapping bamboos in an ever-increasing tempo.

The Festival has Begun

The opening ceremony signalled the start of the festival, but the closure of the night’s event only marks the beginning of a month full of cultural activities. Ladies and gentlemen, Sabah Fest is back and it’s going to be a very colourful month of May.

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Posted by Raz on April 30th, 2008 in Events

Click on images to zoom

On the 26th of April, Kota Kinabalu had the Freedom of Entry to The City Ceremony at Padang Merdeka. This annual event is jointly organised by the Malaysian Navy and Kota Kinabalu City Hall. It also coincides with the of 74th Navy Day on 27th April. This was my first time watching too.

The event began with the presentation of a “Freedom of Entry To The City” scroll to Mayor Datuk Iliyas Ibrahim by Lieutenant Mohd Hazamri Hassan. At 10.00 am, the “Freedom of Entry” March started. The participants consisted of 15 contingents, Royal Malaysian Navy, United States Navy, France Navy, Royal Brunei Navy and 110 secondary students.

The “Freedom of Entry” is an old naval tradition practised since medieval times when the navy enters the city and permission from the Mayor must be obtained. A “scroll” is presented to the Mayor which then allows the Navy to exercise its newly conferred right to march through the city.

Among those present were City Hall Director-General Datuk Dr Chua Kim Hing, RMN Commander Naval region 2 First Admiral Syed Zahiruddin Putra Syed Osman, Acting Fleet Commander Royal Brunei Navy Lieutennat Colonel (L) Haji Aznan Haji Julaihi, Commanding Officer of French Surveillance Frigate Floreal Commander Johann De Villars, Commanding Officer USS Fitzgerald Commander Daniel Dusek, Defence Advisor US Naval Attache US Embassy Kuala Lumpur Captain Claudia Risner, Deputy State Secretary Datuk Maznah Abd. Ghani, and Sabah Tourism Board Chairman Datuk Seri Tengku Zainal Adlin.

At 10.15, the personnel from KD Sri Semporna showed unarmed combat demonstration. These guys are not to be messed with.

Then at 10.30, the crowd was entertained by skilful performance of silent marching by the Tawau RMN Reserve Force.

After that, I headed towards Sabah Ports Authority where the Navy Ships area open for viewing. Upon arrival, I saw that there were boat rides available for RM 2.00. There was also a demonstration by the Malaysian navy’s CB90 as well as the Super Lynx and Fennec helicopters. At 11.45am, I heard the air chopping loud noises. I looked up and saw 2 helis, but they were too far away above the other dock, so I had to run for it.

Then I continued to the Navy Ships that were open for viewing here at Sabah Ports Authority. There were 2 Royal Malaysian Navy ships, 1 from France Navy, and 2 from Royal Brunei Navy. The United States navy ship, USS Fitzgerald was berthed at Sepanggar bay.

Royal Malaysian Navy “KD Pahang”

Royal Malaysian Navy “KTD Kepah”

Royal Brunei Navy “KDB Waspada”

Royal Brunei Navy “KDB Teraban”

France Marine Nationale “F730 Floréal”

For the night events of “Freedom of Entry to The City 2008″, read Jacq’s blog entry. I was already too tired to run around again… maybe next year we’ll all go together, ok?

info source: www.sabahtourism.com

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Posted by Raz on April 17th, 2008 in Culture & Traditions, Events, Festivals

Sabah Fest, the festivity which presents the essence of the cultural extravaganza of Sabah’s diverse people will soon be here again. This year, the event takes place over four days, from May 3rd to the 6th. A presentation of Sabah’s colourful culture, it will be launched by Sabah’s Head of State, Tuan Yang Terutama Yang Di Pertua Negeri, Tun Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Ahmadshah bin Abdullah on Saturday, May 3rd 2008 at the Magellan Grand Ballroom, Sutera Harbour Resort, Kota Kinabalu. On Sunday, the 4th of May audiences can enjoy another night of traditional music and dance while festivities take place at Sabah Museum’s Heritage Village on the 5th and 6th of May.

The much-anticipated event includes a multitude of cultural dances and traditional music performances, local food and beverage stalls for all to enjoy and handicraft-making demonstrations by the respective ethnic groups. On the 3rd and 4th of May there will be exhibitions from 10am to 10pm at the foyer of the Magellan Grand Ballroom, Sutera Harbour.

This is a great opportunity to see skilled craftspeople at work during the handicraft exhibition and a chance to purchase hard-to-find items, from handwoven baskets to intricately-carved Sea Bajau lepas (wooden boat replicas). This year, the Sabah Fest exhibition will also see the participation of some of Sabah’s top spas and wellness centres offering spa treatments for all to enjoy. Come and try delicious local delicacies such as the kuih cincin and sample our famous Sabah Tea.

On the concert nights on the 3rd and 4th May there will be a wonderful array of unique and rarely-seen traditional dances such as the Pangkulian, a Murut-inspired creative traditional dance performed by the students of SK Kiawaian Tambunan and the graceful Igal-Igal Tabawan dance, performed by the Bajau people who reside in Semporna along the East Coast of Sabah. The biggest ethnic tribe in Sabah, the Kadazandusun, will present the Paina and Sumazau, accompanied by the mesmerising beat of the gong.

Sabah is known for its multiculturalism and this year’s theme, Harmony in Diversity, reflects just that. The highlight of the night is the inter-marriage of two different ethnic groups, the Murut and the Bajau. Two traditional mock wedding displays with two very different rituals will be shown on stage - a truly unique experience!

This year an additional two days will be dedicated to give visitors a spectacular cultural experience at the Sabah Museum Cultural Village on the 5th and 6th of May. The village is made up of various traditional houses such as the Rungus longhouse and the bamboo Murut home. Visitors can mingle with the ethnic groups who will be there to show guests their way of life in their respective houses. Age-old rituals will be demonstrated, such as the Rungus fertility ritual called the moginum /manimbang at the Rungus longhouse and a ritual for house cleaning called the mamahui at the Lotud Dusun house. Various other activities will be held to make this event even more colourful, such as traditional musical and dance performances by the Lotud Dusun and the Bajau as well as cooking demonstrations by the Bisaya. This 2-day affair will take place from 10:00am to 5:00pm, with a special traditional dance performance at the Main Stage at 11:00am and 3:00pm.

This event is brought to the public by the Sabah Tourism Board and is organized by Sri Pelancongan Sabah Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sabah Tourism Board. For more information, please call Susan Shahira or Melissa Leong of Sri Pelancongan Sabah Sdn. Bhd. (Tel: 088 – 232121).

Tickets for the cultural shows from 3 – 4 May are sold at RM30.00. Tickets for viewing the traditional houses and activities at Sabah Museum’s HeritageVillage are priced at RM10.00. For ticket bookings please contact Jane Lai at 088-232121 or Shirley Teo at 088-212121. All tickets can also be purchased at Sabah Tourism Board and Sri Pelancongan Sabah tourist information counters.

(Source: Sabah Tourism Press Release, 04 Apr 2008)

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Posted by Raz on April 13th, 2008 in Events

This annual exhibition features various art forms created, produced and developed by the multi-ethnic communities in Sabah. Euthusiastic craftsmen will show new samples of thier intricate combinations of patterns and colours that make Sabah unique.

Date : 08 May - 01 June 2008
Venue : Sabah Art Gallery
Organiser : Sabah Art Gallery
Contact Person : Datuk Mohd. Yaman Hj. Ahmad Mus
Telephone : +6088 268875
Fax : +6088 210040
Email Contact : gallery_9@msn.com

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Posted by Raz on April 4th, 2008 in Events

Date : 26 April 2008
Venue : Anjung Senja to Waterfront, Padang Merdeka to Old Sabah Port
Time: 0900am - 1800pm

The “Freedom of Entry Ceremony” is an old Naval Tradition that began during the medieval times, where the City or town council confers the right of the “Navy” to march with “Swords drawn, drums beating, band playing, colours flying and bayonets fixed”. The right to march through is usually conferred with a “Scroll” by the Lord Mayor. The ‘Scroll’ will then allow the Navy to exercise its newly conferred right to march through the city. The Colours are of great significance to each and every sailor, representing the central rallying point in battle in the event that they are separated from their colleagues during the melee.

This tradition signifies the true bonds of friendship, and often the expectation that the Navy whom the honour was bestowed upon would assist in the defence of the City. The Navy is then bound to protect the city from any invasion or attack………

Programme Highlights:

1. “FREEDOM OF ENTRY” March
   Time: 10.00 - 11.30 am
   Venue: Hotel Promenade Boulevard
2. NAVY SHIP open for viewing
   Time: 9.00 am – 4.00pm
   Venue: Sabah Port Authority (shuttle busses will transport visitors from Port Gate to Ship)
3. Mini Regatta
   Time: 9.00am – 4.00pm
   Venue: Sea front of Hotel Promenade
4. Boat Ride on CB90s
   Time: 9.00 am – 4.00pm
   Venue: From Jetty behind Hyatt Regency Kinabalu Hotel
5. SUNSET CEREMONY
   Time: 6.45pm
   Venue: Stage opposite Hotel Promenade

Other Activities:

Time: 9.00 am – 4.00 pm
Venue: Anjung Senja

• Navy Diver Demonstration and Exhibition
• Face Painting
• Super Lynx and Fennec Helicopters aerial displays
• Exhibition and Demonstrations by TLDM, PASKAL, PSTL Hidrografi Nasional, PDRM, National Maritime Agency,
• Concert

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